33 32 Education Junior Scientist Program Junior Scientist Program Education JUNIOR SCIENTIST PROGRAM The future of optics and photonics will depend on highly skilled scientists. Hence, the Abbe School of Photonics (ASP) provides a full-scale program for young researchers to develop their scientific knowledge and abilities. Furthermore, ASP offers wide career opportunities to first-class young scientists, who will most likely lead the field in the years to come. Very early on, ASP realized that, in particular, continuity in supporting scientific careers at all stages is very im- portant if eventually the best people should systematically be elevated into leading positions in science. While Master‘s degree and doctoral programs can be considered standard ingredients in scientific education, very often the development of scientific careers to higher levels is left to one’s individual responsibility. Specifically, the support of scientific careers at this beginning stage can make all the difference in the perspectives and goals of young, highly motivated people in science. Consequently, the ASP has teamed up with the Graduate Academy of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena to create a program supporting and actively developing the careers of those who are going to someday create the perspective and vision of photonics. Inherent to the program is the idea that, at this stage, young researchers need individual support, which allows for their own unique development. Hence, instead of rules and structures, a key factor in their growth is to establish early their independence and self-confidence in research and education. In addition, these young scientists will receive the continued support they need by the ASP to help them on their way to top positions in science, e.g. by providing a world-class research infrastructure, supportive funding, a skills program devoted to research and excellent teaching, as well as guidance and encouragement through comprehensive mentoring. TUTORS While normally a postdoc concentrates on a dedicated research project supervised by an individual senior scientist, ASP offers particularly qualified young scientists the chance to participate extensively in teaching and supervision by becoming tutor of ASP. These tutors work very closely with Master‘s degree students by following them continuously throughout the two years of Selected beneficiaries of ACP’s junior scientist program, from left to right: Dr. Falk Eilenberger, Prof. Markus Gräfe, PD. Dr. Frank Setzpfandt, Dr. Erik Beckert und Prof. Fabian Steinlechner, and Dr. Fabian Steinlechner. their Master‘s degree program. They give seminars, tutorials for professors’ lectures and supervise practical labs as well as supervise periods of student research and training. This way they remain in close contact with these students throughout their entire educational program and take responsibility for developing their qualifications while developing their own managerial skills. This continuous and responsible involvement in scientific education provides tutors with invaluable experience, from which they will profit in their future as independent scientists. JUNIOR RESEARCH GROUP LEADERS Young researchers who have already demonstrated their extraordinary abilities to conduct high level research can join ASP as Junior Research Group Leaders. In this way, they become increasingly independent in their research by running their own projects and labs as well as by taking responsibility in the supervision of students and young researchers within their labs. Junior Research Group Leaders usually have the status of a principal scientist within ACP. Currently, the following young scientists run their independent junior research groups enabled by individual funding from external resources: • • Dr. Maria Chernysheva - Junior Group Leader of Ultrafast Fiber Laser Systems funded by the European Union • Dr. Falk Eilenberger – Junior Group Leader of Optics in 2D Materials funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) • Dr. Matthias Kübel - DFG-funded Emmy-Noether Junior Group Leader of Molecular Movies funded by the German Research Foundation • Dr. Jan Rothhardt – Leader of a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group on Soft x-ray spectroscopy and microscopy funded by the Helmholtz Association • Dr. Sina Saravi - Junior Group Leader of Nonlinear Neuromorphic and Quantum Photonics funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung JUNIOR PROFESSORS The flagship program to support young scientists who have already shown great distinction in their academic development is the Junior Professorship. This career track is exclusively for those who can be entrusted with full academic rights to pave their predetermined way into a permanent position in science. ASP attracts exceptionally innovative young scientists to a career in Jena, at an early stage. Junior Professors have the status of principal scientists within ACP. Since 2010, already seven Junior Professors in optics and photonics have become tenured and are strongly involved at teaching within ASP, while three others have gained permanent positions at other universities. For example, in 2016 former ACP Junior Professor Alexander Szameit was appointed at the University of Rostock; and in 2019, former ACP Junior Professor Isabelle Staude received and accepted the call for a permanent professorship at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Lately, Dr. Giancarlo Soavi, Dr. Christian Franke and Dr. Mario Chemnitz from the University of Cambridge, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics Dresdenand the Leibniz Institute Jena, respectively, have joined ACP as Junior Professors with tenure options. Isabelle Staude, appointed as full professor at the University of Jena, is an internationally renowned expert in optical metasurfaces.
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