Education and Training

Facilitating transformative change from local to global scales

My training programs support universities and graduate schools in developing the skills of PhD candidates, postdocs, and faculty members. I offer courses on academic writing, publishing strategies, and research collaboration, helping researchers navigate the complexities of high-impact publishing and career development. With over 30 peer-reviewed publications in leading Q1 journals and an h-index of 20+, I bring firsthand expertise in producing and disseminating rigorous research. As a mentor, I have guided PhD students in publishing their work in top-tier journals, fostering academic excellence and professional growth.

Beyond academia, I provide training for professionals in start-ups, spin-offs, and organizations engaged in collaborative innovation projects. My courses equip participants with tools to integrate scientific thinking, build effective networks, and enhance their contributions to innovation and teamwork. I incorporate interactive elements such as exercises, group discussions, and role-playing, ensuring that content is tailored to the specific needs and preferences of clients.

Academic writing

Target Audience

PhD students (beginner to intermediate level).
Duration: 1–3 days (customizable)

Course Description
This course equips researchers with essential skills for structuring, writing, and refining academic papers. Participants will learn how to craft clear, compelling manuscripts that effectively communicate their research.

Topics / Modules

Understanding the anatomy of a research paper.
Writing clear and concise abstracts, introductions, and conclusions.
Developing a logical argument and ensuring coherence.
Common writing pitfalls and how to avoid them.
Editing and proofreading techniques.
Use of AI tools in writing to:
- draft, edit, and proofread academic papers.
- summarize and synthesize large volumes of text.
- aid in literature reviews and preliminary data analysis
Ethical considerations: rules for co-authorship and data ownership
Proper citation, use of reference management tools
Proper design and use of Figures, Tables and Maps
Strategies for collaborative writing and "write-shops".

Networking for Career Development

Target Audience:

PhD students, postdocs, and senior researchers.

Duration: Half-day to 1 day.

Course Description:
This interactive workshop helps participants build and maintain meaningful academic connections to advance their careers and foster collaborations.

Topics Covered:

The essentials of effective academic networking.
Personal network analysis: basics of 'bridging' and 'bonding' strategies
Crafting an engaging elevator pitch for conferences and networking events.
Building an online research presence (e.g., LinkedIn, ResearchGate, ORCID).
Strategies for initiating and sustaining research collaborations.

Advanced Options

Leveraging networks to build international research consortia.

Academic Publishing Strategies

Target Audience

PhD students, post-docs and senior academics looking to refine their publication strategies.

Duration: 1 day (customizable).

Course Description
The course helps participants to develop a personalized publication strategy aligned with their goals, navigate the publication process, manage revision and enhance their research visibility, impact, and citation rates post publication.

Topics:

Balancing quality and quantity according to career stage and goals.
Introduction into different forms of academic publications:
- Monographs, cumulative and semi-cumulative dissertations,
- Journal articles, books, and book chapters, special issues and topic collections
- Alternatives: book reviews, commentaries, letter to the editor(s), systematic reviews, and policy briefs
Identifying suitable journals: understanding editorial scopes, impact factors and journal rankings
Authorship order, negotiating co-authorships, and managing collaborations.
Navigating peer review, responding to reviewer feedback, and managing rejections.
Open access standards (gold, green, hybrid), predatory journals and how to identify them
Maximizing impact and visibility through ing social media, preprint servers, and academic networking sites

Scientific Thinking for Start-Ups

Target Audience: Employees from spin-offs and start-ups.
Duration: 1–2 days.

Course Description:
This course introduces the principles of scientific thinking to enhance problem-solving, decision-making, and innovation in dynamic start-up environments. Participants will learn to approach challenges systematically, validate ideas through evidence-based methods, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Topics

The scientific method and its relevance for business.
Defining problems and forming testable hypotheses.
Designing and running efficient experiments.
Analyzing data and making evidence-based decisions.
Encouraging a culture of curiosity and iterative learning.

By the end of this course, participants will be equipped with practical tools to tackle challenges methodically and foster innovation within their teams.

Supervision of Early-Career Scientists

Target Audience: Professors, senior researchers, and principal investigators (PIs) involved in supervising PhD students and postdocs.
Duration: 2-3 days (customizable).

Course Description:
This course provides supervisors with the tools and strategies to effectively guide early-career scientists, focusing on fostering their academic and professional development.

Topics / Modules

Fundamentals of Effective Supervision

The changing roles and responsibilities of supervisors during the life cycle of a PhD project (from proposal to defense).
Supervision styles and how to tailor them to individual needs and phases.
Setting expectations and boundaries: (formal) supervision agreement, composition of thesis advisory committee (TAC), setting, rough planning of initial phase and milestones
Mastering clear communication: (e.g. active listening, providing constructive feedback, handling difficult 'bad news' conversations, facilitating productive meetings.

Identifying and addressing common issues (e.g., lack of motivation, writer’s block, perfectionism
Managing Conflict
Supporting academic and professional Development: selecting courses, balancing methods, tools and soft skills

Managing multiple PhD students and building a team

Selecting the ‘right’ doctoral candidate(s)
'Onboarding' a new PhD student

Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in your team.
Managing group dynamics and building trust and cohesion

Supervising Postdocs

From student to independent researcher: What postdocs need from a supervisor.
Strategies for empowering postdocs to lead projects and secure funding.
Encouraging leadership, collaboration, and career advancement.

Effective Collaboration in Research Teams

Target Audience: PhD students, postdocs, and research team members.
Duration: 1 day.

Course Description:
This course focuses on building strong collaborative skills to enhance productivity and harmony in research teams. Participants will learn strategies for effective communication, conflict resolution, and balancing diverse perspectives to achieve common goals.