Career Perspectives with a PhD in Natural & Life Sciences // Feb 12, 5 - 6 pm

Looking for career options after your doctorate? And not sure what is “out there”? With the series "Career Perspectives with a PhD in Natural and Life Sciences", we would like to offer an opportunity for interactive and informal exchange about career-related topics.

On Thursday, February 12, we welcome Dr. Luiza Bengtsson, a biochemist and science communicator who works as head of Museum & Society at the Botanical Garden Berlin.

All information and the meeting link can be found on this website.

In March, we welcome Dr. Gina Dörpholz, a biochemist who works as scientific coordinator at Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCCC).

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Online Survey on Budget Cuts Impact on Doctoral Researchers

We are conducting a short survey to understand how the current budget reductions mandated by the Berlin Senate will affect working conditions for doctoral students. The survey is organized by the FU Doctoral Council, but open to all Berlin-based doctoral candidates. Your feedback will help create a clearer picture of the situation and allow us to better address any upcoming challenges.

The survey is anonymous and takes about 10 minutes to complete. We welcome you to share the link with your colleagues.

Survey link: https://www.soscisurvey.de/budgetcutssurvey/

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Open online consultation hours from the Graduate Center // Tuesdays from 11 - 12 

The graduate center coordinator Simone offers regular open online consultation hours.

The consultation is always strictly confidential!

You have questions about:

• the mentoring programs at our department,
• the awarded titles Dr. rer. nat. or Ph.D.,
• the planning of your further career, training and education offers,
• the admission obligation on good scientific practice
• or any other topics related to our services?

Join me online via Webex (please wait in the lobby - I will let you in as soon as the consultation room is free). Always on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.

The advisory service is also open to master's students who seek advice in starting a doctorate. Please feel free to pass on this information.

Please note that there will be no online consultation hours on March 3!

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Info event series: Doctoral studies at the BCP department // Feb 27, 11 am – 12 pm

The Graduate Center is organizing an information series for doctoral candidates at the BCP department. Once a month, the focus will be on a specific topic related to doctoral studies at the department, with a short input and the opportunity to ask questions.

The next info event in our series takes place in February 2026 and deals with the topic “FU Membership and Standard Time to Completion”

What is the standard time to completion? How long does it last? How can it be extended? Which requirements (e.g. course on good scientific practice) do I have to fulfill during the doctoral studies? What do I have to do if I want to change universities?

Join the online meeting, gather some information and ask your questions!

Further information and the Webex link can be found here: https://www.bcp.fu-berlin.de/en/graduiertenzentrum/promovierende/veranstaltungen/info-events/index.html

Here you will also find the presentations of past information events as well as helpful links on the respective topic.

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Online Workshop “Introduction to data analysis with R” // March 9 – 10 + 16 – 17 // Registration by Feb 18

Course offer by the Graduate Center: This workshop offers an introduction to data analysis with R.

The workshop's main goal is to equip you with essential R skills for analyzing your own research data, covering data processing and visualization. More info on the registration website.

Who is the course for? Doctoral researchers registered at the BCP department, Postdoctoral researchers at the BCP department

When?  9., 10., 16. & 17. March 2026; 9 am – 4 pm

Where? Webex Online Course (Please note that a video camera and a microphone are necessary for this course.)

Info & Registration: Please register until February 18 via this website

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Workshop “Introduction to Good Scientific Practice” // April 20 & 21 // Registration by Feb 28

In accordance with Section 7 (7) PromO, you must provide proof of participation in a course on good scientific practice worth at least one credit point (or 2 full days or 16 work units of 45 minutes each). The obligation to provide proof applies to all doctoral candidates who submit their dissertation at the BCP department after March 31, 2026.

This workshop offered by the KowIn and the Graduate Center BCP provides knowledge about the he principles and rules of Good Scientific Practice (GSP), the most important forms of scientific misconduct and the relevant regulations and the support and complaint structures.

Who is the course for? Doctoral researchers (registered at FU Berlin, Dept. of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy)

When?                             April 20, 2026, 9 am - 5 pm, and April 21, 2026, 9 am - 1 pm

Where?                            SupraFAB, Room 201, Altensteinstr. 23a

Info & Registration:       Register by February 28 via this website

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Online Workshop “Effective Digital Note-taking using Obsidian” // April 27, 28 & May 5

This workshop introduces effective digital note-taking and knowledge management principles using Obsidian, a free and flexible software. Through hands-on practice, participants will learn to use Obsidian to organize different aspects of their work.

 

Who is the course for? Doctoral researchers registered at the BCP department, Postdoctoral researchers at the BCP department

When?  27. & 28. April, 5. May 2026; 2 – 4 pm

Where? Webex Online Course (Please note that a video camera and a microphone are necessary for this course.)

Info & Registration: Will follow in the next newsletter – for now, mark your calendars! 

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fu:stat course program // March

The statistics advisory unit of Freie Universität Berlin (fu:stat) offers a broad portfolio of courses on basics in statistics but also software applications, e.g. R, SPSS and Phyton, for example:

• Statistik-Grundlagen (02.03. - 04.03.2026, Kurs auf Deutsch)
• Python-Basics (09.03. - 10.03.2026, course in English)
• R-Grundlagen (11.03. - 12.03.2026, Kurs auf Deutsch)
• Visualization in R (13.03.2026, course in English)
• Introduction to Statistical Learning (16.03.2026, course in English)
• Generative Künstliche Intelligenz (19.03.2026, Kurs auf Deutsch)

Here you can find more information: fu:stat course program

The participation fee will be covered by DRS (until the semester quota is exhausted) if you are doing your doctorate at a university of the Berlin University Alliance. When registering on the fu:stat website, please identify yourself as a doctoral researcher from Freie Universität Berlin.

If you cancel within one week before the start of the course, you will have to pay 30% of the course fee as a cancellation fee. This cancellation fee is not covered by DRS.

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Dahlem Research School (DRS) 

Mark your calendars! The DRS summer semester workshop program is published. Registration opens Wednesday, March 18 at 12:00 noon. Get ready to secure your spot: https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/course_list.

Next event from the Exchange Forum on Doctoral Education

The online session “Meet the Doctoral Council” will take place February 11, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. It will be hosted by the Doctoral Council, which will introduce itself and present its work. The session will be held in English.

No prior registration is required to participate: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin/j.php?MTID=m2d038e7f1f0a2306848e7b68ad566d89.

 
New podcast episode out now: Learn how social background, financial security, and mentoring shape doctoral pathways in our latest Navigating your Doctorate episode with Dr. Steffen Jaksztat. → DRS Podcast

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Berlin University Alliance (BUA)

TU BERLIN'S CAREER WEEK FOR INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR RESEARCHERS
The event aims at giving international PhD students and postdocs insights into the diversity of academic and non-academic career prospects on the German labor market.
Date: February 16 - 20, 2026
Program: https://www.tu.berlin/en/go200551/
Registration: https://events.tu-berlin.de/e/40000020_2026
For questions contact TU Berlin’s Alumni Team at alumni@tu-berlin.de

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
We will explore the basics of public engagement (PE) and its value for research and practice.
Date: February 18, 2026, 10:00-17:00
Venue: Humbolt Graudate School, Luisenstr. 56, 10117 Berlin, room 220 (1st floor)
URL: https://hu.opencampus.com/de/node/12744   

Open minds: Exploring science careers

by CCDA in cooperation with WISTA, BAM and HZB

Open Minds invites early career researchers from all disciplines across Berlin who are reflecting on their future professional direction and wish to explore career paths both within and beyond academia. This interactive, playful career event helps you move beyond the question “Should I stay or should I go?” and instead explore the rich possibilities in between. Step into a vibrant transition space for a full day where science meets innovation, industry, and society. Open Minds empowers you to think about your professional identity, discover new ecosystems, and explore how your scientific strengths can thrive in diverse contexts.

March 5th, 10:00 - 17:00, Adlershof

More information and registration: here.

Registration deadline: February 15th.

 
(In)Credible Research Conference 2026: Join the Organizing Team!

We invite doctoral researchers and postdocs from FU, HU, TU, and Charité who are interested in learning how to plan international scientific events to join the planning and organizing team of the 2026 (In)Credible Research Conference!

As part of the organizing committee, you will:

• Organize an exciting 2-day scholarly event (8 & 9 October 2026) with and for fellow early career researchers
• Take part in two in-depth workshops on how to conceptualize and plan a scientific conference
• Co-develop the conference program and various formats for intellectual input, debate, and networking with fellow early career researchers
• Work collaboratively in an English-speaking team
• Receive a certificate with ECTS points for your participation

We welcome ECRs from all disciplines and subject areas—STEM, life sciences, humanities, and social sciences alike. Prior experience in conference organization is not required.

The (In)Credible Research Conference is an annual transdisciplinary conference, organized by and for early career researchers and provides a collaborative space to critically engage with what constitutes “Good Science.” This year’s conference is entitled The Value(s) of Science and will take place on 8 & 9 October 2026. The event is funded by the Berlin University Alliance and coordinated by Charité Graduate Studies Support.

Register here until 27 February 2026.

 
MENTAL HEALTH  - Strengthened and healthy through the doctoral thesis 
Especially in challenging times, it is crucial to know strategies for maintaining your well-being. Work on developing a positive mindset, identify stress factors, and discover helpful resources for your doctoral journey. Learn about and try out relaxation techniques. This way, you can face challenges with greater confidence and achieve your personal goals more efficiently. 
Date: March 11 and 12, 2026 & April 10, 2026 as follow up
Venue: https://www.umwelt-bildungszentrum.de/  
Registration: https://programm.zewk.tu-berlin.de/de/events/019932de-d297-7763-87e7-e3f346f66c45

 
KICK OFF YOUR DOCTORATE 
The retreat is an on-site event. In order to create a space in which you can focus on your doctoral project and engage with other doctoral researchers, we meet at a conference hotel close to Berlin. Participants will be accommodated in single rooms.
Date(s): April 22 - 24, 2026
Venue: https://www.hotel-sommerfeld.de/  
URL: https://pretix.eu/cgss/kick-off-26-en/

 
ERFOLGREICH IN DIE PROMOTION
Der Retreat findet vor Ort statt. Um einen Raum zu schaffen, in dem Sie sich auf Ihr Promotionsvorhaben konzentrieren und sich mit anderen Doktoranden austauschen können, treffen wir uns in einem Tagungshotel in der Nähe von Berlin. Die Teilnehmer werden in Einzelzimmern untergebracht.
Date(s): April 20 - 22, 2026
Ort: https://www.hotel-sommerfeld.de/
URL: https://pretix.eu/cgss/kick-off-26-de/

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Love Data Week // Feb 9 – 13

We are delighted that universities in Berlin and Brandenburg will once again be participating in Love Data Week 2026, which will take place from 9 to 13 February. We have another diverse week of events ahead of us and invite you to register for local events focusing on the sustainable handling of research data.

Expand your knowledge in the field of research data management through coffee lectures, talks and hands-on workshops. The events are aimed at all researchers, staff and students of academic institutions in Berlin and Brandenburg; everyone interested is welcome to attend.

You can find the details and the complete programme on our website: https://ldw-bbb.de/

Join us to exchange ideas, and learn about the latest developments and best practices in research data management. We look forward to your participation!

Please forward this information to anyone else at your institution who may be interested.

 Kind regards, 

The Love Data Week BBB Organising Team

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Berkeley Chemistry Tournament – Germany Edition  // March 14

Es werden freiwillige Helfende für das Berkeley Chemistry Tournament – Germany Edition am Samstag, den 14.03.2026, gesucht!

Die American Chemical Society aus Berkeley richtet mit dem JungenChemieForum Berlin am 14.03.2026 erstmalig einen Chemiewettbewerb für Schüler:innen in Berlin aus. Für die Durchführung benötigen wir noch dringend Helfende. Falls ihr Lust habt, euch ein bisschen für den Berliner Chemie Nachwuchs und die Deutsch-Amerikanischen Wissenschaftsbeziehungen einzusetzen, dann meldet euch über folgenden Link an: https://forms.gle/wdNKGX2uBnj6MtrB8 und überredet gerne auch eure Mitpromovierenden/Kolleg:innen, mitzuhelfen :)

Mehr Informationen zu dem Chemie Wettbewerb findet ihr auf der Webseite des JCF: https://jcf.io/berlin

Wir freuen uns total, wenn sich einige Helfende finden