Putting young scientists in the driver's seat

Image: FENS

Freiburg researcher Ilka Diester is now FENS-Kavli Scholar

At this year's FENS Forum in Copenhagen, Prof. Dr. Ilka Diester from the cluster of excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools, expert in the field of optophysiology, was announced as FENS-Kavli Scholar by FENS and the Kavli Foundation.

FENS-Kavli Scholars come from a pool of very talented neuroscientists from all over Europe and have particularly attracted attention with their scientific excellence, originality of research, and promises for the future. “As a group of young scientists that have overcome the many difficulties of establishing a successful career in neuroscience, our vision is to promote neuroscience through scientific exchange and communication but also through influencing science policy so as to establish a more fertile ground for future generations”, says Yiota Poirazi, Chair of the FENS-Kavli Network of Excellence. Europe-wide, there are now 35 such scholars. Since the creation of the FENS-Kavli network of excellence, three meetings have been organized that led to a couple of new scientific collaborations and events, such as the 'Best Thesis and Best Mentor in Neuroscience Awards'.

The FENS (Federation of European Neuroscience Societies) was founded to coordinate and present the research of members of national neuroscience societies at the European level. The Kavli Foundation is a philanthropic organization established by Fred Kavli, a prominent California businessman (d. 2013). Together they form a strong alliance for the exchange between neuroscience and society.