On Thursday (17.09) we will host Prof. dr hab. Ewelina Knapska (Head of Neurobiology of Emotions Lab., Centre of Excellence for Neural Plasticity and Brain Disorders (BRAINCITY), Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology), who will deliver the lecture entitled: "After the PhD: a view from both sides". The seminar will take place at 3 p.m. in the CN lecture hall and will be followed by a get together.

Abstract:

Academic careers rarely follow a straight or carefully planned path. In this talk, I would like to share what life after a PhD can really look like, based both on my own experience - from being a PhD student at Nencki to leading a research group - and on what I have learned while mentoring PhD students and young researchers. I will talk about choices that worked well, mistakes I would avoid today, difficult moments, and the role of chance, timing and the people we meet along the way. I will also discuss what is realistically expected of early-career scientists, which skills matter in everyday academic life, and how to think about whether academia is the right path for you. I will briefly introduce the research we are currently doing and reflect on the opportunities that being at Nencki can offer. Above all, I hope this will be an open and honest conversation, with plenty of time for questions.