Career goal professorship? "It's normal to have doubts in the meantime"

I am a sociologist of technology. After completing my doctorate at the University of Stuttgart, I moved to Oldenburg in 2021 for my first postdoctoral position and have been researching in the Organisation and Innovation working group at the Institute of Social Sciences ever since. I am researching how sustainable transition processes unfold in the energy sector and what role digitalisation plays in this. As a postdoc, I work much more independently than I did during my doctorate. I can develop and advance my research topics independently, which I like. I can well imagine staying in science in the long term.

The "Progressio" programme has reinforced my belief that the path I'm taking is the right one. But that it is also normal to have doubts in the meantime. There are nine of us mentees and we all come from different disciplines. Through internal dialogue, workshops and informal meetings, I have noticed that other female scientists are dealing with similar issues when it comes to the strategic direction of their careers.

Being a postdoc brings new challenges. On the one hand, I report to a specific chair and am not yet completely independent. On the other hand, I already have a lot of responsibility that I have to fulfil. I have to apply for third-party funding, publish a lot and in the right places, be present in scientific communities and teach.

The one-to-one support from my mentor has given me a valuable external perspective. I deliberately chose a professor who works in my field of research on the sociology of digitalisation. We were therefore also able to look at strategic, larger questions that relate specifically to my subject. For example, which journals I should publish in and how I can become more visible as a researcher overall.

I and many of the mentees are concerned about the uncertainty of perspective. What comes after temporary employment? How flexibly do I want to live and work? Am I prepared to move to the other end of Germany with my children for the next position? Even if universities are becoming more flexible and family-friendly overall: Academic careers are often geared towards changing institutions several times - both at home and abroad. Especially if you have a family, this is not so easy to realise.

I found the workshops very helpful for such questions. There were individual coaching sessions in which we developed a plan B that could also work if the ideal academic career path comes to a standstill. That took some of the pressure off me.

"Progressio" has made it clear to me that it makes sense to think strategically about my own career and to consider my goals. At the same time, I realise once again that extremely long dry spells and doubts are also part of it. And that a portion of luck is necessary to be successful in the end. A lot of things can't be planned - and that's fine with me.

I come from Brazil and did my doctorate in São Paulo in the field of vascular biology. I've been doing research as a cardiologist at the University of Oldenburg for five years, I've been a postdoc at the Department of Internal Medicine since 2020 and head of experimental cardiology since 2024. I now have responsibility for an entire laboratory, for a team, for students.

We use 3D technology to develop so-called bioresorbable tissue scaffolds. Our aim is to use them to accelerate the healing of the endothelium in the coronary arteries after a heart attack. The speciality: The scaffolds are made of polymers, dissolve in the body after a few months and accelerate the recovery of the vessel - in contrast to conventional metal stents, which keep formerly blocked vessels open for several years without medical necessity. I am very interested in the subject and I know how to approach the whole thing scientifically.

However, I didn't know how the academic system in Germany works and how relevant a habilitation is for career advancement, for example. German is not my native language. I also have no training in leading or managing people. The "Progressio" programme has helped me to develop my skills in these areas. It has given me the opportunity to think calmly about how I envisage my academic career. There is little room for such reflection in my regular working life - between experiments, teaching and meetings.

In the workshops, I was able to expand my skills in communication and conflict management. I was able to find out which management style suits me best. My mentor was also very important in this process. I met with her several times over the course of the year and we remain in contact even after the programme has ended. She is objective, but also lets me share personal experiences that have led to her current position. It was very helpful for me to hear from a woman in a managerial position from and in Germany that it is not always easy to get there. I realised that I experience many challenges not only because I come from abroad. Unfortunately, a lot of it also has to do with the fact that I am a woman.

This was also made clear to me in my dialogue with the other mentees. We have similar issues that concern us. The majority, for example, have families and regularly ask themselves: How can I reconcile paid work and career ambitions with household and childcare? How can I get involved in science when it's clear that there won't be a permanent contract for the time being? When I came to Germany in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, I felt very isolated. In the meantime, I have built up a wide professional network, also thanks to "Progressio".

I can imagine staying in Oldenburg for longer. In São Paulo, a city with around twelve million inhabitants, it took me at least two hours to get from home to work. Everything is much quieter here, with shorter distances and lots of nature. That suits my life as a single mum. I also have the feeling that there are already more women in leading positions in the medical-academic world in Germany than in Brazil. That inspires me.