10th annual meeting of the German Academic International Network (GAIN) for German scientists and scholars in North America

Joint press release by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service and the German Research Foundation

Around 300 German scientists and scholars working in North America are meeting in Boston (USA) from 10 to 12 September 2010 in order to discuss career paths and future prospects. The GAIN initiative supports the return of German scientists and scholars to attractive positions in Europe, as well as cooperation with researchers who wish to remain in America. The dialogue with these academics is an important issue, both in terms of domestic policy and science: The heads of four large science organisations, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Thomas Rachel, as well as a number of Members of the Federal Parliament are travelling to Boston to engage with the young researchers.

Accordingly, the huge interest in encouraging academics to return to Europe, as well as the continuing dialogue between science, business and politics, are at the forefront of the meeting. The expertise and knowledge that the junior researchers acquire in North America, not least in view of the shortage of skilled workers in Germany, is a real chance for innovation in the German research location, which has been made even more attractive by the Excellence Initiative, now in its second phase, and the European Union’s 7th Research Framework Programme.

There are currently around 6,000 post-doctoral German researchers in North America. In order to bring the majority of these academics back to Germany there is a need for attractive job opportunities. For this reason, the GAIN Forum is also offering practical tips for the period during and after the postdoctoral stage, and a series of workshops on career development. The programme will also include clinics for individual participants, as well as a job fair at which universities, research institutions and companies can present the researchers with actual job opportunities on the spot.

The conference in Boston is being organised by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of their joint GAIN Initiative and is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Anyone interested in GAIN and the annual meeting in Boston should contact Dr. Katja Simons, GAIN Project Leader, DAAD New York Branch Office, Tel: +1.212.758.3223 Extension 217 simons@daad.org.

The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Every year, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation enables more than 2,000 researchers from all over the world to spend time researching in Germany. The Foundation maintains a network of well over 24,000 Humboldtians from all disciplines in 130 countries worldwide - including 43 Nobel Prize winners.

Contact:
Kristina Güroff
Kerstin Schweichhart
Press, Communications and Marketing
Tel.: +49 228 833-144/257
Fax: +49 228 833-441
presse(at)avh.de

Georg Scholl
Head of Press, Communications and Marketing
Tel.: +49 228 833-258
Fax: +49 228 833-441
presse(at)avh.de

More information:

GAIN

• Huge interest in science careers in Germany