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Networks as Career Opportunities: DZG at the GAIN Conference

The German Centers for Health Research (DZG) presented career opportunities in translational medical research at the Annual Conference of the German Academic International Network (GAIN) from August 25–27, 2023, in Boston, USA. The DZG organized a workshop in Boston on the theme of ‘Networks as Career Opportunities in Academic Research’ which was later repeated online. At the conference’s Talent Fair, delegates could visit the DZG stand to learn more about the individual German Centers for Health Research.

Timo Jäger, DZIF (German Center for Infection Research), and Natalie Liebel, DZL (German Center for Lung Research), in conversation at the DZG information booth in Boston. © DZD

At the booth and at their designated table during the lunch session, DZG representatives were on hand to answer any technical questions.

The ‘Networks as Career Opportunities’ Workshop
One of the DZG’s highlights at the Annual GAIN Conference was the workshop they organized with the Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) on ‘Networks as Career Opportunities’. This event illustrated the importance of networks in the world of academia and offered participants valuable insights and advice on developing and maintaining an effective professional network. The workshop facilitated a discussion between Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Michael Hoch, Rector of the University of Bonn, Dr. Timo Jäger, Managing Director of the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Dr. Dr. Angelique Hölzemer, Clinician Scientist for DZIF and currently a guest at the Leibniz Institute of Virology and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), and Anca Ionescu, Public Outreach Manager at the Cluster of Excellence Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST).

They highlighted the advantages of working as part of a well-established research group and shared their own experiences and success stories. The discussion was rounded off with practical tips on how to identify and contact potential collaborators and mentors. The overall conclusion of the workshop was that an interdisciplinary network offers visibility in the world of research and that sufficient scientific and technical resources are of particular importance for a successful career in science. The workshop was repeated online on September 19 with a slightly different panel of speakers. Dr. Dr. Angelique Hölzemer and Anca Ionescu were joined by Dr. Susanne Flach, Clinician Scientist at the German Cancer Research Center (DKTK) at Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich (LMU), Dr. Christian Kalberlah, Managing Director of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), and Dr. Björn Sbierski, MCQST Researcher at LMU.

For German researchers in North America
The conference and online workshop were organized by GAIN, the German Academic International Network. Its goal was to stimulate their interaction with representatives from the German scientific community and highlight career opportunities in Germany. The conference was aimed particularly at researchers from Germany working in North America.

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