Digital Postdoc Get-Together | Postdoc Lunch
Networking and exchange are important – also and especially amongst peers.
In order to promote convivial exchange, we invite all postdocs to regular get-togethers (approx. every 6 weeks). The meetings serve as spaces where postdocs can share ideas with other postdocs, strengthen their network, and learn from the experiences of their peers. We look forward to welcoming you!
The meetings are held in either of two formats:
- Digital postdoc get-together via Big Blue Button - links are sent out after the registration via email.
- Postdoc lunch on site - we meet for lunch* at the restaurant Die Kate , Bismarckstrasse 32, 35390 Giessen
* Please note that the GGS cannot cover the costs for the participants' lunches, but that the lunch offers a chance of further networking on a self-payer basis.
| Wednesday, September 24, 2025, noon - 1:30 p.m. (s.t.) |
Postdoc-Lunch: "Career Paths Between Academia and Industry"
Guest: Prof Dr Eberhard Kurz, CIO and Director of the University IT Service Centre (HRZ) |
The next Postdoc-Lunch in Detail:
What career paths are available to me as a postdoc between academia and industry? This is the question we will address at our upcoming Postdoc Lunch. Our guest is Professor Dr Eberhard Kurz. After completing his doctorate and postdoctoral phase, he spent many years in senior positions in various branches of industry in Germany and abroad before accepting a call for the professorship of Digitalization in Tourism and Transport at Worms University of Applied Sciences. Since 2023, he has held the Professorship for IT Management at Faculty 02 (Economics and Business Studies) of JLU and also serves as CIO of the university’s IT Service Center. Over a lunch, we will discuss the opportunities and challenges of building a career that bridges academia and industry. This event is especially aimed at postdocs interested in exploring diverse career paths inside and outside of academia. As always, the lunch provides space for personal questions, peer-to-peer exchange, and fresh inspiration for your own career journey.
Please register for the Postdoc Lunch by September 22, 2025 via email to postdocs@ggs.uni-giessen.de
Further information on additional offerings within the postdoc funding program is available on our website .
Previous dates in 2025:
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July 9, 2025, 12.30 pm - 2 pm: Postdoc-Lunch - Tenure Track Professorship
Guest: Sascha Ulrich-Michenfelder, Advisor for professorship appointment and evaluation procedures (Department C, JLU)
Anyone aiming for a (tenure-track) professorship faces a complex and often opaque appointment process. How can one best prepare? What criteria matter most, how does the selection procedure work, and what do appointment committees pay particular attention to? These and other questions were addressed in this Postdoc Lunch, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at professorial appointment procedures. Our guest, Sascha Ulrich-Michenfelder, Coordinator for Professorial Appointment Procedures at the HR Department of Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU), shared his expert insights into administrative processes, selection criteria, and common pitfalls. The informal lunch setting provided space for direct exchange with Mr. Ulrich-Michenfelder and networking opportunities among postdocs.
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May 14, 2025, 12.30 pm - 2 pm: Postdoc-Lunch - International Research Collaborations – Securing Third-Party Funding
Guest: Prof. Dr. Stefan Peters (Faculty of Law, JLU)
For postdocs planning a long-term research career, two factors are particularly crucial: international experience and successful acquisition of third-party funding. These elements are especially powerful when combined—such as through the development and funding of international research collaborations. At this Postdoc Lunch, we spoke with someone who has achieved exactly that with remarkable success: Prof. Dr. Stefan Peters, Director of the German-Colombian Peace Institute (CAPAZ) since 2018. Prof. Peters brings extensive experience as a visiting researcher in various Latin American countries and deep insight into building and funding international research projects. This Postdoc-Lunch offered participants the opportunity to learn from Prof. Peters’ expertise, exchange ideas with fellow postdocs, and gain inspiration for initiating or strengthening their own international research collaborations.
Networking and exchange are important – also and especially amongst peers.
In order to promote convivial exchange, we invite all postdocs to regular get-togethers (approx. every 6 weeks). The meetings serve as spaces where postdocs can share ideas with other postdocs, strengthen their network, and learn from the experiences of their peers. We look forward to welcoming you!
The meetings are held in either of two formats:
- Digital postdoc get-together via Big Blue Button - links are sent out after the registration via email.
- Postdoc lunch on site - we meet for lunch* at the restaurant Die Kate , Bismarckstrasse 32, 35390 Giessen
* Please note that the GGS cannot cover the costs for the participants' lunches, but that the lunch offers a chance of further networking on a self-payer basis.
Dates of the postdoc get-togethers/lunch in 2023:
| April 26, 2023 | Postdoc get-together: " Professoral Appointment and Tenure Track in the social sciences and humanities " with Professor Dr Simone Abendschön (JLU) |
| July 14, 2023 | Postdoc get-together: "Working in Editorial Boards and as a Reviewer as part of the academic career" with Professor Dr Stefan Wahlen (JLU) |
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November 8, 2023
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Postdoc get-together: "Current developments in university politics in Hesse" with Tamara Elsner-Klug und Dr Maren Astrid-Solveig Loubal (Stabsabteilung Planung und Entwicklung, JLU) "
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December 6, 2023
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Postdoc lunch: "Moderating in academia. Tips and tricks" with Dr Sabine Fritz
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Next postdoc get-together in detail:
Unfortunately, due to a case of illness we have to cancel the postdoc lunch scheduled for December 6. We will try to see whether a rescheduling to a later point in time, possibly early 2024 is possible and inform you as soon as we know more.
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December 6, 2023, 12 noon - 1.30 pm (s.t.) at "Die Kate", Bismarckstrasse 32, 35390 Giessen
Guest: Dr Sabine Fritz (University Didactics JLU)
We would like to talk about the the topic of moderating in academic contexts . Especially from the postdoc phase onwards, (early career) researchers increasingly find themselves placed in the role of moderators. Be it in the context of one's own university teaching, in panel discussions, teams, networking events, or at conferences - the task of moderating is omnipresent.
Because of this, Dr Sabine Fritz and Felix Wagner would like to talk about tips and tricks that contribute to good moderative practice. How do I ask questions that stimulate debates, how do I weave thematic segue ways and transitions, how do I communicate respectfully, how can I limit other participants' speaking turns, which cultural and disciplinary norms do I have to consider? These and other questions will form the basis for a dialogue about what it means to successfully moderate in academia.
Please register for the get-together/lunch via email at postdocs Thank you very much!
Past events in 2022
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Tuesday, November 15, 2022, 12.00 noon - 1.00 pm (s.t.): GGS-Postdoc-Austauschs-DAAD Gutachten
We talk with Professor Dr Joachim Stiensmeier-Pelster about the advantages and opportunities offered that are being active as a reviewer offers to postdocs. How much work is this realistically and, to begin with, how does one attain this role ? -
Thursday, May 12 2022, 12.30 pm - 1.30 pm
: GGS-Postdoc-Lunch - Mein Weg zum Drittmittelantrag
We discuss the process of handing in a joint BMBF application with Dr Marie Reusch , Institute for political science, JLU, during a shared lunch at the restaurant Die Kate at Bismarckstrasse 32, 35390 Giessen . -
Thursday, March 17, 2022, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.)
The Teaching and Evaluation Service at JLU is responsible, among other things, for the introduction, implementation and further development of central procedures and instruments for teaching evaluation. At the latest as soon as postdocs want to apply for a professorship, the evaluation results of their courses become relevant for them. But how can one use the findings of teaching evaluations early on to improve ones own teaching? Christian Treppesch (StL, JLU) will be happy to answer these and other questions on the topic of teaching evaluation.
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Thursday, January 27, 2022, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.)
To kick off the year, we would like to introduce Dr Diana Hitzke. She is a new member at the Postdoc Career and Mentoring Office (PCMO) and will tell us about the services offered by the PCMO and the funding opportunities of the Postdoc Fund. The Postdoc Fund is exclusively available to JLU postdocs. Funding is provided for conference travel as well as individual further education and training measures to promote the academic career (e.g. workshops, courses, lectures or methodological advice) from an external provider.
Past events in 2021
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Thursday, November 4, 2021, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.).
Before we go into the Christmas break, we are pleased to welcome Prof. Dr. Stefan Peters (Chair of Peace Studies at JLU and Director of the German-Colombian Peace Institute/Instituto Colombo-Alemán para la Paz - CAPAZ in Bogotá) as a guest at our last Postdoc Get-Together this year. As a researcher with a particularly high level of third-party funding in FB 01 with strong overlaps with FB 03, he will tell us about his experiences in acquiring third-party funding and will be available to answer your questions. Prof. Dr. Peters' research projects are characterised by a high degree of interdisciplinarity and internationality. How do you start such international cooperation? And how does it become a project? Find out more about the process of initiating such projects and what you should bear in mind when submitting proposals and generally working scientifically in an international context.
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Thursday, September 16, 2021, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.).
By the end of the workday, the to-do list has once again grown longer instead of shorter.... At the Postdoc Get-Together in September, Dr. Jennifer Heiny will present a few time management tools that can help you as a postdoc to manage your workday more efficiently. -
Thursday, July 29, 2021, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.)
As a speaker in the Chancellor's Office at the JLU, Dr. Jan Otto is responsible for budgeting models, medium-term financial planning, risk management, reserve management, data and information management, and resource controlling. Learn, for example, according to which models and on the basis of which information or indicators resources are distributed in Hesse, within JLU or even within departments, up to the professorships.
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Thursday, June 17, 2021, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.)
In June, Tobias Meyer (Advisor for professorship appointment procedures and evaluation, Human Resources Department, JLU) will be our guest during the Postdoc Get-Together. He will provide insights into his work regarding evaluation procedures concerning tenure track positions of the faculties of GGS. We will also discuss sources of information for tenure track procedures and professorship appointments. For example, do you know what the " Satzung der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen zur Bewährungsfeststellung " says? Find out more and bring your own questions (preferably ahead of time via e-mail at Postdocs@ggs.uni-giessen.de ).
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Thursday, April 29, 2021, 12 noon - 1 pm (s.t.)
Dr Sven Werkmeister (head of presidential office) will join us for our Postdoc Get-Together in April. He will provide information on current developments of higher education policy and its relevance for scientists at faculties of the GGS.
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Thursday, March 11, 2021, 11 am - noon
We are happy to welcome Dr Sabine Fritz during our Postdoc-Get-Together. Aside from research and publications, teaching skills are crucially important during professoral appointment procedures. Dr Sabine Fritz and Dr Gabi Dübbelde offer coaching in order to prepare for e.g. demonstration lessons and application procedures. Dr Sabine Fritz will answer all your questions regarding teaching and tell us about her work with future professors.
- Tuesday, January 26, 2021, 10.30 am - noon