Female Mentoring
Female Mentoring in Chemistry for doctoral students and postdocs
The mentoring program is conducted in English and is open to international female chemists at the University of Duisburg-Essen!
Deadline for the next program line: 27.05.2026
FMentiChem - Female Mentoring in Chemistry
FMentiChem is a mentoring program for female doctoral and postdoctoral researchers in the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen. It aims to empower talented women in chemistry by supporting their career development through individual mentoring, targeted workshops, networking activities, peer exchange, and personalized guidance for career planning and professional growth.
Target Group
The program is aimed at female chemists at the doctoral or postdoctoral level who are pursuing careers in academia or industry.
Program structure
FMentiChem is a one-year mentoring program designed to support early-career researchers in their academic and professional development. Core components of the program include one-to-one mentoring, themed events, peer mentoring, and skills-focused workshops. Each year, approximately five official peer mentoring events take place, including the kick-off event, an intermediate meeting, and the closing event, providing structured opportunities for exchange, reflection, and networking among participants. Throughout the program, mentees receive guidance and support in identifying relevant training opportunities and shaping their individual career paths. Upon successful completion, each participant receives a certificate of participation.
One-to-one mentoring
The term “one-to-one mentoring” refers to the regular personal exchange between the mentor and the early-career female researcher (mentee). The goal of this exchange is to support the mentee in her professional development and career planning, and provide informal knowledge about the academic or industrial system. Issues such as balancing career and family can also be discussed.
A successful mentoring relationship is built on mutual trust, openness, and respect. Each mentoring tandem decides together how they want to shape their exchange - whether through regular in-person meetings, virtual conversations, or a mix of both. The structure and rhythm of the mentoring process are flexible and individually tailored. The program coordinator offers support and input throughout the process, but the details of the collaboration are defined by the mentoring tandem themselves.
The program coordinator supports mentees in identifying suitable mentors and initiates the first contact on their behalf. Mentors are welcome to reach out at any time with questions or concerns. Potential mentors include researchers from both academia and industry.
Networking, themed events, peer mentoring
All participants take part in the core events of the program - the kick-off event, intermediate meeting, and closing event . These are complemented by at least two additional official peer networking meetings, offering opportunities for mentees to connect with each other and the coordinator, share experiences, and strengthen their network. In topic-specific networking events and full-day workshops, invited experts and coaches share valuable insights into career-related topics.
All meetings are held in person at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen Campus. Peer networking meetings are scheduled flexibly within the group, taking individual needs into account, particularly for participants with caregiving responsibilities.
Additional Guidance and Support
Throughout the program, mentees are supported in identifying relevant training opportunities and shaping their individual career paths.
- Application and onboarding. Applicants take part in an individual interview to introduce themselves and discuss their motivations, goals, and expectations for the mentoring program.
- Mentor matching and mentoring process. Mentees are supported in identifying suitable mentors, with the program coordinator facilitating the initial contact. Throughout the one-to-one mentoring process, they can draw on guidance as needed.
- Workshops and training opportunities. Participants engage in peer group workshops on topics such as "Leadership and Supervision" and "Career Planning and Application". In addition, participants receive personalized guidance in selecting workshops and seminars from the catalogue offered by Graduate Center Plus and University Alliance Ruhr, tailored to their career stage, interests, and individual development goals. Where relevant, participants can be referred to other UDE resources, such as those of the UDE Gender Equality Office; coaching or counseling for (aspiring) female scientists from GC Plus, or research funding information from the Science Support Center.
Individual meetings can be arranged upon request throughout the program.
Application as a mentee
To be eligible to apply, female applicants must be pursuing their PhD or postdoc studies in relation to the Faculty of Chemistry at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Please contact the program coordinator if you have any doubts or questions regarding your eligibility to participate!
Selection is based on the completed application form and an introductory interview with the program coordinator in which motivation, goals, and expectations are discussed. Applicants with a migration background, with children or caregiving responsibilities, or with disabilities or chronic illnesses will be given special consideration in the selection process. All FMentiChem events are conducted in English. Active participation from all participants is expected!
Please submit your completed application form to the program coordinator via email by May 27, 2026, to participate in the one-year program for 2026/2027!
What are the benefits of mentoring?
Benefits for mentees
- a lasting connection with an established scientist in academia or industry
- insights into formal and informal structures, processes, cultures, and rules within the profession
- career planning and orientation
- improvement of career-related qualifications such as social competencies, strategic skills, and self-organization
- gaining knowledge and strategies for accessing networks and improving one's own network
- discussing and reflecting on current challenges in a non-hierarchical exchange with your mentor and peer mentees
Benefits for mentors
- establish a connection with the University of Duisburg-Essen as a mentor and supporter
- improve leadership and mentoring skills by guiding a mentee
- reflect on your own career path
- gain insights into the specific challenges of a PhD student's or postdoc's (scientific) work
- experience fulfilment by supporting a young talent
- challenge your own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors in a non-hierarchical exchange with your mentee
As a mentor, you will receive a guide with helpful information and ideas for the mentoring process. The coordinator is available to answer questions and provide guidance.
FMentiChem Cohort 2025
In summer 2025, the first cohort of the FMentiChem Mentoring Program at the Faculty of Chemistry was launched with a motivated group of eleven early-career researchers (nine PhD candidates and two postdoctoral researchers). The kickoff event marked the participants’ first in-person meeting, where they were introduced to the program structure and had the opportunity to network. Dr. Vanessa Kramer, Deputy Equal Opportunities Officer at UDE, delivered an insightful contribution.
Since then, the program has been successfully implemented through regular mentoring meetings, thematic workshops, and networking events. Topics have included leadership and supervision, career planning and applications, and overcoming structural barriers, complemented by continuous peer exchange. Mentors from both academia and industry have provided valuable perspectives and guidance for the participants’ individual career development.
Program coordinator
Dr. Laura Kuschmierz (she/her)
Room: S05 V03 F33
Phone: +49 (0)201 183 7083
laura.kuschmierz[at]uni-due.de
