Members
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ELECTION 2024 ELECTION 2024 ELECTION 2024 ELECTION 2024 ELECTION 2024 |
Current council members
With the online elections held on 5th and 7th June 2023, the following GA members have been elected postdoc representatives of the Graduate Academy for 2023/2024:
| Dr. Kelechi E. Anyaoha | Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy, Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Sabine Apelt | Institute of Materials Science, Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Samuel Cosper | Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience, Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Siavash Ghiasvand | Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH), Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Eric Hirschmann | Institute of Radiation Physics, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR) |
| Dr. Verena Maleska | Chair of Environmental Development and Risk Management, Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Melissa Sanabria | Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden |
| Dr. Martin Zwanzig | Chair of Forest Biometrics and Systems Analysis, Technische Universität Dresden |
Here the members present themselves with their original motivation for candidacy:
Dr. Kelechi Anyaoha
Institute of Waste Management and Circular Economy,
Technische Universität Dresden
My name is Kelechi Anyaoha! A Postdoc at TU Dresden Institute for Waste management and Circular Economy!
It is my pleasure to stand as a candidate in the upcoming election of the Postdoc Center of TU Dresden and Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR).
During my doctoral studies at Cranfield University United Kingdom, I had the opportunity to serve the students first as Green Officer and later as the President of Cranfield Students’ Association. It is interesting to note that Cranfield University is only postgraduate University with no undergraduate studies and I would like to extend the experience I gained during my one year as student leader, and member of the University Council and Senate while learning from the current events at Postdoc Center of TU Dresden and Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf and making my own little contributions. I have enjoyed the contributions of the Postdoc Council in the last one year as they devoted their time and energy serving TU Dresden and Helmholtz Center Dresden-Rossendorf Postdocs. There are always more to do and I would like to be involved in the next one year to increase visibility of the Council and opportunities it offers to Postdoctoral researchers. I look forward to your support!
Dr. Sabine Apelt
Institute of Materials Science,
Technische Universität Dresden
I finished my PhD at TU Dresden in 2021 and after being part of the GA Doctoral Council of TU Dresden a few years ago I would now like to join the Postdoc Council as well. I’m a research associate at the Chair of Biomaterials and my research focuses on materials, ferroelectrics, corrosion, surfaces, anti-ice coatings, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and sustainability. Beside my research I’m quite passionate about teaching here at the university. As a member of the Postdoc Council I would like to strengthen the cross-disciplinary networking and collegial coaching. I would like to give a voice to the postdocs of TU Dresden, their needs, concerns and interests.
Dr. Samuel Cosper
Chair of Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience,
Technische Universität Dresden
My name is Dr. Samuel Cosper and I am a postdoctoral researcher in Lifespan Developmental Neuroscience within the Faculty of Psychology. Before joining the TUD in 2022, I completed my PhD and a postdoc at the Institute of Cognitive Science at the University of Osnabrück. My research is focused on learning mechanisms of word learning and sensory processing across the lifespan, using behavioral and neuroscientific methods. I am also currently working towards my Habilitation at the TUD. My motivation for becoming a Postdoc Representative is to further postdoc skill development both scientifically and in terms of networking and important social and organizational skills required in academia. I also am a proponent of active representation and transparency. Not only do I want to represent my own thoughts, goals, and opinions, but I want the goals, opinions, thoughts, and wishes of others to be represented. For transparency, I believe it is difficult enough to navigate academia, including both staying in academia or leaving academia. I would like to assist others in understanding the academic system, understanding the qualification period for postdocs, being able to work effectively within the system, as well as have knowledge of other options. I find this especially important or international postdocs. Being an international member of the TUD who has lived and worked in Germany for over a decade, I feel I have a unique opportunity to interpret information and share it in an understanding manner for those who do not know the system as well. Only by working together can we strive to understand the current system and bring our voices together to suggest changes to make things better. I would like to be a part of that. Our academic community is a strong community which relies on sharing information, experiences, and problems. Together, we can help each other and take a step towards achieving our collective and individual goals.
Dr. Siavash Ghiasvand
Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing (ZIH),
Technische Universität Dresden
In 2015, a wonderful team of PhD students and I established the “DDocs”, the first GA Doctoral Council of TU Dresden. DDocs was born to support all PhD students during this amazing (but sometimes frustrating) path. Doing so, I learned a lot, gained colourful experiences and greatly expanded my circle of friends. I remained an active member of DDocs and was honored to be elected in all following elections until accomplishing my PhD in 2020. Now in 2023, I am ready to collect more experiences in the Postdoc Council, get to know further talented people, and share all my experiences from the past years.
Dr. Eric Hirschmann
Institute of Radiation Physics,
Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR)
My motivation for running as a postdoc representative is, on the one hand, to promote the further development of my colleagues, the networking of technology transfer and HZDR/TU, as well as to gain an insight into how work is done in other groups. This would enable me to help other post-docs with their orientation, as I have gained insight into many aspects. In addition, I would be happy to influence or better understand decision-making processes, such as working conditions and the direction of qualification programs.
Dr. Verena Maleska
(resigned due to a job change)
Chair of Environmental Development and Risk Management,
Technische Universität Dresden
I am a research associate at the TUD Chair of Environmental Development and Risk Management and the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) in the field of Environmental Science, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence. I have built a strong network in my field. I am a spokesperson for the NFDI4Earth Academy and lead the Water Balance and Inland Waters working group of the Leibniz Research Network Integrated Earth System Research. As a result, I do a lot of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work. I have already been involved as a member of appointment committees and have gained experience in teaching. As a member of the Postdoc Council, I will establish contacts with postdocs at TUD and HZDR and expand my network into other disciplines to contribute our needs to the Graduate Academy. In doing so, I would also like to bring in my female perspective. The compatibility of an academic career and family, whereby I define this term very broadly, are important to me.
Dr. Melissa Sanabria
Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC),
Technische Universität Dresden
Research is an already challenging path, where we face publication pressure, unfair salaries, and numerous other aspects that we are well acquainted with. On top of that, starting a postdoc position in a foreign country, where you don't know anyone, don't speak the language, and aren't familiar with the rules, adds an additional layer of difficulty. We are expected to manage various aspects of the team, supervise students, publish high-quality papers, and develop management and leadership skills. In other words, we play a crucial role in our team, but often lack adequate support.My motivation for running as a postdoc representative is to serve as a point of contact for other postdocs and to advocate for a better research experience for foreigners, young scientists, and women.
Dr. Martin Zwanzig
Chair of Forest Biometrics and Systems Analysis,
Technische Universität Dresden
I am postdoc at TU Dresden since 2019. My activities include teaching and research with a focus on individual-based ecology and modelling. Since June 2022, I have been the spokesperson for the joint postdoc council of TU Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, gaining experience in committee work and getting to know the specific challenges and perspectives of postdocs at both institutions. As I am also the postdoc representative of the advisory board of the German University Association of Advanced Graduate Training (GUAT) since May 2023, I see great synergy potential in coupling these activities and would like to be re-elected to the postdoc council.
One of my objectives is to establish contact with other postdoc representations of the GUAT network and to start a dialogue, both on the organisation and the scope of postdoc representations as well as on the support offers and perspectives of postdocs at the respective institutions. I hope that this will also provide new impulses for TU Dresden and HZDR. As the father of three children and the husband of a woman who is doing her doctorate at TU Dresden, I am familiar with the challenges that arise for young scientists in combining work and family. I would be happy to continue to contribute all these experiences and perspectives as a member of the postdoc council.