The Leibniz PostDoc Network is organizing a Networking Meeting. This year’s topic will be “Media for Scientists”. We have asked Marta Ferreira-Gomes what postdocs can expect from this meeting and why she thinks media competence is important for a scientist’s career.

Marta, thanks for being available for this interview. You are one of the spokespersons of the Leibniz PostDoc Network. What was your motivation to run for this position?

My biggest motivation was the feeling I could do a little more for the Postdoc community. As our job is so demanding – we need to be good scientists, writers, public speakers, teachers, managers – it is important to have a platform which listens to our needs, advocates for us and tries to support our career development.

The Leibniz PostDoc Network is organizing an Annual Meeting in fall and a Networking Meeting in summer. What distinguishes the two formats?

Our Annual Meeting is centered in the Network and its activities. For that we organize two days for presenting the Network, listening to the Postdocs and debating their needs, recruiting new active members and having elections. This meeting is organized in a virtual format so we can reach the maximum possible number of Postdocs.

The Networking Meeting is thought and organized having Postdoc needs in mind. We want to create a meeting with interactive workshops where Postdocs can learn or perfect skills which are important for our demanding jobs. All that in an environment that promotes networking and experience exchange.

Why did you decide for the topic “Media for Scientists”, and what can postdocs expect from this format?

Every year in our Annual Meeting we ask the participants what their needs are, and the topic “Media” has repeatedly popped up. Based on this, we have tried to organize interactive workshops which are beyond what is more commonly available. In this case on day 1 we start with a more general approach on how to navigate media and on day 2 participants can choose between a workshop dedicated to a new approach to science communication – the use of smartphones and video – and a workshop where the objective is to learn how to interact with the media and specifically journalists and what do they expect form us.

If we are to list key skills for scientists, most would not immediately think of media. What makes the topic relevant for scientists?

The importance of science communication has increased in recent years. More and more Postdocs face situations in which they need to present their work for non-scientific audiences. The Leibniz Postdoc Network wants to help postdocs to be prepared for this demand.

It was a pleasure to speak with you, Marta. We are now even more looking forward to this event. See you there!

You can register and inform us about your workshop preferences by following this link: https://drive.leibniz-postdoc.net/index.php/apps/forms/NNePesie22tLcCqk

Registration will close on June 15.