Dr. Anna Holt at work in her former position at the IMTEK Laboratory for MEMS Applications. Photo: Levin Sottru
An attractive post with a renowned lab service provider, fitting well with the qualification and practical experiences of a doctoral project—for many biologists this remains mere phantasy, especially if they have taken parental leave.
Dr Anna Holt, Welcome Back Fellow with BrainLinks-BrainTools, is an example that shows that prospects are not necessarily this bleak. After seven months in Prof. Dr Roland Zengerle’s MEMS lab, she has secured a post with Eurofins GeneScan, an independent research institute, specializing in the analysis of genetically modified organisms, Dr Holt has secured this post in a competitive process. She believes that her scholarship has given her the opportunity to show that she is able to work regardless of being a mother and that this has made her successful in the job application process. Tasks are versatile and offer good opportunities for development, she notes. It remains BrainLinks-BrainTools to congratulate her.
The cluster of excellence BrainLinks-BrainTools awards female scientists with a grant for their re-entry after a break due to family commitments. By being provided with a secure work space suiting to their living conditions, the fellows are encouraged to resume their academic career. More info about the program can be found in this article and the official website.