People matter. Let's talk about relationships!
Relationships dominate our lives, either in private or professional ways.
They can be beautiful, energetic, or dramatic.
In one or the other way, they are all together highly individual and afford long-term dedication and commitment.
Without my mentors and role models, I would have never been able to be who and where I am today.
>>It takes a village to grow as academics.<<
Melissa Cardon commeting on LinkedIn, 2024
Dean Shepherd thank you for your exceptional guidance, mentoring efforts, and trust along my journey, for sharing your expertise, and for being there for me whenever I have or had to make decisions. You have taught me how to convert my passion into paper(s).
Howard Aldrich thank you for our conversations on climate change, academic writing, or your fishing hobby, and for getting entertained by your pocket calls. I value how you see the world and love to learn from you!
Sophie Bacq thank you for being a role model in handling 3903747383838 things simultaneously, you are unbelievably inspiring to me (and so many other young researchers)!
Benedikt Seigner in rough times you showed me how to put things in context, I love how we constantly challenge and reflect on each others lives.
Ali Gümüsay whenever I had no clue about publishing or even submitting - you were there explaining things so fast and thoroughly, thank you!
Jan Lodge thank you, for being my friend and "holding my hand" with supportive words along the journey.
Alexandra Mittermaier it was you who sat down for 2 hours for the AOM manuscript explaining the most important things to me that I had not known; I would have never been accepted without your help, you are such a generous soul - thank you, I will never forget that.
Christian Busch You are one of a kind. The way you approach science and practice is unique, you are a role model to me in how you translate your theoretical contribution into practical outlets, either podcasts TV Shows, or other media. Thank you for our authentic and genuine communication, and relationship over the past months.
Marc Gruber thank you for asking important questions, giving advice on my career, and inspiring me with how cool (different shades of) academia can be!
Melissa Cardon you put your whole heart into the Babson Doctoral Consortium that you (and your colleagues) organized. Thank you for showing me how valuable my work might be, and making me question leaving academia.
Daniela Gimenez Jimenez upfront from the very beginning, you were there, true female empowerment!
Margo Enthoven I will never forget your support in my first year when I was lost, thank you for introducing me to the world of academia during covid!
Jake Grandy, &
Chris Hugh Willis. You two are my true (academic) friends, cheers to my first-ever conference in Puerto Rico when nights became more important than days - thank you for taking me as I am!
Mohammed Bendaanane, my academic husband, you are a walking library, you will become such an inspiring professor and teacher to so many young students. I will miss our American home in Cambridge.
Former UFC MMA World Champion, my mentor, who became my father figure, and caretaker. Words cannot describe how much you mean to me. Through you, I have learned what community and a placed-based concept of having a home can look like.
"Life doesn’t hold promises, it allows us to swim with no guarantees, if you put your life mask on first, you will be able to see without being stressed or in a hurry. Energy invites energy and no matter where you go you will breathe with the whales or the eagles because you know how to live. I think you must think of two things: where are you the most effective because this is your passion and how do you develop the circle you want to be surrounded with."
Lars Eiermann, Managing Director TUM Venture Lab Sustainability & Circular.
Lars became a friend and advisor in early 2023 when I reached out after WEF. He is now also my formal mentor during my PhD.
Lars: You have supported my crazy ideas, have handled my overload of energy, and you have opened so many meaningful doors for me. I cannot express my gratitude for a mentor & FRIEND like you who even answers my confused thoughts on a random Sunday at 9am when I lose myself in an IPCC report. ❤️
There are many fangirl moments I can think of when I think of Maja, as a scientist, as a speaker, as a woman and an inspiring role model. She is one of a kind! I keep telling myself that I want to be like her when I grow up (whenever this might be).
Christian Felber, founder of GWÖ (left), and Andreas Reiser, Max Planck (right).
Christian is at the forefront of all the uncomfortable discussions, he is a system thinker, a dancer, and someone who inspired me during my early bachelor studies.
I had tears in my eyes when I was asked to become an Ambassador for the Economy for the Common Good.
https://germany.ecogood.org/personen/nele-terveen-deutschland/
You lifted me in moments when I was down, pushed me to my limits, and trained me toward an attitude of always achieving the greatest possible outcome.
I don't know how many mountains I've hiked with you over the years, and I don't know how many more there are to come... but I am sure that no matter where the wind takes us, this is a lifelong relationship with you, and it goes back to your accomplishments.
Thank you! You are doing an amazing job!
How everything once started... when I was your intern at Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt. You were one of the first who believed in me and my vision and opened meaningful doors. I learned from your divergent thinking and counterintuitive perspective on the world. You inspired me through your intellect and I am thankful for your deep empathy & support.