Online career stories for (post)docs: DS behavioral sciences & humanities

"Received my doctoral degree. Where do I go from here? Why would I choose to do postdoctoral research? And, what to do after my postdoctoral position?”—are common questions for (post)doctoral researchers who are at this point of deciding whether to go ahead with academia or switch to a non-academic career! How do you plan on taking what you have learned in your research and capitalize on it? How do you start your new career or use your (post)doctoral experience to take the next step in your existing one? 

Great news: On December 3 the doctoral schools organize an inspiring session with a specific focus on postdoctoral research and possible career paths. This event consists of 3 testimonials from speakers with a background in Behavioral Sciences & Humanities, followed by a short panel session. Listening to the testimonials is a great way to gain knowledge from the experience of others and to get answers to possible questions. The programme is varied in the sense that both postdoc holders who pursued a non-academic career and an academic career will take the floor. They will tell you their personal story: Why did they do a postdoctoral position? How does this fit into their current career? Which obstacles did they encounter? What would they do differently now? Are they still happy with their choices? 

After the testimonials, they will exchange opinions on specific statements. Both the audience and the panel of speakers get the opportunity to react and interact.

Testimonials: 

• Liselotte Vroman has a PhD in Architecture from KU Leuven and conducted postdoctoral research within the framework of the Higher Education Advancement Fund. Alongside her academic career, she developed an independent practice as a consultant and founded Collab, an initiative bridging research and architectural practice. She recently transitioned from academia to the non-academic sector and is currently working as a Sustainable Infrastructure Consultant at Tabor vzw.
• Wim Tops has a PhD in philosophy at Ghent University and worked as an assistant professor both in the Netherlands and at Hasselt University. He conducted postdoctoral research at Thomas More and is currently still active as an assistant professor at the School of Educational Studies at Hasselt University. He combines this professional role with his job as a coordinator and neurolinguist at De Kronkel. 
• Yelena Gordeeva obtained a PhD in environmental law at Hasselt University and became an assistant professor of public international law after her postdoctoral research. She is currently based in Russia and works at UC-RUSAL as a head of nature-based solutions to climate change division. 

Programme: 

09:30-10:00    Words of welcome, followed by the first testimonial by dr. Liselotte Vroman
10:00-10:30    Testimonial by dr. Wim Tops
10:30-10:45    Break
10:45-11:15    Testimonial by dr. Yelena Gordeeva
11:15-11:45    Panel session & discussion of statements
11:45-12:00    Final Q&A

For whom?

• Postdocs
• PhD students in the final years of their PhD trajectory
• This online event is specifically aimed at researchers from the Doctoral Schools of Behavioral sciences and Humanities, but researchers from other doctoral schools are more than welcome to join as well. In this way, they can learn from the experience of other postdocs, independent of their research field.**

When and where?

• December 3 - 09:30-12:00
• Online

Registration?

• Register via this link until November 12. Please send an email to doctoralschools@uhasselt.be if you would still like to participate after the registration deadline has passed. 
• Please cancel your registration at least one week in advance in case you cannot make it (cf. cancellation & no-show policy).