The MICCAI Student Board (MSB) represents student interests within the MICCAI Society and aims to encourage the involvement of students within the MICCAI community. The MSB consists of 13 officers who meet twice/month to plan initiatives with the support of MSB advisors, the MICCAI Board and MICCAI Community.
We connected with Naren Akash RJ, MICCAI Student Board President to learn more about the MICCAI Student Board and what they have planned at MICCAI 2024. Click here for the listing of MSB events at MICCAI 2024.
Q. When was the MICCAI Student Board established and how has it grown?
The MICCAI Student Board (MSB) began in 2010 as a small Facebook group created to connect students online. In 2011, the first student-led events were organized at the MICCAI conference in Toronto, Canada. These were a pub night and a trip to Niagara Falls and were a big hit. The following year, students organized a career-focussed event alongside the social events.
Seeing the clear interest and value of these events, the MICCAI Society Board formally recognized the MSB in 2012. Since then, MSB has become a vital part of the MICCAI Community. MSB now provides opportunities for networking and advises the board on student-related issues. MSB continues to organize both social and professional events during every MICCAI conference in collaboration with local organizers. The MSB also runs the MICCAI Educational Initiative, and this year is organizing the EMERGE workshop for the first time.
Q. What are some of the events planned to assist PhD students and early-career scientists as they enter the workforce?
Our flagship event, the Academia and Industry Panel Event, will take place tomorrow night (October 7) at 18.00, and features a panel discussion on career development and the differences between academic and corporate career opportunities. Following the A&I Panel Event will be a Networking Event where participants can connect with leading figures in academia and industry.
On October 8, we will be holding the MSB Lunch and PhD Thesis Madness event when final-year PhD students and recent graduates showcase their research with a 3-minute presentation or a 90 second lightning talk.
Q: What's new from the MSB at this year's MICCAI conference?
We are excited to introduce the EMERGE Workshop at MICCAI 2024. This in-person, half-day workshop, which will be held today (October 6) in the line-up of Satellite Events, offers early career researchers the opportunity to present their research and receive feedback from a dedicated panel of researchers and mentors. The workshop includes two oral sessions, with three presenters in each session.
We look forward to welcoming our keynote speaker, Mathias Unberath, Associate Professor in the Whiting School of Engineering and the School of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University. He is also a core faculty member of the Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics and the Malone Center for Engineering in Healthcare and an affiliate faculty member in the Institute for Assured Autonomy, also at Johns Hopkins University.
Q: The MSB also organizes many fun social events at each MICCAI conference. What do you have planned this year?
Participants who like to go for a morning run before the conference can meet outside of the conference centre on the mornings of October 7 and 8. All fitness levels are welcome. We will also be hosting our annual 5 vs 5 soccer (football) match after the conference closing ceremony on Wednesday, October 9. And finally, on Thursday, October 10, we have organized a Marrakesh Cultural Food Tasting Tour as well as a full-day guided city and gardens tour on Friday, October 11. Space is limited so visit the MSB table to see if there are spaces available.
In addition, the MSB is running its annual photography contest. Post a picture that captures the spirit of MICCAI 2024 on Instagram/X/Threads, and then tag the MSB account. The winner of the photography contest will be announced at the MICCAI closing ceremony, where the winner will receive a goodie bag!
We are excited to be part of the MICCAI 2024 conference and look forward to welcoming students and early-career researchers to Marrakesh.