There is a continuing lack of female executives. The TANDEMplus Mentoring Program aims at changing this situation. It supports female pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students of natural sciences and engineering on their way towards executive positions. In the current TANDEMplus phase, the RWTH Aachen, KIT, and Forschungszentrum Jülich cooperate. In the future, it is planned to integrate companies as additional cooperation partners in order to enhance transfer between science and industry.
“TANDEMplus starts precisely at the interface or transition point from the Ph. D. to subsequent scientific career. It is aimed at supporting female scientists in this crucial phase,” underlined KIT Vice President Dr. Alexander Kurz, who is responsible for Finance and Business Affairs and the Acting Vice President for Human Resources, when the new program phase was launched officially in Aachen. TANDEMplus enhances the competences of female pre-doctoral and post-doctoral students of natural sciences and engineering, who wish to assume an executive position in science or industry, and supports their active career planning.
The program is based on three modules: Mentoring, training, and networking. It centers on the mentoring relationship of the individual female participants to an executive from research or industry. At the moment, the fourth TANDEMplus phase is starting. The first three phases turned out to be an effective career catalyst for many young female scientists. Fifteen of a total of 45 participants are meanwhile holding a professorship. A member of the staff of a former mentee is now taking part in the new phase of the program.
TANDEMplus is designed as a cooperation project of up to five partners. Apart from KIT and RWTH Aachen, Forschungszentrum Jülich is now participating for the first time. In the future it is planned to take up companies as additional cooperation partners in order to enhance know-how transfer and networking.
During the official launch of the fourth phase, social scientist, Professor Dr. Carmen Leicht-Scholten, who has conceived TANDEMplus, advised the 15 new mentees to have a go at big ideals when choosing a mentor. The President of RWTH Aachen, Professor Dr. Ernst Schmachtenberg, recommended: “Be cheeky!,” and the Deputy Chairman of Forschungszentrum Jülich, Dr. Ulrich Krafft, reminded the participants of the fact that straight career planning often is difficult. He underlined the importance of learning from experience and further personal development.
Further information on the program can be obtained at www.tandemplus.de
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