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The ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ Buddy Program is designed for postdoctoral scientists who wish to mentor and support doctoral scientists while enhancing their skills and advancing their own careers through this experience.

Program Duration: October 2025 to March 2026 (Extension possible by mutual agreement)

Mentoring Commitment: Four one-hour mentoring sessions between mentors and mentees throughout the program

September 26, 2025: Buddy Day – Introductory day for all participants

09:30 – 11:00: Introductory workshop for mentors with Dr. Steve Hutchinson
11:15 – 12:15: Introductory workshop for mentees with Dr. Steve Hutchinson
12:30 – 13:30: Speed-dating to match mentor-mentee pairs

December 4, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00: Exchange Session for mentees (Group reflection and exchange)

December 16, 2025 13:00 – 14:00: Support session for mentors with Dr. Steve Hutchinson

March 31, 2026, 12:00 – 13:00: Buddy Program Closing Lunch (Joint closing event of the program)

As mentees, doctoral researchers at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ receive support in gaining a clearer understanding of their research environment, setting concrete goals, and identifying perspectives for their personal and professional development – with the aim of making the most of their doctoral phase at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ.

They benefit from:

• a confidential space for discussing professional and personal questions,
• practical insights into potential next steps after the doctorate,
• honest conversations about challenges, doubts, and decision-making processes,
• encouragement for personal development beyond formal supervision,
• inspiration for shaping individual career paths – both within and outside academia,
• mutual support and shared learning through the exchange of experiences,
• a broader perspective and expanded network within a low-threshold, open setting.

As mentors, ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ postdocs and associated researchers foster an open, supportive, and productive environment for doctoral researchers, especially during this formative and often challenging phase of their academic development.

Mentors ideally guide one mentee (two are possible) and commit approximately 4 hours per six months. The program is intentionally designed to be flexible and low-threshold, enabling meaningful participation without heavy formal requirements.

Mentors benefit from:

• Developing and practicing supervisory skills in an informal setting,
• Gaining initial hands-on experience in supporting doctoral researchers without full responsibility for a doctoral thesis,
• Opportunities to experiment with new approaches to giving constructive feedback,
• Strengthening communication and interpersonal skills,
• Gaining insights into diverse perspectives, career paths, and research backgrounds,
• Building and maintaining new connections within ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ,
• Reflecting on their own role and further developing their personal leadership style,
• Receiving a certificate recognizing their mentoring activities, which enhances their professional profile—especially regarding leadership skills.

 to register for the next round of the Buddy Program and the accompanying workshops on 26.09.2025. If you do not have time on the day, but would still like to participate in the Buddy Program, you can also register using this link.

The ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ Buddy Program is a joint initiative of the Postdoc+ Team, DokTeam and PACT.

The Buddy Advanced Mentoring Program is designed for postdocs in the early to mid-career stage who are seeking tailored support for their personal and professional development and wish to benefit from the experiences of more experienced colleagues.

Mentors: Experienced scientists (6+ years post-PhD), data scientists, science and project managers

Mentees: Postdocs seeking support and development

Duration: October 2025 to March 2026 (extension possible by mutual agreement; in case of longer absences, a later start date can be arranged on an individual basis)

Commitment: four one-hour mentoring sessions between mentors and mentees during the course of the program

Dates:

26 September 2025, 11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., room 8A-208:

Introductory workshop for mentees

26 September 2025, 1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., online:

Introductory workshop for mentors

Interested mentors will first be gathered in a Pool of Mentors. Mentees (postdocs) will then be matched with a mentor from this pool based on their individually selected topics and interests. There should be no personal or professional connections between the mentor and mentee. A brief introductory meeting will take place at the beginning to ensure the fit is right – if not, we will find a new match together. If a sufficient number of mentees register for the pilot phase, we will organize a speed-dating event to facilitate and accelerate the matching process.

Further information and registration for the programme or workshop:

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact mwanke@geomar.de.

The COMPASS Mentoring program provides support in active and goal-oriented career development for postdoctoral researchers and science managers. Participants are guided in creating their individual career strategy and in finding their own mentor. Mentors come from multiple professional fields, from academia as well as the industry, from public authorities or the non-profit sector.

The COMPASS Mentoring program is a joint initiative of the seven Helmholtz Centers in the research field Earth & Environment and collaborating Helmholtz centers.

• Deadline for application: October 11, 2024
• Start: February 2025
• Duration: 18 months
• 3 - 6 meetings between mentor and mentee

Workshops

• Workshop I 13 & 14 February 2025 (on site - Potsdam)
• Workshop II 26 & 27 June 2025 (on site - Potsdam)
• Workshop III  20 & 21 November 2025 (on site - Buchenau)
• Workshop IV 28 & 29 May 2026 (online)

Timeline

An overview sheet with further information is available for download here. 

• Application: 8 September - 12 October 2026
• Start: February 2026
• Duration: 18 months
• 3 - 6 meetings between mentor and mentee

Workshops

• Workshop I 12 & 13 February 2026 (in-person in Potsdam)
• Workshop II 07 & 08 May 2026 (in-person in Buchenau)
• Workshop III  05 & 06 November 2026 (in-person in Potsdam)
• Workshop IV 12 & 13 May 2027 (online)

Join the Q&A Session for the COMPASS Mentoring Program. Ask us your questions about the mentoring program and gain valuable insights from mentees of the previous cohort. Don’t miss out!

Zoom access data:

Meeting ID: 638 1926 4458
Passcode: 821286

As a mentee in the COMPASS Mentoring Program, you will receive active and targeted support for your career development. The program offers a structured framework specifically tailored to the career paths of researchers and science managers. Program experts will guide you in finding a suitable mentor for your individual needs. Mentors come from a wide range of sectors – including academia, the private sector, public institutions, and the non-profit sector. Additionally, you will have opportunities to network and exchange experiences with other mentees and mentors at various program events.

Terms of Participation:

• You are ready to invest time and energy into your mentee-mentor relationship and the program.

• You are open to reflect on aspects of gender equality and diversity.

• You are able to participate in all program workshops.

• Your contract runs at least for the first 12 months of the program.

• Your supervisor or Principal Investigator (PI) has been informed and has given their consent.

Download: COMPASS Mentee Information Sheet

As a mentor you support the mentees with your experience and knowledge to take their next career steps.

What is a mentor?

Someone who passes on their professional knowledge or experiential knowledge. COMPASS mentors can come from all professional fields, e.g. private sector, public authorities, the non-profit sector, freelancers and more.

A mentor…

• invests time and attention for their mentee.
• engages with the mentee's concerns and contribute to their self-exploration.
• provides feedback on plans and goals, addresses risks and encourages the mentee to share their own experiences.
• shares their experiential knowledge and makes implicit knowledge transparent

The program intents the participation of the mentors in one online workshop and 3 - 6 meetings with their mentees.

Download the information sheet for COMPASS mentors here.

The program is open to a maximum of 24 participants. Two places are available for ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ. To apply for the programme you need to fill in an application form and answer some guiding questions. A document with the guiding questions can be downloaded here.

Application from 8.9. to 12.10.2025: 

The costs for the program will be covered by ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ's Early Career Support.