2024 is drawing to a close – time to look back on a year full of exciting developments, projects and encounters. We are pleased to present some highlights from our work.

Anyone familiar with the GSO knows that we have once again advised, supported and networked researchers in the “bottleneck” of their careers this year.
But are they all German Scholars? And wasn’t there something about returnees? This is now only partly true, which is why we took a closer look at ourselves, the GSO, in 2024.

AlumNode: exchange and networking

Our AlumNode team got a lot going this year: several virtual coffee breaks, themed workshops, the announcement and support of eight funding projects and three alumni meetings in person. Kübra, who joined us at the beginning of the year, has actively supported and enriched the network.

Leadership Academy: Rethinking Leadership in Academia & beyond

The eighth year of the Leadership Academy brought together 25 Fellows from a wide range of disciplines, from linguistics to particle physics. A really important topic, because the scientific system will only change with people who rethink leadership. The meetings in Berlin and Heidelberg offered not only content and tools, but also space for creative impulses – from tape art to dinosaurs.

Our colleague Karina has developed an impact analysis process for the LSA, among other things, and has been able to approve applications for job interviews in Germany as part of the Dr. Wilhelmy-GSO travel expenses program, now in its 10th year.

Klaus Tschira Boost Fund: Supporting Researchers

In the fifth year of the Klaus Tschira Boost Fund, 15 new fellows have started their projects. Our colleague Birte visited 26 ongoing projects at 18 locations, covering almost 7,700 kilometers by train. You can find her impressions and stories in our Career Knowledge Section. The selection for the sixth year is currently underway – a big thank you to the Klaus Tschira Foundation for continuing this important program!

Advice and workshops: For international researchers, too!

In 2024, we advised almost 150 researchers and held around 40 workshops. Particularly noteworthy: almost two thirds of our target group are now international researchers working at German institutions. This growing interest confirms the need for our services.

Rebranding: GSO in a new light

The time of the “returnees” is no longer the sole trademark of the GSO. After a workshop and several meetings, we then decided to adapt our brand and communication so that our work is better perceived by the target group. Together with our members, advisory boards and partners, we have sharpened our target group and our image. We will present the results in the new year – stay tuned!

New club members: strong support

We are delighted that our association continues to grow. New members are Dr. Nele Diekmann, a scholar of antiquity and founder of an agency for historical city marketing, and Dr. Maxim Egorov, a leadership expert with a focus on the science sector.

To Be Honest Conference: Career Real Talk

A highlight at the end of the year was the virtual conference “To Be Honest – Career Real Talk for Researchers” with over 1,100 registered participants and 18 input providers. The session on the future of science was recorded and is still accessible – an inspiring end to an eventful year.

Events and webinars: Sharing knowledge

Whether on site or digitally – in 2024 we were on the road at numerous workshops, panels and moderations. We shared our knowledge and stimulated exciting discussions in webinars.

We would like to thank our long-standing funding partners for their trust in our work, our members, advisory boards, guests and reviewers for their commitment, our clients and contractors for the good cooperation and the scientific community for the exchange and encouragement.

We wish you a pleasant and joyful Advent season and optimism for a good year 2025!