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Nachwuchs

Young Immunologists Nachwuchs

The DGfI especially appreciates its young members. In September 2016 the Young Immunologists (YI) group was founded to support early-career scientists within the DGfI with their scientific career development.

The overall aim of this group is to connect young immunologists throughout Germany. We provide networking opportunities and tackle common problems which many young researchers face such as non-permanent contracts, dealing with publication/time pressure, integrating family plans and obtaining a healthy work-life-balance.

Formally, the main activities of the YI are coordinated by the YI board. The members of the board (currently six) are elected from within the YI group every two years. Importantly, the YI is represented by its spokesperson during the regular board meetings of the DGfI to bring forward relevant topics on behalf of YI members.

The board 2019-2021

Vugar Azizov
Erlangen
PhD candidate
Santiago Costas
Dresden
PhD candidate
Anne Hahn
Erlangen
PhD candidate
Lea Kaminski
Hamburg
PhD candidate
Ellen McAllister
Freiburg
PhD candidate
Kilian Schober
Munich
Physician Scientist

Our activities

So far, the focus of the board’s work was to integrate the YI as a fixed component of the annual meetings of the DGfI:

  • The “Young Immunologists session” was established, where YI members can present their work on the big stage and to gain valuable presentation experience.
  • During the annual DGfI meeting in Munich, a panel discussion about the German “Wissenschaftszeitvertragsgesetz” (German law on non-permanent contracts in science) was organized.
  • As already in Erlangen and Amsterdam there was a YI Social Evening to foster networking and exchange.
  • To support researchers with young children, the YI board organized subsidized on-site childcare.

The current board will also set up all of the above mentioned activities for the next annual meeting in Hannover.

We also aim to further extend the activities of the YI beyond our presence at DGfI meetings:

  • For example, in Hamburg and Freiburg regular local round-table meetings are organized and we encourage to implement this in other cities as well.
  • The creation of a member’s forum on the website to simplify the access to other YI members is under preparation.

 

Please feel free to actively participate and contact us if you have any further suggestions regarding our website or any of the other activities! You can reach the board members using the following address: youngimmunologists@dgfi.org. Furthermore, all YI members will receive a newsletter with an update on current activities. You can also follow us under our new Twitter account @YI_dgfi. There we will regularly report about activities of the YIs and the DGfI. Let us know if you want us to share a publication, free positions or an event.

Join us

  1. Apply for DGfI membership here (necessary for YI membership)
  2. Sign up for YI membership in the members' area of the DGfI homepage (you can log in once your membership is running). Those who have completed their doctoral studies within the past twelve years are eligible to become member of the Young Immunologist. You can join regardless of nationality or current place of residence.
  3. If you are already DGfI member - just sign up for YI membership in the members' area of the DGfI homepage.