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Who we are
Who we are
The PhD/PostDoc network consists of the PhD students and PostDocs at the Viadrina University, who came together to exchange ideas on issues in and around doctorate and scientific careers. Our meetings are dedicated to the exchange of experiences about strategies (e.g., time management and third-party fundraising) and challenges (e.g., formal requirements in the PhD) in everyday academic life and the discussion on current developments in the university policy of Viadrina. We are conceived as an open network, which invites all those interested in the common debate. As a general rule, our meetings take place every month and offer the opportunity for the inter-faculty exchange on current research projects at the Viadrina as well. We look forward to seeing you!
history
history
The idea of the Viadrina PhD/PostDoc Network was born thanks to a meeting of the Council of the Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences, where a group of new researchers at several different chairs were invited to briefly present themselves and their research. This meeting gave the unique opportunity to PhD and PostDoc students to meet each other. Therefore, after the meeting, some of the participants decided to exchange contacts, meet and exchange ideas, problems and experiences. It was with this intention that Anna Goerg, Moritz Wiesenthal and Luana Martin launched an invitation to all PhDs and PostDoc students of the European University Viadrina to meet.
After this initial spark, the development of the Network extends from 2018 to the present day. Special regards to this account must be afforded to Anna Goerg, without whom the VPPN would have never had developed to the current extent. It was her who took the responsibility to organize the Network, launch the mailing list, invite external speakers to our meetings, etc. She invested much energy and time to realize this project. Among others, an important aspect of the Network's success is the timing, which seemed just right to launch such an initiative: it was launched at a moment when restructuring was taking place at VCGS, which left all Docs and PostDocs temporarily without the support they mostly rely on for exchange and guidance. It helped a lot that we were there for each other, not least to discuss about the importance of VCGS for all of us. VCGS was a central topic of discussion during the first meetings. In this regard, it was essential that, once VCGS was ready for re-launch, Björn Grötzner responded positively to our invitations to present their aims and programs in our meetings.
After months of repetitious meetings and productive discussion, the working group decided to take further steps towards the direction of the Network's decentralization. In this regard, we decided to establish our Facebook group, the Moodle group, and a LinkedIn page. During the same time, we created a Miro board, intended to enhance discussions about the respective subjects in every meeting and promote collaboration and assistance between the Network's members. Our members are strongly encouraged to create a profile in the latter and participate actively in the Network to serve its objectives: exchanging ideas, sharing challenged, assisting development. After all, the current form and extent of the Network itself is a result of the contribution of our members in the past, which inspires our work for a collaborative environment for PhD and PostDoc students of the European University Viadrina.
impressum
impressum
The working group of the Viadrina PhD/PostDoc Network is itself based on a collaborative system, according to which the tasks and roles assigned during each time are inherent to the nature of the member, not attached to each person per se. This means that the members of the working group are organised on the basis of exchange and mutual assistance to assume and execute various tasks assigned by the group. However, there are some programs that require the necessary dedication, knowledge and work to become and remain operative for the Network. As such, due to their extensive preoccupation with such programs, we direct any respective questions arising from members of the Network as follows:
Luana Martin
PostDoc, Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences
martin.luana@gmail.com
Anne Fock
PhD, Faculty of Law
Alba Grembi
PhD, Faculty of Law
Rawina Trautmann
PhD, Faculty of Social and Cultural Sciences
Our AIMS
Our AIMS
PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE ORGA TEAM
Luana Martin-Russu
PostDoc, Faculty of Social and Cultural SciencesLuana is a founding member of the Network. She was part of the working group for five years (2019-2024), supporting all the activities of the network during this time. She co-organized university-wide meetings, acted as a speaker in discussions on various topics (e.g. academic teaching, monograph publication) and maintained, together with the other members of the group, the communication internally with relevant University departments and structures and externally with similar networks at other universities. As a postdoc, she encouraged collaboration and exchange between researchers at various stages of their academic development. The Network is indebted to Luana for her contributions in providing the necessary coherence and inspiring determination to maintain its viability over an extended period.
Anne Fock
PhD, Faculty of LawAnne is a founding member of the Network and was part of the working group until June 2024. She made a significant and sustained contribution to the creation and realisation of her vision for the Network, ensuring a balance between its core purpose and the integration of new ideas. She also played a pivotal role in the materialisation of these ideas, as well as the Network's interdisciplinary exchange and support. She was, together with the rest of the orga team, in charge of planning the meetings, communicating with other university bodies. She moderated several meetings and spoke on topics such as academic teaching and writing. She furthermore designed the initial VPPN logo and was in charge of the handover of the Network's activities to the new orga team. The Network would not have been established and/or sustained without the invaluable assistance of Anne.
Mariam Bezhanishvili
PhD, Faculty of LawMariam was a prized member of the working group from 11 July 2019 - 1 April 2021. Her contribution to the Network was substantial as, in addition to playing a pivotal role in the construction of the present website and the Network's Facebook group, she also participated extensively in the formulation and upkeep of its guiding principles overall development. The establishment of the Network's Miro Board represents one of her most significant accomplishments within this context. The Network, in its entirety, is indebted to Mariam for her invaluable assistance and her vision to enhance the networking experience within the PhD and PostDoc community at the European University Viadrina.
Rawina Trautmann
PhD, Faculty of Social and Cultural SciencesRawina joined the Viadrina PhD and Postdoc Network (VPPN) shortly after starting her PhD journey in 2020. Her aim was to contribute to the VPPN's mission of creating an open and inclusive space where Viadrina PhDs and postdocs could share their experiences on various topics related to research and teaching. She also aimed to provide a platform for networking across faculties, which was especially essential during the communication-impeding COVID pandemic. As a VPPN member, she planned, implemented, and moderated online and in-person events and managed social media groups, particularly LinkedIn. Rawina especially enjoyed getting to know the diverse group of PhDs and postdocs at Viadrina and exchanging and implementing ideas within the productive atmosphere of the organizational team.
Alba Grembi
PhD, Faculty of LawAlba was part of the organizational group from January 2020 - June 2024. Her tasks within the premises of the group varied, including constructing and maintaining the present website, managing the Facebook group, as well as addressing the Network's needs and developing its guidelines in collaboration with other members. She played a constructive role in shaping the agenda of the Network meetings and co-organising major institutional events. She also contributed to moderating several discussions and maintaining internal and external communication channels, including with relevant University departments and other academic networks. Alba's dedication to supporting students throughout their doctoral and postdoctoral studies at the European University Viadrina was a significant aspect of her efforts within the Orga-Team.
Gautam Chakrabarti
PostDoc, Faculty of Social and Cultural SciencesGautam joined the Viadrina PhD and Postdoc Network (VPPN) some time after joining the University as a PostDoc Researcher and Lecturer in January 2020. He is thankful to the founding-members for their invitation to him to co-contribute to the VPPN's efforts to provide a solidarising and non-hierarchical platform for the University’s post/doctoral researchers to share their inputs on various themes related to research and teaching. As a VPPN-Orga-Team-member, he helped with the conceptualising, planning, hosting and moderating of online and in-person events. Gautam is delighted to have got to know a number of fellow-researchers at the Viadrina and share mutually enriching thoughts and impressions with all concerned.
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