Ziyi Dai. left, and Matteo Cagiada: 'Most importantly, it’s truly rewarding to help maintain a welcoming community where early-career scientists can shine and receive positive feedback from our audiences.'
EDITOR’S NOTE: The monthly Variant Effect Seminar Series is an early career scientist-led initiative and service of the Atlas of Variant Effects Alliance. Ziyi Dai, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Molecular Genetics at the University of Toronto, and Matteo Cagiada, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Oxford and University of Copenhagen, serve on the VESS organizing committee, the team that produces the monthly events. Here, they offer personal observations about the seminars and motivations for their work on the committee.
What motivated you to volunteer on the VESS Organizing Committee?
Ziyi: I volunteered because I’m deeply interested in Multiplex Assays of Variant Effect (MAVEs) and wanted to see how the field is moving forward. Being on the committee keeps me close to cutting-edge work, even as my own projects shift over time. It’s also a way to give back by creating an inclusive platform where researchers can share, get feedback, and build connections. Curating the series is both energizing and grounding. I learn a ton and help others do the same.
Matteo: I was motivated by the opportunity to stay updated on the latest developments in variant effect prediction and gain deeper insights into the current goals and challenges of this field of research. Additionally, volunteering for the VESS Organizing Committee is providing me with valuable experience in event management and organizing larger-scale seminars, which I consider essential for my academic career.
What is the most important criterion for the selection of speakers and why?
Ziyi: We spotlight Ph.D. students, postdocs, and new PIs to give early-career researchers a visible platform. We actively seek speakers from different backgrounds and institutions to broaden perspectives. We also curate across subfields from computational to molecular to reflect the full scope of the community. Recently published work and motivated self-nominations also make for really engaging talks.
Matteo: The primary criterion is the scientific quality of the speakers' work. However, we also aim to strike a balance between theoretical, computational, and experimental approaches to ensure comprehensive coverage of the field. Over the past year, we have also emphasized thematic coherence in our seminars, designing each session to focus specifically on significant advances in particular areas of variant effect prediction.
Thus far, what have been the benefits of serving on the VESS Organizing Committee?
Ziyi: One of the biggest benefits is a continuous view of the field. I keep current by attending talks and identifying prospective speakers. I learn from a wide range of projects and approaches, which are inspiring. This role has also expanded my network, connecting me with peers and mentors I might not have met otherwise. On top of that, I’m building practical skills in program curation, outreach, and scientific communication. Most importantly, it’s truly rewarding to help maintain a welcoming community where early-career scientists can shine and receive positive feedback from our audiences.
Matteo: Serving on the VESS Organizing Committee has significantly broadened my understanding of the field, which is particularly valuable given my primarily computational background. The experience has also improved my teamwork skills, as collaboration is fundamental to organizing a long-term event like the VESS. Working closely with the other committee members has been especially gratifying, and we are delighted with how the seminar is progressing! Furthermore, thanks to the seminar, I have developed new and unexpected skills, such as video editing, that I would not otherwise have explored. Overall, this has been a valuable and enriching experience.
Learn more here about Ziyi and Matteo and the VESS.
