Newsletter - 2/2024

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News & Advice for Researchers in Academia & Beyond

Welcome to our 2nd Newsletter this year. Here is your summary:

Open Call: KT Boost Fund 6 & Webinar
Peer Story: The Importance of Support Systems and Funding
Funding for Junior Group Leaders: NRW Returning Scholars Program
Leadership Academy 8 Begins – Offering Insights into Mentoring as Leadership
Rebranding GSO: Who are You, Actually?
Our Services for Researchers and Research Institutions

Dear GSO Network,

Do you know the “Matthew Effect”? In a nutshell, it’s the reason why it’s easier to get funding or awards when you've already got funding and awards. So the challenge is to break in and consistently collect third-party funding as one of the currencies of an academic career. You might already know our favorite piece of advice, which is to set yourself up for lucky coincidences – which is also true for funding. Yes, there is some luck involved, but you can do quite something for being lucky. For instance, check out the advice from last year’s KT Boost Fund information event – and maybe apply for the current call.

We are happy to support you along your career journey, no matter where it takes you – we aim to better communicate this mission. Stay tuned: GSO will change a bit soon!

Enjoy the summer and until next time!
Your GSO team

PS.: As we gain more non-German speaking subscribers, we will address all of you mainly in English. Some content will remain in German (we will mark those articles accordingly)

As postdoc in the Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Science at a German research institution you can apply for flexible funding of up to €120,000 for up to 24 months including tailored career development support.

Find all information and the online application form on the program website.

→ Application deadline: October 23, 2024.

Join us for our online information event with the head of our selection committee and one of the current fellows on September 10, 2024 at 4:00 pm (CET). Register here.

Find last year’s session with helpful advice here.

📣 Please pass it on!

Our KT Boost Fund fellow Dr. Jingyuan Xu shares how not only funding, but also a sustainable support system and a strategic approach have been instrumental in her research success. She talks about the challenges of securing funding as an early-career researcher and what leadership means for a young group leader.

Find the full interview here.

Are you interested in leading your own research group in Germany? We have compiled information on various junior research group programs, such as the Emmy Noether Program, NRW Returning Scholars Program, and others. Make sure to know the relevant programs and eligibility criteria early enough to plan your application(s) strategically.

Find the article in German here and our first post of the LinkedIn series with detailed preparation tips here.

Who are these German Scholars? What if I am not a German researcher? Aren’t you attracting people from abroad? And what do you actually offer again?

If you have asked yourself these questions, you do have a point. This is why we at GSO need to communicate more clearly the core of our mission. We found this core in a workshop with different stakeholders and keep you posted about what we will make of it! The statement of one researcher nicely summarizes the direction of communication we are heading to (and what we hope we’ve already been doing): "You were here at a crucial point of my career." And "It's all about us, the researchers."

Find more details about our insights at our workshop here.

The Leadership Academy again welcomes 25 new fellows from 16 countries and backgrounds in the natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and medicine. The fellows address topics like sustainability, climate change, health, inclusion, open science, and the intersection of technology and society. Follow us on LinkedIn or Instagram to see what they will be up to.

So why do we think leadership is an important topic for researchers? There are many reasons, but one is that they become the supervisors and mentors you wish you had. Read what KT Boost Fund fellow Dr. Domenico Azarnia Tehran has to say about his approach to being a good supervisor and mentor here.

You need a sparring partner for your next career step in academia or beyond? You want to have your CV or LinkedIn profile checked? We offer free info sessions to help you find the right offer for you.

If you are looking for a workshop, an input, or the moderation at your university or research institution, reach out to Anne. We tackle topics from building a career strategy, visibility and networking, applications to talent attraction and leadership for researchers.