Note: Due to bad weather forecast, we are switching the picnic from Alaunpark to an indoor drink at Grubers Welt (Louisenstr. 65)(still at 6pm, 21.06). We will have an alternative picnic coming up the next week, 28.06, in Alaunpark. Stay tuned to our newsfeed for more info.

Who are we:
We are a group of scientists who seek to humanize academia. We are building an organization to identify and address structural problems in academia.

What are we doing:
We have started a mental health campaign in which we collect stories of people’s struggles in academia. We believe these stories give a faithful and diverse representation of what working in academia is like, and highlight the issues that need to be addressed.

Here are some quotes from the published letters:

Even if I were excellent, there simply aren’t enough positions for all the excellent people. What do they do? Where do they go?
We have families, friends, hobbies that keep us mentally sane, and having to drop everything every 2-3 years is exhausting.
At that stage I had lost illusions on academia. Behind the facade “people living their passion”, there was instead a situation where people were taken advantage of.
Most of the days, I love science and I hate my job.
We need better vetting process for prospective professors and institute directors and we need better protections for the victims.
I feel like I am floating around, delocalised, without roots.
You can find all published letters here!

We encourage you to contribute to the campaign and share your own experience by sending a letter. Instructions on how to write and submit your letter can be found on the same page.

Come and meet us! Join us on June 21, at 6PM, in Alaunpark at Grubers Welt (Louisenstr. 65) for a meet-and-greet where you can discover more about our association, find means to make your story heard, and work towards a democratic academia.

To know more about us, you can read our values statement.