What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Patricia Strohmaier: >>After completing my PhD, I was enthusiastic to work on a new research project, to dive into a new topic and acquire knowledge about another era of art history.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Patricia Strohmaier: >>The Academic Fixed-Term Contract Act #WissZeitVG doesn’t offer young researchers secure and predictable employment perspectives, so it’s hard to tell where I’ll be in 5 years.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Julia Trinkert: >>What I appreciate about Patricia is that she is open to new topics, enjoys always finding new questions and then explores them very carefully.<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Thirulogachandar Venkatasubbu: >>My profound interest in plant stem cells brings me to the Institute of Plant Genetics at Heinrich Heine University.
Apart from getting an opportunity to learn the different facets of stem cell regulation in the cereal crop barley, I was drawn to the University to practice teaching and associated activities, guiding students, learn closely from my supervisor how to efficiently run a research group, and develop other necessary skills to start an independent team soonish.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Thirulogachandar Venkatasubbu: >>I would like to be a leader of a research team that drives excellence with progressing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Further goals are to equip me with project and team management skills for developing successful young scientists and gain proficiency in teaching courses in the German language.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Maria von Korff Schmising: >>I appreciate Chandar's interest in and dedication to research on barley spike development.<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Sabrina Bennstein: >>I am passionate about my research and science, in particular human immunology. I am fascinated by the human immune system, especially the development, and hope to contribute with my research to a better understanding of the immune system and maybe in the future treatment option for patients.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Sabrina Bennstein: >>I would love to stay in academia and if I am lucky, would love to have my own junior research group.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Markus Uhrberg: >>That she is always positive about her work, no matter what! That she is absolutely fearless in taking on new scientific and technical challenges! That she is following her own ideas even if her boss is skeptical!<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Ana Krajinovic:>>My motivation for doing research in linguistics comes from my curiosity about how language and human cognition work. Even as a child, I always approached the world through critical thinking, and science allows me to do exactly that: Gain knowledge by asking questions. What I like about linguistics is that it unites many different levels of scientific reasoning, from micro perspectives on individual phenomena in specific languages to macro perspectives on human populations and deep history. On a day-to-day basis, my motivation is fueled by discussing science and collaborating with my colleagues and our amazing team.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Ana Krajinovic: >>Research is a creative process and it can take you to places you can’t always predict, but I am pretty sure I will be doing something interdisciplinary I currently know nothing about. I am looking forward to it, but I know myself and I really can’t tell you what or where it's going to be. I also like not knowing because this approach allows my curiosity to go to where the fun is, which makes the potential for big discoveries that much greater.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Kilu von Prince: >>Ana is a brilliant and highly innovative thinker, as well as a passionate teacher. Through her multinational background and exceptionally broad expertise, I constantly learn new things from her. She is also an excellent communicator and I enjoy working with her very much.<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Okka Scholz: >>A postdoc position is a good chance to expand my research skills, and also helps me to further improve professional skills that are relevant for later positions and my future career.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Okka Scholz: >>I would prefer to work on an interesting project in a company, possibly together with my small team. Until then, I would like to meet new challenges and expand my knowledge.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Eckhard Lammert: >>Okka is an excellent scientist as well as excellent lab citizen, thus highly appreciated by my lab members and me.<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Daniel Kamhöfer:>>There is great potential for evidence-driven policies to make people’s everyday lives better. For instance, when entering adolescence, individuals face an array of challenges such as peer pressure, temptation, and impulsive decision-making. Schools that offer specialized lessons focusing on children’s social and emotional development, in addition to the core subjects, can help to mitigate these challenges. In these lessons, children learn how to manage their emotions, achieve their goals, and have supportive relationships with others.
As a postdoc at the Düsseldorf Institute for Competition Economics, I have the time, freedom, and means to analyze such changes in education and how they affect people’s lives. By applying statistical methods to large datasets, I assess how educational interventions may affect individuals’ cognitive and socio-emotional skills, their preferences, and how they make decisions. I am also interested in how this shapes people’s economic outcomes and their physical and mental well-being. Understanding which features of the educational system constitute promising policies can guide the design of future reforms and ultimately foster individual prosperity and reduce social inequality.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Daniel Kamhöfer: >>One of the things I like most about being a researcher is that it allows me to do something worthwhile, something that has the potential to make a difference. As a postdoc, I learn new things every day and, at the same time, contribute to the scientific process – albeit on a very small scale. I would like to have a job that allows me to continue to do so, while also providing economic security. A job that offers me the perspective to gain new competencies, for instance, in management and leadership, and that allows me to shoulder more responsibility. This might be a professor position or a job in a research institute or a public agency.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Hannah Schildberg-Hörisch: >>Daniel is a great colleague and coauthor. On top of his excellent skills in data analysis and visualization, he is critical towards own work, open and constructive in discussions, and an independent thinker, always striving to deliver the best possible empirical research. I also appreciate his good humor.<<

What is your motivation for doing a postdoc?
Jasmin Pfeifer:>>I want to stay in academia and become a professor, so doing a postdoc was the next logical step.<<

Where/In which position do you see yourself in 5 years?
Jasmin Pfeifer: >>Hopefully as a PI at the end of the first funding period of the CRC that we are just applying for.<<

What do you appreciate about your postdocs work/ skills/ talents?
Ingo Plag: >>Jasmin is very dedicated and a hard worker. She has excellent organizational skills, and is highly enthusiastic about her work.<<