Connect Symposium: From Participant in 2017 to Organizer in 2025

In this reflection, I share my journey from being a participant in the first Connect Symposium in 2017 to returning as a junior organizer and lecturer in 2025. What began as a formative experience during my undergraduate studies became a turning point in my academic path, guiding me through a PhD and deeper engagement with the European research landscape. The symposium offered far more than lectures — it introduced me to the importance of science communication, regional cooperation, and networking, all of which shaped my career. Eight years later, I return to Neum alongside a student colleague I met during that first Connect, now ready to pass on what we once received. As we focus this year on “Towards the EU Research Area,” I hope our stories and experiences will inspire a new generation to see science not just as a profession, but as a shared, cross-border endeavor.