My Transatlantic Career – Dealing with Pitfalls, Learning from Others

International mobility is an essential component for successful academic careers, but it also places considerable demands on individuals and their private lives.

In this workshop, you will meet three young researchers from the Rhine-Main area who have embarked on a transatlantic career path and who have successfully mastered the transition between North America and Germany. They will tell you about their recipes for success, which could be important for your own career, as well as possible hurdles that you may not have thought of yet. Furthermore, you will find out more about the processes involved and learn about the range of support opportunities offered by the three universities in the RMU Alliance, all from the individual points of view of the three young scientists.

After the interviews, you will have the opportunity to ask questions to the panelists as well as to the university representatives. Particular issues with regards to the coronavirus crisis will also be discussed.

The aim is to provide postdocs with insights into the experiences of successful young academics in order to encourage them to take this career step and to show them opportunities of support.

We will deal with the following questions, among others:

– Which pitfalls can arise during this stage and how can I avoid them?

– What support can I expect from the university?

– When do I have to take action?

– Who are important contacts?

– How can I succeed in practically applying my international competencies and my extended knowledge after my return to Germany?

– How can I make the best use of my networks, maintain them across borders and expand them at my new location?

  • Prof. Dr. Sascha Preu, TU Darmstadt
  • Prof. Dr. Lisa Hartung, Institute of Mathematics, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz
  • Dr. Jasmin Hefendehl, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt
  • Moderators: Dr. Frauke Choi, Consultant for Human Resources Development, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Katharina Dolata, Consultant for Early Career Researchers, Goethe University Frankfurt and Dr. Bettina Wagner, Managing Director Ingenium, TU Darmstadt