Early Career Support at Mathematics Münster

Mathematics Münster wants to support their early career researchers not only in their academic competence but also on a personal level. Imke Franzmeier and Kristina Wensing provide support in coaching and career matters. Please contact them (also confidentially), if you have questions, ideas for improvements or need support, e.g.:

  • Reflecting your progress and personal feedback
    We invite all doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to reflect their progress in their doctorate/postdoc. This helps to realise in which areas one has been successful and which parts might need some more attention. The documents below provide a set of guiding questions for the reflection. If you like, you are welcome to discuss your reflection or certain aspects of it in a personal meeting. We typically send a reminder for the reflection halfway through the contract. However, you are welcome to contact us to discuss these questions at any point during your contract.

  • Career counselling and profile development
    We invite all doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in the last year of their contract to reflect about their status quo, their resources, goals and wishes with regard to career paths after the doctorate or postdoctoral position. This ensures pursuit of a fitting career path, that all requirements for a successful career are met and that the pursued career is compatible with one’s lifestyle. The document below provides a set of guiding questions. If you like, you are welcome to discuss career topics in a personal meeting.

  • Questions regarding your doctorate or postdoc at the Cluster of Excellence

  • Troubleshooting: your doctorate/postdoc is not going as you planned and hoped for?
    In case of problems with motivation, supervision, ... you are invited to drop by or send a mail for a confidential talk and support for tackling these obstacles.

  • Ideas and wishes for improving the early career support
    How could your time here at MM further be improved? Which seminars, information, meetings, ... would be helpful to you and your peers?

  • Application check (cover letter and CV) and interview preparation

  • Kristina Wensing is a contact person for power abuse at the Cluster of Excellence and the mathematical institutes. You may contact her confidentially to talk about experiences of power abuse and to seek advice.

We also regularly offer workshops on career planning and career development targeted at both doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

There is an informal Mental Health Peer Support Group open to all doctoral and postdoctoral researchers at Mathematics Münster organized by doctoral and postdoctoral researchers of the Cluster. The regular meetings are announced via the mailinglists.

We compiled a list of further resources, contact and support centres at the faculty, the university and in Münster.