Organization

Dr. Sherin Hassan Bran (TROPOS) and Dr. Tom Doerffel (IAP) who have been elected as spokespersons, along with two coordinators on behalf of each working group, represent the Leibniz PostDoc Network. These spokespersons and the working group coordinators together constitute the Leibniz PostDoc Network Steering Committee.

For the period of 2024-2025, there are seven working groups that focus on current topical issues within the network. They suggest and implement next steps concerning the following topics:

1. Survey
2. Communication
3. Infrastructure
4. Work & health
5. Career development
6. Diversity and Inclusion
7. Sustainability

The core topics covered in the working groups may change over time, new topical focuses can be suggested at every annual meeting and will be voted on. Working groups are open to all postdocs in the Leibniz Association. If you want to join a working group, please do so by contacting the spokespersons and the working group coordinators.

Spokespersons

Dr. Sherin Hassan Bran
Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS)

Sherin Bran is a postdoctoral research associate at the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) in Leipzig, with a PhD in Environmental Science from Chiang Mai University, Thailand. He studies atmospheric pollutants, multiphase chemistry, and aerosol–climate interactions using cutting-edge models and observations. In his new role as spokesperson for the Leibniz Postdoc Network, Sherin is passionate about fostering open dialogue, supporting well-being, and building stronger connections across the postdoc community.

Dr. Tom Doerffel
Leibniz Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP)
Spokespersons@leibniz-postdoc.de

As a physicist with a background in astrophysics and fluid dynamics, Tom joined the Leibniz Postdoc Network as its newly elected spokesperson. After completing his studies at the University of Jena, he pursued a PhD in Mathematics at the Freie Universität Berlin, where he explored the complex dynamics of hurricanes.
Currently, Tom is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Atmospheric Physics (IAP), focusing on modeling the upper atmosphere and its role in global climate systems.
As a spokesperson for the Leibniz Postdoc Network (LPN), Tom is dedicated to strengthen LPN’s role in the topics of professional career development and power abuse.

Alumni:

Dr. Ngoc Duyen Tanja Tu (IDS), Dr. Shyam Krishnan (Leibniz-HKI), Dr. Mine Altinli (BNITM), Dr. Peter Amer Arrabiyeh (IVW), Dr. Rajini Nagrani (BIPS), Dr. Marta-Ferreira-Gomes (DRFZ), Dr. Steve Doo (ZMT), Dr. Sami Ullah (DSMZ), Dr. Gitta Heinz (DRFZ), Dr. Lydia Repke (GESIS)

Financial officer

Alumni:

Malgorzata Kogut-Günthel (LSB@TUM), Marta Ferreira-Gomes (DRFZ), Lydia Repke (GESIS)

Working Groups

WG 1 – Survey

The goal of WG 1 is to collect and provide data on Leibniz PostDocs to get an idea about who Leibniz PostDocs are and how they are doing at their Leibniz Institutes. We regularly administer surveys, analyze and publish the results, as well as present the results in the Leibniz Postdoc Network, at meetings, or conferences. In summer 2020, we administered the First Leibniz PostDoc Survey to examine employment histories, future career plans and training needs, as well as challenges concerning work-life balance or relationships with superiors. Some of the questions were specifically related to the situation of Leibniz PostDocs with an international background. The results of this survey are available on our website (see Resources).
In winter 2022/23, we run the Second Leibniz PostDoc Survey that aims at providing an update on many aspects asked in the first survey. Additionally, we included new topics in the survey, targeting aspects like working remotely or mental health. With all these questions, we hope to provide evidence on topics that currently matter for Leibniz PostDocs.

WG Coordinators

Dr. Paula Torre Zaffaroni
Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

Paula is a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin. As part of the ODER~SO project, she studies the multivariate interactions between physicochemical, climatic, and hydrological conditions integrating extensive environmental and Earth observation records. She studied Environmental Sciences and got her PhD at the University of Buenos Aires (Argentina), where she developed a strong interest in the interplay between landscape, regional and global patterns of surface water dynamics. Within the LPN, she hopes to contribute by translating the concerns and interests of postdoctoral researchers into actionable plans within and across institutes.

Group members:

Dr. Altaaf Mechiche Alami | Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
Dr. Theresa Nutz | GESIS Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS)
Dr. Emilio Perez-Bosch Quesada | Leibniz Institute for High Performance Microelectronics (IHG)
Dr. Nina Weingarten (Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences (GESIS))
Dr. Daniel Saldivia Gonzatti (Berlin Social Science Center (WZB))

Alumni:

WG 2 – Communication

The working group Public Communication and Advocacy develops and communicates a shared denominator for the heterogeneous interest group of postdocs. Our intention is to raise the profile of postdocs at the Leibniz Association (and beyond) inside and outside of academia.

WG Coordinators

Dr. Christian Nehls
Research Center Borstel, Leibniz Lung Center (FZB)

Christian belongs to the division of Biophysics at the Research Center Borstel. Since his physics studies, he has been particularly fascinated by interdisciplinary collaboration on questions with medical relevance. One of his major research interests has been membrane-associated mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity factors and host defense molecules. As a postdoctoral researcher in a current project of the Leibniz Cooperative Excellence, he is investigating the physical basis of bacterial propagation strategies (A risk index for health effects of mineral dust and associated microbes). Christian engages in the Leibniz PostDoc Network to strengthen the scientific mid-level staff, identify blind spots in the system, and address them through communication.

Group members:

Dr. Shyam Krishnan | Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)

Alumni:

Dr. Hatice Genc (IUF), Dr. Gregor Kalinkat (IGB), Dr. Mine Altlini (BNITM) and Dr. Elizabeth Pavez Lorie (IUF), Dr. Lena Simon (ATB), Dr. Julia Jungbluth (IGB)

WG 3 – Infrastructure

The general aim of this working group is to conceptualise, set up and maintain the communication infrastructure of the Leibniz PostDoc-Network and to expand the reach of the network. We maintain the website, advertise the communication channels like the listserv, and reach out to the PostDoc representatives at the individual institutes. As Felix describes it, this is the “machine room” of the network.  Our goal is to reach every PostDoc within the Leibniz society, so that they can experience the benefit of the network.

WG Coordinators

Dr. Maya Giridhar
Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)

Maya moved to Germany in 2014 to pursue her Master’s at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. Further, she completed her Ph.D. in Plant Cell Biology  from the University of Bonn in 2021. Since then she has been working as a Postdoctoral researcher at LSB@TUM. Her current research is to use spatial transcriptomics to  profile the morphological and transcriptional data in crops using high resolution microarrays. As a member of the Leibniz Postdoc Network, she is thrilled to be a part of the “Machine room” and expand the network.

Dr. Bastian Seelbinder
Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)

Bastian currently works as a PostDoc in the Microbiome Dynamics department at Leibniz-HKI. He studied theoretical bioinformatics and applies his knowledge of multi-OMICs integration to the study of microbiomes in different human metabolic diseases as well as different environments.

Alumni:

Dr. Tongta Sae-Ong (HKI), Dr. Johanna Callhoff (DRFZ), Dr. Peter Amer Arrabiyeh (IVW), Dr. Roxana Cremer (TROPOS) and Dr. Felix Victor (HBI)

WG 4 – Work & health

The Working Conditions and Mental Health working group has two main aims: First, we want to address and advocate for key issues postdoctoral researchers face when working at Leibniz Institutes, such as mental health and wellbeing issues, contract issues (i.e., WissZeitVG, Einstufung), and working issues that are particularly exacerbated by the pandemic (i.e., care obligations, contract extensions, social isolation). Based on our international experience, we aim to develop new resources for postdoctoral researchers that help them settling in in Germany. This includes developing a welcome package for Leibniz PostDocs and providing an overview of important official documents that international postdocs need (English versions), resources for networking during the pandemic, and beyond.

Dr. Judith Boldt
German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures GmbH (DSMZ)

Judith initially studied bioinformatics and received her bachelor’s degree from the TU München and LMU. She then moved to Paris to combine lab experiments and computational analyses during her master studies ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Life Science’ at Université Paris Descartes. During her PhD work at College de France in Paris and UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas she focused on coevolution of genes, as well as protein thermal stability. For her postdoc, Judith is back in Germany, working at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ in Braunschweig. Her projects revolve around natural products from bacteria and brought her back to her roots in bioinformatics.

Group members:

Dr. Malgorzata Kogut-Günthel |Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)
Dr. Jacqueline Kroh | Leibniz Institute for Educational Trajectories (LIfBi)
Dr. Praveen Kumar |Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)
Dr. Daniel Felipe Saldivia Gonzatti | Berlin Social Science Center (WZB)
Dr. Axel Schulz | German Rheumatism Research Center (DRFZ)

Alumni:

Dr. Jacqueline Malchow (DSC), Dr. Malgorzata Kogut-Günthel (LSB@TUM), Dr. Lisa Belkacemi (Leibniz-IWT), Dr. Marlene Mauk (GESIS), Dr. Nathalie Topaj (ZAS), Dr. Gillian Dornan (FMP), Dr. Mine Altlini (BNITM), Dr. Andreas Weich (GEI), Dr. Katarzyna Hnida-Gut (IHP), Dr. Peter Amer Arrabiyeh (IVW) and Dr. Francesca Vulcano (DSMZ)

WG 5 – Career Development

The Career Development working group has one main goal: To offer support for the development of essential skills for postdocs. This includes training opportunities on, for example, grant writing, project management, or communication. Hereby, we want to make use of the size and heterogeneity of the Leibniz Association and establish collaborations to make these courses available to a broader audience.

WG Coordinators

Dr. Razieh Abdollahipour
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bio-economy e.V. (ATB)

Razieh completed her PhD in Electrical Engineering in 2022, specializing in Control and focusing on the consensus of uncertain multi-agent systems. She began her role as a scientist at ATB Institute in 2023, with research interests that span Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Computer Vision, and Control Systems and she is passionate about advancing AI-driven solutions. Razieh is now thrilled to coordinate the Career Development group, where she is dedicated to supporting and empowering her peers in navigating their career paths.

Dr. Thi Huyen Trang Dam
Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bio-economy e.V. (ATB)

Dr. Thi Huyen Trang Dam earned a doctorate in Agricultural Economics from Humboldt University of Berlin, specializing in climate change impact assessment. Since 2022, Trang has been a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB) in Potsdam, where she combines project coordination and research work, focusing on advancing the bioeconomy to enhance soil health and sustainability through innovative approaches for sustainable farming practices. Recently, Trang joined the Coordination Team of the Career Development Group and looks forward to contributing to supporting and empowering fellow researchers in their professional growth.

Group members:

Dr. Sabrina Hempel | Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)
Dr. Yvette Meissner | German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin (DRFZ)
Dr. Rajini Nagrani | Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research & Epidemiology – BIPS (BIPS)
Dr. Agata Olszewska-Widdrat | Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB)
Dr. Justine Tanoey | Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research & Epidemiology – BIPS (BIPS)
Dr. Tanja Tu | Institute for German Language (IDS)

Alumni:

Dr. Rajini Nagrani (BIPS), Dr. Marta Ferreira Gomes (DRFZ), Dr. Sina Fackler (LIfBi), Dr. Christina Stehle (DRFZ) and Dr. Peter Amer Arrabiyeh (IVW)

WG 6 – Diversity and Inclusion

This working group is dedicated to issues of diversity, inclusion, and intersectionality with regard to the functioning of the Leibniz PostDoc Network and the Leibniz-wide workplace. On the one hand, we want to increase the awareness, acceptance, and importance of the differences between individuals within the Leibniz Association. On the other hand, we want to encourage an atmosphere that enhances mutual respect, active participation, and diverse contributions among Leibniz employees. We plan to implement concrete and sustainable practices of inclusion that will address intersectional inequalities.

WG Coordinators

Dr. Rita dos Santos Natividade
Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich (LSB@TUM)

Rita is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Food Systems Biology at the Technical University of Munich, where she investigates mechanoreceptors that mediate how we perceive mouthfeel. She completed her PhD in Biophysics at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium, focusing on virus interactions with cellular receptors. As a member of the Diversity & Inclusion working group within the Leibniz PostDoc Network, Rita is committed to fostering more inclusive environments across Leibniz institutes in Germany, particularly for international researchers.

Group Members:

Dr. Sravanthi Nadiminti | Leibniz Research Institute for Molecular Pharmacology (FMP)
Dr. Phoebe Griffith | Leibniz Institute for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)
Dr. Christine Chiriac | Leibniz Institute for Educational Media (GEI)
Dr. Altaaf Mechiche-Alami | Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)

Alumni:

Dr. Marion Henkel (INP), Dr. Rebea Kleymann (IGB), Dr. Kingsly Chuo Beng (IGB) and Dr. Mine Altlini (BNITM)

WG 7 – Sustainability

The WG Sustainability connects postdocs across the Leibniz Association who want to shape research and institutional culture through sustainability. Guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the German Sustainability Strategy and the EU Green Deal, we work on practical initiatives such as strategic collaborations, awareness and training activities, policy briefs, sustainability scorecards and science communication to highlight how Leibniz research supports global transformation. We also develop research catalogues, joint reviews and opportunities for exchange, helping early-career researchers embed sustainability in their projects, proposals and professional development. By engaging across institutes and disciplines, the WG aims to foster collaboration and make sustainability a visible and unifying feature of the Leibniz Association.

Dr. Mario Lüdicke-Ziegler | Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (IPHT)

Mario is a postdoctoral researcher at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT). Operating primarily within the cleanroom environment, his research centers on advanced micro- and nanofabrication techniques, with a specific focus on atomic layer deposition (ALD). His scientific interests explore the intersections of plasmon-based catalysis and the properties of disordered superconductors, pushing the boundaries of nanoscale material synthesis and functional device integration. He focuses on decreasing experimental effort and using fewer resources by implementing AI to operate a hybrid software/hardware-based material characterization system. As a member of the Sustainability working group, Mario aims to raise awareness within the Leibniz Association and encourage more sustainable research practices through small impulses and practical ideas.

Alumni:

Elif Köksoy (DSMZ), Kristine Oevel (FMP), John Ndisya (ATB)