Over two days on December 4 and 5, the To Be Honest Conference 2025: Navigating Uncertainty in Academia 6 beyond brought its fourth edition to life. The program offered 10 sessions with 16 invited speakers from research, science managaement, career development, start-ups, and the private sector. What united them was a shared willingness to speak openly about the realities of academic work and the choices researchers face at different career stages.

More than 1.160 people registered for the conference from 60+ countries and 450+ institutions, forming a community as diverse as the questions they brought. The range of disciplines and backgrounds reflected one of the conference’s central aims: to create space for honest conversations that cut across fields, systems, and expectations.

Recap of the Keynote Session: Navigating Uncertainty in Academia & beyond

The keynote panel brought together Prof. Dr. Timo Lorenz, Alexandria Yen, PhD, Dr. Jean-Yves Tano, Dr. Jubin Shah, and Prof. Dr. Carolin Krahn, for an honest conversation about how uncertainty shows up in academic work and in the many transitions beyond it. The session was guided by Elena Lichtenthaler und Martin R. Lichtenthaler.

The session opened with a simple point: uncertainty is a constant in academic careers and in any step beyond them. It cannot be removed, but researchers can shape how they respond to it. The panel explored this through their own experiences: shifting plans, contract and visa pressure, nonlinear paths, and the role of mentors, sponsors, and personal red lines when making difficult decisions.

Ten Takeaways from the Keynote Session

Uncertainty stays, but agency can grow

Uncertainty will not disappear, whether you stay in academia or move beyond it. What researchers can shape is their response. As Alexandria Yen, PhD, put it, when plans shift you

“work with what you have and take the next step you can see.”

You need more than one mentor

Prof. Dr. Carolin Krahn shard that her support came from several people rather than one mentor. Each person offered something different, which made her better prepared when her situation changed.

Ambition raises the stakes, and support helps you handle the pressure

Prof. Dr. Timo Lorenz described how ambition in academia often comes with fear because the stakes feel high and outcomes depend on more than your performance. What happens “in rooms you are not in” can influence opportunities. Having people who speak on your behalf, whether colleagues, supervisors, or leaders, can support ambitious steps and ease some of this pressure.

Build networks before you need them

Dr. Jean-Yves Tano reminded us that uncertainty can intensify quickly, especially when different pressures collide. He described the moment when a contract and a visa were ending together, calling it “a very different kind of pressure.” His story points to a broader truth: networks need to be built early, across sectors and institutions, so that support is already there when life and work become unpredictable.

Nonlinear careers are normal, not a warning sign

Dr. Jubin Shah shared how his transition from research to industry reflected life circumstances such as migration rules, family responsibilities, and changing interests. His story reminds us that nonlinear careers follow real life rather than a fixed plan. Nonlinearity is a normal response to real constraints and opportunities.

One clear constant helps you navigate uncertainty

For Alexandria Yen, PhD explained that choosing one non-negotiable gave her direction when plans changed. Defining a clear constant, such as where you can live, the kind of work culture you need, your care responsibilities, or the type of role that fits your strengths, helps clarify choices in uncertain situations.

Failures can often guide your next step

Prof. Dr. Carolin Krahn shared that significant opportunities emerged “after things went very wrong.” Setbacks revealed what environments did not fit and pointed her toward better ones.

Honest self-assessment helps you make better choices

Prof. Dr. Timo Lorenz encourages researchers to ask themselves:

“Do I want this, or do I feel I should want this?”

Knowing what you want helps you choose a direction that fits you, even when expectations pull you in different ways.

AI introduces change, but not all change is a threat

The panel encouraged a practical view of AI. Learning how it works allows you to use it where it helps and ignore it where it does not. In this way, AI becomes a tool rather than a threat.

Community is your most reliable source of stability

Across stories, community appeared as the most reliable form of stability. As Dr. Jubin Shah emphasized, shared experience and honest conversations can make uncertainty “much more bearable.”

The keynote did not promise stability. Instead, it offered practical insight into how researchers navigate instability with agency, clarity, and support. The stories showed that uncertainty is not a sign of failure, but a condition of modern research careers. How we respond to it, and who we walk with, makes all the difference.

Click below to watch the live recording of the keynote session.

Our Partners:

The To Be Honest Conference is organized by GSO – Guidance, Skills & Opportunities for Researchers e.V. supported by AlumNode – Your network by Klaus Tschira Stiftung and possible by funding from the foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung.