September 21 to 25, 2026

For the 5^th Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany, the STMM is offering a series of career and networking events, online and on-site, in German or English. All postdocs, clinician scientists, and late-stage doctoral candidates are welcome.

Also check out the German-wide online programme here: paw-germany.de/events-2026.

Monday September 21, from 1 pm to 2 pm (L17, House 42 – UMM library building).

Part I: overview of the Habil. process at our faculty. With Prof. Dr. Daniel Dürschmied, head of the Habil. committee, and Dr. Ralf Weigel, Referent Habilitation at the Dean’s office. Duration: ~30 minutes including Q&A.

Part II: Round-table discussion with PDs. Coffee provided.

• PD Dr. med. Simone Britsch (I. Medizinische Klinik) - tbc
• PD Jamila Andoh, PhD (ZI - Department Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience) – online only
• PD Dr. med. Verena Ghezel-Ahmadi (Klinik für Anästhesiologie)
• PD Dr. med. Catharina Gerhards (Klinische Chemie und Laboratoriumsmedizin)

Further information: www.umm.uni-heidelberg.de/karriere/habilitation/

Online attendance is possible via heiConf: https://heiconf.uni-heidelberg.de/4kw9-thy6-3tcd-6ph7

Registration is welcome but not mandatory here.

Monday September 21, from 6 to 8:30 pm (10 one-on-one slots)

Are you about to enter the non-academic job market? Optimize your LinkedIn presence in a personalized feedback session!

With Dr. Lenka Kyjacova, Networking Trainer and Vice President, Customer and Partner Success at Molecular Health GmbH, Heidelberg.

→ LinkedIn Profile

Registration is mandatory to book your slot: https://pretix.eu/uni-heidelberg/PAW-LinkedIn/

10 participants max, registration deadline August 21^st, 2026 at noon. Registered participants will receive a personal Teams link.

Wednesday September 23, from 5 pm onwards (TPMA2, ground floor hall or garden).

Organised by the STMM Postdoc representative, Stephani Schmitz.

The event will kick off with a scientific speed dating round, followed by informal chats over pizza and drinks.

Registration is welcome but not mandatory here or via the WhatsApp community for STMM postdocs.

Friday September 25, from 1 to 2 pm (S21 or S22, Alte Brauerei)

Pitfalls, milestones, celebrations…what to expect on the path to junior PI.

Round table with junior group leaders from our faculty:

• Dr. Gülce Perçin, Junior Group Leader since 2026
• Dr. Mahak Singhal, Junior Group Leader since 2022
• Dr. Ekaterina Legchenko, Junior Group Leader since 2022

Moderation: Stephani Schmitz, Claudine Öngen (STMM)

Coffee provided.

Registration is welcome but not mandatory here.

To continue in the PAW spirit, the STMM is hosting the formidable Colin Bennett (Flames a Mile High) for two events:

Thursday October 1, from 9 am to 3:30 pm, L17 (House 42, UMM library)

Interactive workshop: The Psychology of Persuasive Scientific Presentations

Hands-on training with mini-presentations and live feedback on topics including

• How audiences make decisions and remember information
• Attention magnets, rhetoric, and statistics that stick
• How to use slides effectively (where they help vs. harm)

Registration: limited to 12 participants, please register via LEARN or by email to stmm@remove-this.medma.uni-heidelberg.de

Thursday October 1, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm, Lecture Hall H01, House 06

Guest Lecture: Believe! The Psychology of Persuasive Presentations

This lecture is a 1-hour overview of audience engagement principles. The speaker will share practical presentation strategies and showcase real-world examples from successful talks that won funding and investment.

Registration: none required

If you would like to connect with other postdocs and clinician scientists or stay informed about events and training opportunities for postdocs, please sign up for the STMM postdoc mailing list and / or join the local Postdoc WhatsApp community. For events in the greater Heidelberg area, follow the Heidelberg University Postdoc Network on LinkedIn.