The Mentoring Roundtables program is aimed at creating meaningful connections between early-career professionals and experienced leaders through focused, small-group conversations. This interactive format gives FIRE participants direct access to mentors across diverse sectors, creating space for authentic dialogue, personalized guidance, and career-building insights.

Mentors will be recruited through two main channels:

1. FIRE participants who apply through the “Peer Mentorship” avenue, and

2. Professionals from outside FIRE, including keynote speakers and representatives from UKC programs such as TGS, IES, UKIS, SEED, and Sponsor Forums.

Each roundtable will center around a specific theme related to the mentor’s expertise—such as leadership in science and tech, navigating uncertainty in emerging fields, thriving in academia, advancing in industry, achieving work-life integration, or building long-term professional resilience.

As a “Peer Mentor”, you will:

• Begin with a brief 5–10 minute introduction to share key lessons from your personal and professional journey.

• Facilitate discussion around a selected topic by offering insights, asking thought-provoking questions, and encouraging participant engagement.

• Provide actionable advice or resources based on your experience, tailored to the interests of your group.

FIRE participants applying as Peer Mentors should meet the following:

• Have substantial professional or academic experience in their field (e.g., professionals with 5+ years of work experience). We highly encourage experienced professionals in industry and healthcare/medicine to apply as Peer Mentors!

• Be able to speak meaningfully about career development topics from a peer-leadership perspective.

• Be enthusiastic about mentoring junior participants and committed to preparing a brief opening talk and set of guiding questions to foster conversation.

• Demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Participant Outcomes: By the end of the session, participants will have gained fresh perspectives on career development, learned strategies they can apply immediately, and connected with professionals across disciplines. The Mentoring Roundtables program provides a rare opportunity to engage in meaningful, face-to-face mentorship to bridge generational and professional gaps between established leaders and the next generation of innovators.

The 3-Min Idea Pitch provides a platform where participants will present concise, innovative ideas with practical value to a general audience. This is not a personal introduction or career pitch—it's a chance for you to share an idea that solves a problem or has the potential to improve lives in a meaningful way. Whether the idea is early-stage, conceptual, or based on lived experience, the focus is on utility, feasibility, and creative thinking.

This format challenges you to communicate your concept clearly and persuasively, which is an essential skill across startup, academic, nonprofit, and industry sectors. It also provides an opportunity to inspire non-technical, interdisciplinary audiences, contributing to the FIRE 2025 theme of "Strengthening the Next Generation of Leaders."

Each presenter will deliver a focused 3-minute pitch using visually engaging slides, communicating their idea in accessible language for a non-specialist audience. Presentation slides should be submitted in advance for smooth transitions.

Example Topics: 

Ideas can span a wide range of domains, and do not need to be commercial or startup-focused. They should demonstrate practical relevance, real-world utility, or the potential for meaningful application. Examples include, but are not limited to:

• • Product Development

    • • E.g., a novel software application, hardware prototype, or consumer device designed to solve a specific challenge.

  • Research Concepts

    • • E.g., a proposed solution for human or planetary health, such as a new approach to disease detection, environmental monitoring, or behavioral health intervention.

  • Knowledge-Sharing Ideas

    • • E.g., an investment strategy for first-time earners, a framework to promote cultural awareness in schools, or a visual guide for navigating student loans.

  • Unique Service Concepts

    • • E.g., an AI-assisted tool that supports mental health triage in clinical settings, or a mentorship pairing system for underrepresented students in STEM.

Presentation Tips: 

An effective pitch should quickly capture attention, clearly explain your idea, and leave a lasting impression:

• • Include a hook—such as a short story, question, or example—to introduce the real-world problem you’re addressing.

  • Clearly define the issue in simple, relatable language, then introduce your idea as a practical solution.

  • Use visuals to support your explanation, not overwhelm it—think clean, engaging slides with minimal text or helpful diagrams.

  • End with a clear vision of impact: what could change if your idea is implemented?

  • Avoid technical jargon, practice with someone outside your field, and make sure your timing is precise.

*Technical & research presentations in specialized fields (e.g., cancer therapeutics, machine learning, battery science) should be submitted to the respective Technical Group Symposium (TGS) instead. Participants must apply to either TGS OR FIRE, as sessions run concurrently.

The Career Flash Talk program offers a high-energy platform for professionals to share targeted insights from their leadership experiences or career journeys. In just five minutes, presenters will deliver concentrated wisdom that can help others advance their professional growth and development. This format provides a forum for sharing concise, impactful career insights and showcases diverse pathways to professional growth and leadership, all aligned with the theme "Strengthening the Next Generation of Leaders."

Each presenter will deliver a focused 5-minute talk using simple PowerPoint slides, share specific experiences, and actionable takeaways. Potential topics include building professional networks, navigating career transitions, addressing work-life balance challenges, and developing leadership skills in non-leadership roles.

Presenter Guidelines: 

Create concise, visually appealing slides that enhance your narrative, focus on specific applicable lessons rather than general advice, include concrete examples from your personal experience, and design your talk to resonate with participants from diverse backgrounds. Practice to ensure your delivery fits precisely within the 5-minute timeframe.

Additional networking opportunity:

Instead of individual Q&A sessions, we will facilitate career group-based networking circles before and after the Flash Talk session. Participants will be pre-assigned to tables based on their career interests, with seating reflected during Day 1 activities, for a smoother transition from the icebreaker sessions to meaningful, peer-driven discussions after the talks.

Participant Outcomes: 

Attendees will gain practical career advancement strategies from a variety of perspectives, learn from others' experiences in navigating professional challenges, and collect a diverse portfolio of approaches they can apply to their own career development.

The Career Poster Presentation session creates a platform for participants to showcase topics of personal or professional significance while engaging in personalized discussions. This format combines visual communication with interactive dialogue, creating opportunities for deeper discussions on topics related to career development and professional growth, and personal exploration.

Each presenter will:

1. 1. Design and prepare a visually engaging and professionally formatted poster on their chosen topic

   2. Follow organizer guidelines for transporting and setting up their display

   3. Prepare a brief 5-minute verbal overview to introduce their poster

   4. Remain at their station to engage visitors and respond to questions throughout the session

Topics can include but are not limited to:

• Career development strategies

• Professional skill-building techniques

• Creative or interdisciplinary projects

• Personal interests that have informed professional growth

*Technical & research posters in specialized fields (e.g., cancer therapeutics, machine learning, battery science) should be submitted to the respective Technical Group Symposium (TGS) instead. Participants must apply to either TGS OR FIRE, as sessions run concurrently.

Participant Outcomes: 

Presenters will refine their ability to communicate complex ideas visually, gain experience answering spontaneous questions about their topic, and build their network through meaningful one-on-one conversations. Visitors will benefit from personalized explanations tailored to their specific interests and questions.

There is a non-presenter option in our application, which does not require a presentation. However, you are still expected to be an active participant in discussions, icebreakers, Q&As, and all sessions at UKC. The non-presenter option has an increased registration fee, and no support for lodging, travel, nor meals. More details can be found on our Cost to Attend page.