This event is part of the RMU Postdoc Career Weeks 2026

Between passion for research and the demands of everyday academic life, the postdoc phase can be both inspiring and challenging. High workloads, multiple responsibilities and growing complexity in academic careers – alongside broader developments such as Artificial Intelligence – raise new questions regarding motivation, resilience and career direction: Is academia structurally more stressful than other career paths? How does academic work affect the mental health and wellbeing of postdocs? How should postdocs deal with increasing uncertainty?

Following the Official Welcome by Prof. Dr. Stefan Müller-Stach, the Opening Discussion brings together scientific perspectives and real career experiences to explore what helps postdocs stay motivated, cope with uncertainty and shape their own paths – both within and beyond academia. The discussion will include experts from the fields of public health and organizational psychology, among others.

Official Welcome led by: 
Prof. Dr. Stefan Müller-Stach – Vice President for Research and Academic Careers at JGU 

Opening Discussion Speakers:
Prof. Dr. Pavel Dietz – Director of the Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine at the University Medical Center of JGU
Prof. Dr. Kathrin Gabler – Professor at the Department of Ancient Studies/Egyptology
Prof. Dr. Lilli Riettiens – Professor of Education, specializing in the Theories of Education at JGU
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rigotti – Professor at the Institute of Psychology, Department Work, Organizational and Business Psychology at JGU

Target group: Early Career Researchers (R1, R2, R3) from TU Darmstadt, JGU Mainz and GU Frankfurt.

Language: English

Registration: https://eveeno.com/rmu-pcw-2026