As a postdoc or a PhD student, demonstrating full commitment to your research project while keeping an eye on your next career step in- or outside academia can be experienced as quite a challenge. How can you reach your full potential and get the most out of your research project? How can you prepare for the next step when your contract ends? It is important that you are encouraged to actively think about your position and the direction that you are heading to. PIs can play a positive role in this process, but sometimes remain uninvolved.

After two successful earlier editions, we will organize a similar meeting on May 25th. The goals of this meeting are:

• To increase awareness among supervisors, postdocs and PhD students on the necessity of personal and career development to deliver excellent research;
• To call postdocs and PhD students into action, to take charge of their own career;
• To encourage supervisors to actively support their employees in career development and in future career decisions;
• To stimulate early career researchers and their supervisors to jointly take actions to improve personal, professional and career development.

We are curious to hear your thoughts on what can be improved. Please join us at this discussion, we greatly appreciate your presence and contribution.

We have invited dr. Henri Werij, director of Space & Scientific Instrumentation at TNO, to tell us more about his career. For the junior researcher's perspective, we have found dr. Amrita Singh available to give her view on the issues mentioned in the above.