Beyond your own research group: LIC73 connects PhD’s and postdocs
They make up no less than 73% of the workforce at the Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC), yet PhD candidates and postdocs at the institute don’t always find their way to each other. LIC73 aims to change that. The platform organises social and professional activities and amplifies the voices of these young researchers. ‘Even though we work on different research topics, the challenges we face are often the same.’
‘As a PhD candidate or postdoc, you're constantly busy with work and research,’ says Sabine Langens, a PhD candidate in the Sander Wezenberg group and treasurer of LIC73. ‘When you're a student, you have a study association, but that social aspect often disappears during your PhD or postdoc,’ adds Ariba Adnan, a PhD candidate in Marc Koper's group and chair of LIC73. ‘You mostly move within your own group or team, so there aren’t many opportunities to meet people outside of that.’
As a result, opportunities sometimes slip through the cracks — for collaboration, sharing knowledge, or even borrowing useful equipment. But for Ariba, it’s about more than just practical benefits: ‘Our research might differ, but the stress and challenges we face are often the same. There isn’t always a quick fix, but it helps to know you’re not the only one struggling from time to time.’
Connecting and easing the workload
LIC73 aims to connect young researchers through activities such as postdoc coffees, game nights, lectures on ‘what to do after your PhD’, and training sessions. They also want to provide a platform for young researchers to turn to with various questions. Sabine: ‘Think of onboarding new PhDs, a buddy programme, sustainability, or food options.’
A key focus is also the workload of PhD candidates, especially concerning teaching responsibilities. Sabine: ‘The amount of work involved in teaching often doesn’t match the number of points you receive.’ At the same time, they have heard that many postdocs are actually keen to teach, even though it’s not a formal requirement for them. Ariba: ‘Maybe there’s a solution there. These are the kinds of issues we try to address.’
Board LIC73
- Koen Rijpkema (BioSyn)
- Titus de Haas (BPOC)
- Trillion Surya Lioe (BSC)
- Ariba Adnan and Laurens de Jong (CASC)
- Tijn van der Velden (MacBio)
- Sophie Wintermans (MBIOC)
- Joeri Schoenmakers and Irene Regeni (MCBIM)
- Rik Remmers (MolPhys)
- Sabine Langens (SBC)
- Joan Enrique-Romero (TC)
LIC73 connects on all levels
Every research group at LIC is represented on the LIC73 board. ‘We also strive for a balanced representation of gender and nationality,’ says Ariba. Additionally, there are several committees you can join, such as those focused on social events, sustainability, or social media. Getting involved is easy. Ariba: ‘We all know that the PhD and postdoc life is busy enough. But if you want to organise something or bring up an idea, you can join temporarily too.’
Board members also participate in faculty and university-level meetings, such as with the institute council (I-raad), the Green Team, and the PhD Council, which, for example, meets with the Dean of the Graduate School. Ariba: ‘In this way, the LIC73 board acts as a link, gathering knowledge from different groups and passing it on to other layers of the organisation.’
Questions or ideas?
Feel free to reach out to the board at: lic73@lic.leidenuniv.nl.
From plans to action: LIC73 moves forward
After the first few months of setting up and creating a working platform, it’s now time for action. LIC73 has plenty of plans: from professional workshops on applying for grants and exploring career opportunities to paying even more attention to teaching and workload issues.
Sabine: ‘We also want to create accessible platforms where postdocs and PhD candidates can easily find useful information and networking opportunities.’
And, of course, more social events — like drinks and the much-anticipated barbecue. Ariba: ‘We want to build a community where PhD candidates and postdocs feel supported, both in their work and beyond.’ Sabine adds: ‘It’s not just about doing research, but also about meeting great people and making the most of this unique journey together.’