CEPLAS Career Speed Dating 2017

At the second CEPLAS Career Speed Dating on April 7th, 13 representatives from various different professional fields met with the same number of CEPLAS early career researchers at the “Haus der Universität” in Düsseldorf. The aim of the CEPLAS Career Speed Dating is to give early career scientists the opportunity to learn about professional careers in- and outside academia, and to help them in making their own career plans.

The meeting started with introductions of all invited speakers where they gave short, very personal insights into their career paths and on the decisions, hurdles and curiosities they encountered during their career. After the presentations, representatives and researchers came together for individual short face-to-face meetings, where they were completely free to discuss whatever was relevant to them. In addition, the representatives gave individual feedback on the Curricula Vitae of all early career researchers to help them improve their CVs for future applications.

Apart from one-to-one meetings, the event was also a good chance for our early career researchers to extend their professional network as well as for the invited guests to meet and get to know potential future employees and present their organization as an attractive employer.

Based on the final feedback, all participants enjoyed the meeting and the opportunity to discuss in a comfortable, informal environment.

"It is very useful to spend time to share experiences with early or experienced professionals. There are similar challenges and questions along the road of our career. Plus meeting persons live helps to print out the message and create the connections."
Dr. Lucie Cardon (Dümmen Orange)

“Well organized, highly interactive, very open atmosphere: A great way to quickly get to know both early career scientists and peers.”
(Dr. Remco van Poecke (Keygene N.V.)

Participating speakers:

  • Dr. Katrin Beckmann, Manager of Pre-Breeding, Phytopathology und Molekular markers lab, NPZ Innovation GmbH
  • Dr. Lucie Cardon, Program Manager Breeding, Dümmen Orange
  • Dr. John Falk, Managing Director, Saaten Union Biotech GmbH
  • Dr. Suzan Gabriels, Scientist Postharvest Technology, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research
  • Dr. Frederike Horn, Spinach Breeder, Nunhems Netherlands BV
  • Dr. Marieke Louwers, Research Manager Systems Biology of Yield, VIB - UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology
  • Dr. Andreas Mahn, Bioökonomie/FB Ressourcenökonomie, Projektträger Jülich
  • Dr. Andreas Menze, Head of Bioinformatics, KWS SAAT SE
  • Dr. Aurelie Nowack, Business Development Manager, VIB Gent BE
  • Dr. Remco van Poecke, Researcher, Keygene N.V.
  • Dr. Gerald Schock, Associate Director, Global Product Management, QIAGEN GmbH
  • Dr. Thomas Stratmann, Advisor ERC, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (Horizon 2020), KoWi (European Liaison Office of the German Research Organisation)
  • Dr. David Wilcke, Head of Laboratory, Bayer CropScience

Speed Dating 2016