Program Overview

The New England Science Symposium (NESS)

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Established in 2001, NESS provides a forum for postdoctoral fellows; medical, dental and graduate students; post-baccalaureates; college and community college students to share their biomedical and health-related research activities through oral or poster presentations, engage in discussions related to career development in the sciences, exchange ideas, and expand their professional networks.

The deadline to submit an abstract has passed for the 2025 New England Science Symposium and applications are no longer being accepted.  Registration will remain open until the week before the event.

Early registration is no longer available but day-of registration will be available on-site.

Download the agenda.

Virtual Abstract Feedback Session

This is an annual virtual prep session designed for individuals who wish to receive feedback on their abstract from advisors and peers before submitting it in application to NESS. The meeting will be set up in small groups of students and advisors, where students will give a 2- to 4-minute elevator pitch to the group. Participating in this session is not required, nor does it guarantee acceptance to NESS.

This event has passed.  Please use the QR code at the bottom of the page to sign up for communications about future events or email the NESS inbox, NESS@hms.harvard.edu, with inquiries about NESS events.

View our flyer and join our email list via the QR code!

Check out the Resources and Guidance page to help you prepare an abstract or presentation.

Have questions about NESS? See our Frequently Asked Questions and Eligibility Checklist page.

NESS AWARDS

We are pleased to announce the 2024 NESS Award Recipients. Congratulations to all of the 2024 presenters!

Awards are given for outstanding oral and poster presentations in various disciplines and the categories are: Ruth and William Silen, M.D. Awards, Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center Awards, Postdoctoral Awards sponsored by Vertex, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Department of Neonatology Award, TACS BIO Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Award, American Cancer Society Awards, and Predicine Translational Research Award.

See the description of the awards.

NESS SPONSORS

Minority Faculty Development Program (MFDP)

The Minority Faculty Development Program (est.1990), a component of DICP, sponsors programs for the development of Harvard Medical School faculty and trainees, with an emphasis on mentoring and leadership, as well as programs that are designed to reach out to the pre-college, college, graduate and postdoctoral populations with the goal of bringing outstanding students into the biomedical science pipeline.

Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP)

The Biomedical Science Careers Program (BSCP) inspires members of every race, ethnic background, gender and financial status to ask why not me? We meet the student where they are in their journey, provide a community to network and connect, and with encouragement, support and guidance, help them achieve their potential in pursuit of biomedical science and other science-related careers. BSCP was founded in 1991 by the Harvard Medical School Minority Faculty Development Program, the New England Board of Higher Education and the Massachusetts Medical Society.

SUPPORTER

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious and life-threatening diseases. We discovered and developed the first medicines to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF), a rare, life-threatening genetic disease. In addition to clinical development programs in CF, Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs focused on the underlying mechanisms of other serious diseases.

Contact

For more information about NESS please contact:

Victoria Bhambhani
Program Manager
New England Science Symposium
victoria_bhambhani@hms.harvard.edu

Hollie Borek DeSilva
Executive Director
Biomedical Science Careers Program
hollie_desilva@hms.harvard.edu