USD 2026 will open with a full-day Early Career Symposium dedicated to PhD students and postdoctoral researchers on Sunday, May 31. The program will feature selected contributed talks with extended discussion time, fostering in-depth scientific exchange in line with the interactive spirit of the USD series. In addition, the symposium will include career-development panels led by early-career faculty, offering practical insights into navigating the academic job market, building a research program, and developing leadership and mentorship skills. Senior scientists will also be actively engaged throughout the day, creating a dynamic environment for mentorship and networking. All participants will be integrated into the broader USD program, with additional opportunities to present during the conference poster session. This new initiative aims to strengthen the USD community by placing early-career researchers at the center of scientific and professional exchange. We are grateful to the Institute for Complex Adaptive Matter (ICAM) for support of the Early Career Symposium.

All conference attendees interested in the Early Career Symposium are invited to register for an extra $100 using the registration portal. The symposium will start with breakfast and end with an after-dinner session on Sunday. The symposium includes a mid-day poster session around lunch.

The regular conference programming will begin on the morning of Monday, June 1.