DKFZ Postdocs can ask mentoring from DKFZ Science Ambassadors. At the occasion of the Academic Afternoon there will be the possibility to meet several for a 10MM (10-minute-mentoring) session.
Check out the full list of Science Ambassadors on
- DKFZ Connect: find them there under their name and/or by filtering under the “mentoring” section
- DKFZ Intranet
Mentoring topics can be
Grants
• Starting collaborations outside my current lab
• Understanding the grant landscape
• Writing my first independent fellowship application
• Dealing with repeated grant rejection
• When and how to develop ideas independent from my supervisor
Leadership
• Time management when I can no longer focus solely on research
• Hiring and managing my first students
• Balancing supervising students with my own productivity
• Building visibility on social media
• Building a reputation at conferences or societies
• Getting invited to review, speak, and collaborate
Career Planning
• Managing family planning decisions
• Navigating dual academic careers (two-body problem)
• Sustaining productivity across a long postdoc
• Dealing with imposter syndrome at the postdoc stage
• Managing the psychological pressure of academic uncertainty
Transition preparation
• Deciding between different types of academic positions (teaching-heavy, research-intensive etc.)
• Understanding tenure and promotion criteria
• Building a coherent CV narrative for an academic job search
• Understanding what search committees look for
• Negotiating a start-up package and lab setup
It is important to prepare and know which questions you want to discuss with a Mentor. At the Academic Afternoon you will have the opportunity to meet several Science Ambassadors for 10 minutes each (10MM = 10-mnute-mentoring).
Please apply for the Science Ambassador session until March 15, 2026. We will invite selected postdocs to attend a preparatory meeting to further define SMART questions before the event.
