Mentoring
The German working group for Analytical Spectroscopy (DAAS) of the GDCh Division of Analytical Chemistry has offered a mentoring programme for young analytical chemists since 2017, providing valuable opportunities for students to gain insights into the daily work of an analytical chemist in industry. In 2024, five students had the opportunity to take part in this programme, thanks to the support of various companies in this field.
In 2024, the respective one-day 1:1 mentoring sessions were made possible through the participation of Agilent Technologies (see photo), Shimadzu Deutschland GmbH, Merck KGaA, Evonik Industries and Bayer AG, which put together a varied programme tailored to the interests and experience of the mentees. The success of each mentoring day is testament to these companies’ commitment to supporting the next generation of analytical chemists. Many thanks for their support and organisation!
The success of the initiative can be assessed based on the consistently positive feedback from the students. We would like to let one of the participants have his say (Michalis Chronakis): “At the beginning of this year, I had the opportunity to take part in the DAAS mentoring programme in the form of a ‘mentoring day’ at Evonik Industries AG in Hanau. The day was well structured and organised, allowing me to make contacts with employees in various positions within the company and to learn about the corporate culture and day-to-day work. Sufficient time was also set aside for laboratory tours, discussions with employees and my questions about the company, its structure, the department and typical entry-level opportunities. For me personally, it was an excellent opportunity to gain a detailed understanding of the tasks I could expect if I decided to pursue this career path after completing my doctorate. Initiatives such as the DAAS mentoring programme are essential for students to gain this insight.” It should also be noted that, in this case, the contacts established through the mentoring subsequently led to a job offer.
As part of their university education, many students do not normally have the opportunity to experience daily life and the demands of working in industry or to make important contacts. The mentoring programme offers the chance to spend a day gaining an insight into the work of an analytical chemist. An informal application can be submitted at any time by email to one of the members of the DAAS Executive Board.