Hi,

I’m Pauline 🇫🇷 🇨🇭 🇪🇺 🧠 🔬

This is a blog intended for ECR (Early Career Researchers), in particular for PhD students based in Switzerland 🇨🇭

I started it in 2018, after completing my PhD in neurobiology at the University of Fribourg (CH) in the lab of Prof. Simon Sprecher.

Importantly: this blog is my independent activity, it is fully independent from the university I am working for now and from the universities I used to work for in the past. In other words: opinions are my own.

CV overview:

• Since end of 2024: training to become certified coach with the Institute of Coaching of Geneva and aiming toward the International Coaching Federation certification. For more about my coaching service, please see the Coaching page!
• Since 2022: Deputy at the Graduate Campus of the University of Lausanne (Switzerland):
  • Support for >2000 PhD candidates.
  • Giving workshops like “Getting your thesis off to a good start.”
  • Co-managing the annual thesis survey.
  • Providing individual confidential support for up to 40 PhD candidates per year and a few supervisors.
  • Coordination of several commissions and networks within the university.
  • Active participation in Swiss as well as European networks of professionals in doctoral education.
• 2020-2022: Two part-time positions at the University of Neuchâtel (Switzerland):
  • Coordinator of the previously named Doctoral Program in Organismal Biology: administrative support and counseling for 80 PhD students, organization of 20 workshops per year, logistic and budgeting of the program.
  • Coordinator of Advanced Education Programs in collaboration with the CABI institute : workshops organization, then, after COVID, administrative support for transforming the onsite MAS into 3 online CAS including new study program validation.
• Since 2018: Managing this website Academiac.net. Advocating for soft skills training in academia, writing about careers and well-being for early career researchers.
• 2017-2019: 18 months travel in Asia while working on Academiac.net and other online projects.
• 2013-2017: PhD in Neurobiology with Prof. Simon Sprecher, Department of Biology, University of Fribourg (Switzerland).
  • Co-first author in an open-access journal (elife) and collaborated on an international consortium project (Journal of Experimental Biology).
  • Volunteering: organized a PhD students’ retreat; 2 days / 1 night for 20 students for CUSO doctoral program.
  • Mentoring: co-supervised 2 bachelor students.
• 2009-2012: Engineering Master Degree in Biotechnology, at ESIL School of Advanced Studies in Engineering (Marseilles, France).

For more, have a look at my LinkedIn profil here.

About this blog: why a blog?

Just like anybody, to share stories, to put information together, to help spread awareness on some subjects which I believe are important. To share what helped me through the doctoral process in the hope to help current PhD students.

I’ve been exploring different formats, sharing some of my own stories, or others’, writing reflective pieces, writing some guidelines, putting together helpful (or so I hope) resources, summarizing some scientific papers…

So far I’ve been focusing on the questions of #SoftSkills, #Career and #MentalHealth for PhD students because I think these subjects are linked. Check out all my articles here!

OK… but why?

I believe that public research is a main source of positive development in our world. To succeed in doing so, academics need to have a safe and empowering environment to work in.

I think that not only PhD students but actually all academics would highly benefit from earlier and better training in project management, human resource management, team work and team communication skills, time management and other crucial work organization skills.

I was inspired by a doctoral program, which provided me with such work organization skills on top of classical academic skills like academic writing. It also allowed me to meet many PhD students from various fields and to hear about their ups and downs in their own journey.

I’m also proud of what I accomplished in my studies, and I’m grateful to my PhD supervisor who supported me in this blog project and career choices.

Now I am proud to be able to support others too, through this blog, through my job and through my new coaching skills! 🙂

I hope you’ll find my blog interesting  😊  feel free to reach out, I would love to hear from you!