Postdoc Academy of the Berlin University Alliance

Spot ON - From Postdoc to...

Education EN ↓ 3 episodes

We talk to researchers from the four Berlin universities who have left academia to build a successful and fulfilling career in industry, policy, science communication, entrepreneurship, and beyond. This isn't about ready-made career blueprints. We want to know what the decisive turning points were, what the transition actually felt like, and what they found on the other side. Were there moments of doubt? Which skills from their research career turned out to be surprisingly valuable? And looking back, what were the real success factors that brought them to where they are now? Postdocs from all...

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Postdoc Academy of the Berlin University Alliance

Episodes

Dr. Karina Zittel | Technische Universität Berlin 21.06.2026 42:32

Dr. Karina Zittel (former Cagarman) is a postdoc researcher and lecturer at Technische Universität Berlin and entrepreneur, in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation management. Her research focuses on sustainable entrepreneurship as well as the role of well-being and positive psychology in entrepreneurial contexts. She is particularly interested in how founders can build ventures that are n...

Dr. Rhea Machado | From Technische Universität Berlin to scientist-entrepreneur 21.05.2026 37:48

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Rhea Machado, a chemical engineer who transitioned into a scientist-entrepreneur, transforming academic research into a startup tackling some of today’s most pressing environmental challenges.  As a co-founder of Porelio, Rhea is developing advanced materials to remove persistent pollutants—so-called “forever chemicals”—from water, contributing to a more sus...

Dr. Niklas Hegemann | From Charité Berlin to the Pharmaceutical Industry 13.04.2026 46:32

Our guest today is Dr. Niklas Hegemann, Medical Affairs Trainee at a leading global pharmaceutical company. Niklas's career path is anything but straightforward. He began with business administration - a choice shaped in part by family expectations - before a six-month internship at a major pharmaceutical firm sparked a lasting passion for medical science. This led him back into academia to pursue...