Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers e.V. (GSO)

To Be Honest Conference 2025 | Session Spotlight: Navigating Uncertainty in Research 📅 December 4, 2025, 3:00 - 4:15 pm (CET) At the To Be Honest Conference 2025, each session brings a closer look at the realities of life and work in research today. From practical strategies to diverse perspectives, our speakers explore the challenges and opportunities researchers face in a rapidly changing world. The opening keynote examines the uncertainties of a research career: short-term contracts, constant transitions, global instability, and the challenge of planning a life and career. Guests from STEM, the social sciences, and research management in Germany and the US share real stories, practical strategies, and diverse viewpoints to help you make sense of uncertainty — and perhaps even find opportunity in it. Elena Lichtenthaler and Martin R. Lichtenthaler, PhD will guide our guests Timo Lorenz, Junior Professor of Work & Organizational Psychology at MSB Medical School Berlin, Alexandria Yen, PhD, Program Director at MIT Career Advising & Professional Development (CAPD), Jean-Yves Tano, Head of Scientific Education & Training at Max Delbrück Center and Jubin Shah, PhD, Senior Application Specialist at Molecular Health, through the conversation, keeping it lively and insightful, weaving together real stories, practical strategies, and different perspectives to help you make sense of uncertainty - and maybe even find opportunity in it. ✅ Join us online for the To Be Honest Conference 2025 — live on Zoom. Registration is now open. Discover the full program and register here: https://lnkd.in/efRygWmu 👥 Who it is for? ➡️ Researchers with a PhD or close to finishing one, whether you’re a postdoc, a new group leader, or a professor; ➡️ Professionals and decision-makers from academic institutions, funding bodies, or research policy. The conference is organized by GSO, supported by AlumNode – your network by Klaus Tschira Stiftung, and made possible by funding from the foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung.

📣 Call for Applications: GSO Leadership Academy 10 Apply for one of 25 fully funded fellowships for the 10th GSO Leadership Academy – an interactive program designed to give you the tools, network, and mindset for effective leadership in research and other sectors.  Each fellowship covers travel, accommodation, and participation costs. ✅ What’s in the Curriculum? The GSO Leadership Academy is a hands-on training with practical insights and expert-led workshops. Across two in-person phases in Berlin and Heidelberg, you will: ➡️Learn leadership as dialogue & leading without authority – develop essential skills in asking the right questions and active listening. Understand lateral leadership and influencing without hierarchy. ➡️ Gain strategic decision-making skills – Use lean strategy tools to shape your research and career direction. ➡️ Master communication & negotiation – Explore Harvard-style negotiation techniques. ➡️ Handle challenges – Develop tools for conflict resolution, feedback culture, and for navigating career transitions. ➡️ Get individual coaching – Clarify personal career questions in one-on-one coaching sessions. ✅ Beyond the training program: You’ll also take part in excursions and discussions with leaders across all sectors. Past guests have included experts in science policy and research communication as well as university presidents, and researchers working in the business and nonprofit sectors. Who Can Apply? ✅ German-speaking researchers from all disciplines (German citizenship is NOT required, but you need to be able to follow the program in German) ✅ Currently conducting research outside of Germany or have been living in Germany (again) for no longer than 18 months. ✅ Demonstrated commitment to pursuing leadership roles in academia, industry, or other sectors. 📅 Application Deadline: March 1, 2026 (CET)  🔗 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/dWKEiqm The program is funded and made possible by the Klaus Tschira Stiftung.

Making Sense of the German Research System Let’s be honest: German academia can be confusing. Between career paths, funding schemes, and rules like the #WissZeitVG, it’s not always easy to figure out how to move forward. Unlike in many other systems, a professorship is - aside from a few exceptions - the only permanent position in academia. It combines research, teaching, and service, and success depends not just on what you publish, but also on how well you “fit” with an institution. During Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany, we therefore offered a session with Anne Schreiter, Ph.D., who shared practical insights on how researchers can find their way and make smart career choices in academia. Here are some of Anne’s top tips 👇 1️⃣Learn how the system works. Talk to admin staff, HR, and researchers who’ve already been through it. 2️⃣Plan ahead. Keep a list of potential funding options (with deadlines!) so you’re ready when opportunities pop up. 3️⃣Know your story. Be clear about your research focus, your vision, and how to communicate it. 4️⃣Put yourself out there. Ask questions at conferences, volunteer to give talks—be part of the conversation. 5️⃣Be visible. If people don’t know what you’re working on (or aiming for), they can’t support or recommend you. ➡️You can find the full article in the comments! And if you want to learn more, also check out Deutscher Hochschulverband (DHV)! #GSO #ResearchCareers #PostdocLife #CareerDevelopment #AcademicCareers #BeyondAcademia #LinkedInForResearchers #PhDCareerSupport

Fifteen Bold Ideas. One Boost for Each: Meet the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund Fellows 2025 With the KT Boost 6 series, we’re spotlighting fifteen researchers whose projects push the boundaries of their fields. #KTBoostfellow represents not only bold scientific ideas but also the curiosity, persistence, and leadership that shape the future of research. Three Questions to… Dr. Mirja Mittermaier, Head of Research Group Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin   ❓ What if #artificialintelligence could learn to read the language of the lungs — revealing patterns no human eye can see? Mirja’s project explores how #AI can transform our understanding of respiratory diseases by decoding complex medical data into meaningful insights. By combining clinical expertise with #computationalinnovation, she aims to bridge the gap between data and diagnosis — helping physicians make faster, more accurate, and personalized decisions for their patients. ❓ What problem does your research tackle? As a computer scientist and specialist in internal medicine with a focus on respiratory medicine, the aim of my research is to improve the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases with the help of artificial intelligence. For example, I am developing digital #biomarkers that are suitable for monitoring the progression of chronic lung diseases. ❓ How does the KT Boost Fund support you and your project idea? I am convinced we are only beginning a new era of how (digital) computer sciences, combined with “classic research,” are conducted. I aim to contribute to building and shaping the rapidly evolving field of applied computer science in #respiratorymedicine. I am convinced that this fellowship will be an important catalyst for my development and will be suited to build upon my training as a clinician, researcher, and computer scientist. The Boost would allow me to start a research project at the intersection of computer sciences and respiratory medicine. Further, I consider the Boost fund a great opportunity to expand my leadership and communications skills, which are extremely important when working in new and intersectional fields. And I am looking forward to learning from my co-fellows about their ideas, problem-solving strategies, leadership style, and, of course, their projects. If I had more time for things other than research, I … …would give more lectures on the benefits of artificial intelligence in health care; I would invest more time in mentoring young female scientists; and I would actively work to teach children programming at an early age. _______________________________ 🚀The Klaus Tschira Boost Fund is a joint program by GSO and Klaus Tschira Stiftung offering flexible funding and career development to promote researchers in #Biology, #Chemistry, #ComputerScience, #Geosciences, #Mathematics, #Neurosciences, or #Physics. #BoostFellows #KTBoostFund

Thinking about a career beyond academia — but not sure where to start? For many researchers, the job market outside academia feels like uncharted territory: 🔹 unfamiliar job titles 🔹 vague role descriptions 🔹 and endless possibilities that are hard to compare. That’s why we created our#TopPicks series. Each month, we highlight selected job openings for researchers exploring opportunities in business, nonprofits, and science-related sectors. ✅ The idea? To make the job landscape more transparent and easier to navigate. With our curated list, you can: ➡️ Discover which employers are actively looking for researchers ➡️ Learn how to read between the lines of job ads ➡️ Recognize transferable skills from your research experience ➡️ Get inspiration for career paths you might not have considered Check our curated list here: https://lnkd.in/dVAjEcF This time with: Journal Manager De Gruyter Brill, Group Leader Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Senior Editor Springer Nature, Forschungsleiter*in und Senior Researcher Alexander von Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in Sachverständigenrat für Integration und Migration, Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Bildungsreferent*in August Bebel Institut, Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in Stiftung Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in IQB | Institut zur Qualitätsentwicklung im Bildungswesen, Research Associates Technische Universität Hamburg, Wissenschaftliche*r Referent*in Deutsches Archäologisches Institut (DAI), Wissenschaftliche*r Mitarbeiter*in Hochschule Neu-Ulm, Group Leaders Max Delbrück Center, Referent*in Wissenschaftskommunikation NCL-Stiftung #GSO #ResearchCareers #PostdocLife #CareerDevelopment #AcademicCareers #BeyondAcademia #LinkedInForResearchers #PhDCareerSupport

📢 Registration open: To Be Honest Conference 2025 – Navigating Uncertainty in Academia and beyond Being a researcher has never felt more uncertain: short-term contracts, constant transitions, global instability, and the challenge of planning a life and career around the unknown. At the To Be Honest Conference 2025, together with our speakers, we’ll talk honestly about what it means to build a career and do research in a rapidly changing world. Join peers, mentors, and experts for open discussions, practical strategies, and empowering insights! You'll learn about: ➡️ coping with academic career insecurity, ➡️ financial fitness, ➡️ networking in academia, ➡️ entrepreneurship and start-ups ➡️ LinkedIn for academia & beyond, ➡️ and effective grant strategies 👥 Who it is for? ➡️ Researchers with a PhD or close to finishing one, whether you’re a postdoc, a new group leader, or a professor; ➡️ Professionals and decision-makers from academic institutions, funding bodies, or research policy. 🗓 When & Where Join us online for the To Be Honest Conference 2025 — live on Zoom. 💻 December 4, 2025 | 15:00–18:00 CET 💻 December 5, 2025 | 13:45–17:00 CET ✅ Registration is now open. Discover more and register here: https://lnkd.in/efRygWmu The conference is organized by GSO, supported by AlumNode – your network by Klaus Tschira Stiftung, and made possible by funding from the foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung. #GSO #ResearchCareers #PostdocLife #CareerDevelopment #AcademicCareers #BeyondAcademia #LinkedInForResearchers #PhDCareerSupport #tbhconference

LinkedIn can be more than just a digital CV. Used strategically, it’s a research tool, a networking accelerator, and a visibility platform—especially for postdocs navigating careers in and beyond academia. At our recent session “Beyond Bragging” as part of the Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany, co-hosted with Alma.Me, we explored how researchers can use LinkedIn effectively without feeling like they’re self-promoting. 👥 Our experts Elena Hoffer, PhD – CEO & Co-Founder, Alma.me (career services for PhD-level researchers) Birte Seffert – Head of Advisory and Funding Programs at GSO | Systemic Coach | Talent Development Advocate Together, they shared concrete strategies for using LinkedIn with intention—balancing authenticity, visibility, and professional focus. 💡Key takeaways: 🟢Curate your feed: follow target employers, teams, and creators in your field (and in career paths you’re exploring). 🟢 Do one informational interview per week with alumni or employees you found via the People or Alumni tabs. 🟢Refresh your headline with role-aligned keywords and update your “About” section in clear, accessible language. 🟢Post once every 1–2 weeks—or comment regularly. Share a learning, summarize a paper, or reflect on a conference insight. 🟢If applying in Germany, use English for broader reach and add German when targeting local roles or stakeholders. 🟢Keep your CV and LinkedIn profile consistent and include your profile link in applications. 🟢Build visibility that funders and employers notice: highlight impact, collaboration, and the accessibility of your work. 👉Link to full article in the comments. #GSO #ResearchCareers #PostdocLife #CareerDevelopment #AcademicCareers #BeyondAcademia #LinkedInForResearchers #PhDCareerSupport

📢 Call for Applications: Kohli Fellowship 2026 by Kohli Foundation for Sociology & WZB Berlin Social Science Center The Kohli Fellowship for Sociology supports outstanding early-career researchers who have completed their dissertation with exceptional success. The fellowship offers a two-year research stay at a prestigious international institution, enabling fellows to pursue a new research project, advance publications, and build international collaborations. In 2026, the Kohli Fellow will conduct their research at the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, one of Europe’s leading institutions for social science research. With its interdisciplinary environment and vibrant community of around 200 researchers from sociology, political science, economics, and law, the WZB provides excellent research conditions and opportunities for collaboration. Key details: ✅ Research stay: October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2028 ✅ Monthly stipend: €2,500 (subject to revision) ✅ Duration: 24 months ✅ Eligibility: Researchers who completed their PhD no more than five years ago ✅ Host institution: WZB Berlin Social Science Center 📅 Application deadline: November 16, 2025 ➡️ Learn more and apply here: https://lnkd.in/ebG4_PrQ

📢 Applications Open: Female Science Talents Intensive Track 2026 The Female Science Talents Intensive Track by Falling Walls Foundation enters its next round! The one-year career programme supports 20 exceptional early-career women in science* from all disciplines who are ready to take the next step in their academic and professional journey. Through skill-enhancement workshops, mentoring, and participation in two high-level gatherings in Berlin, the programme helps participants strengthen their leadership potential, expand their international networks, and gain visibility for their research within the global science community. Participants will: ✅ Join two fully funded gatherings in Berlin (Spring & Fall 2026) ✅ Take part in online workshops on leadership, communication, and entrepreneurship ✅ Connect with mentors, peers, and role models from academia, business, and politics ✅ Access the wider Falling Walls and Female Science Talents networks Who can apply: PhD students in the final stages of their research or postdoctoral researchers (PhD completed in 2020 or later) from all academic disciplines and from universities or research institutions worldwide. Applications from women* from the Global South are especially encouraged. 📅 Deadline: November 23, 2025 (23:59 CET) 📍 Programme duration: January 2026 – January 2027 If you’re a woman* in science eager to grow your leadership skills, connect across disciplines, and make your voice heard in global science – this is your chance to join a truly international network of changemakers. ➡️ Apply now via the Falling Walls Foundation website: https://lnkd.in/guwGTYCX

📢 Transatlantic Bridge Professorships – Call Opens January 15, 2026 📅 Mark your calendars: The call for “Transatlantic Bridge Professorships” by VolkswagenStiftung will open on January 15th. Internationally renowned professors in the humanities and social sciences who are currently working in the USA and conducting research on the future of democracy, fundamental rights and academic freedom, or the future of transatlantic relations get the opportunity to work at an academic institution in Germany whilst maintaining ties with their home institution. The funding enables annual periods of presence in Germany for exchange and joint research with colleagues in Germany, as well as the continuation of contributions to current academic and public debates in the USA. Here are the key facts: 🟢 Area of research: Humanities & Social Sciences 🟢Type of funding: Proportional financing of a professorship in Germany 🟢Amount: Up to €300,000 for 3 years 🟢 Duration: 3 years 🟢Target group: Professors at U.S. universities 🟢Prerequisites: Permanent professorial position in the U.S.; affiliation with a German university or research institution ➡️ The call for applications opens January 15, 2026. If you’re working in the U.S. and have research interests at the intersection of democracy, rights, or transatlantic relations — or know someone who does — this is a rare chance to bridge the U.S. and German academic worlds. ➡️ More info & guidelines here: https://lnkd.in/efBp57_X