navigare - Career Coaching for Women in Science

Advance in Science

The coaching programme "navigare" is a joint initiative by MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes and the six running DFG-programmes  MIMENIMA, CRC 1232, CRC 747, CRC/TR136, RTG QM3, RTG 2224. It addresses women PhD-students and Postdocs who aim for a professorship or a leadership position in the field of science. The programme is focused on the development of the participants’ professional career. Therefore it offers to learn central competences for career management in science and its international context. The look into the science system and its gender-specific demands for women will play an important role.

You can download the flyer for the navigare "classic" program here (in german).

For many people, there are several reasons to aim for a career as a scientist. Thrilling research, self-determined work content, international cooperations, and comparatively high flexibility – in the perception of many academics, these seem to be important criteria for a rewarding career. At the same time, scientists are often depended on short term contracts and are expected to be rather flexible in terms of mobility. This may be perceived to be a challenge, especially in terms of the private life.

At the University of Bremen, women make up 44% of the graduates in natural sciences and engineering, whereas only 14% hold a professorship in these fields. We aim to address this imbalance by offering extra support in terms of career management in science through the navigare coaching programme. Strategies introduced in navigare include a focus on special challenges that especially women might (have to) face in the scientific community. Participants will reflect on informal obstacles in women careers and learn how to deal with them. Topics of the programme include:

• Individual career planning
• Self-marketing
• Networking
• Communication, conflict management and dealing with discriminations
• Intercultural competences

For further details on the programme schedule see here (in german). If you require child care during the seminars, please contact Susanne Abeld, programme director.

During a half-day kick-off workshop (15 September 2017) all interested women will have the chance to personally meet the trainer as well as the other participants, they will learn more about the aims and topics addressed with the navigare programme. During the week following this workshop, the binding registration needs to be completed. (Deadline: 22 September 2017).

In order to register for the kick-off workshop, please use the online registration form.
Please register no later than 20 July 2017.

Dr. Monika Clausen is an expert for women careers in science, she holds a PhD in biology and has done research in biotechnology for several years before she left science to work for a global enterprise in the department for human resource development. For the past years, Monika Clausen has worked as a freelance trainer and coach in her own enterprise. She offers trainings for universities, companies and individuals.

• Web page of Dr. Monika Clausen (in German)

navigare addresses female early career researchers (PhD candidates and postdocs) who consider a career in science. Participants need to have a high motivation to learn within a group and need to be in Bremen for the workshops. They need to be able to participate in at least 75% of the coaching days (=5 days). Participation in the information and final workshops are essential.