Marie Curie Actions: Inspiring Researchers - Imdea

eview.’ The ZSN has also encouraged its Fellows to participatein international scientifi c meetings in Canada, Croatia, the CzechRepublic, France, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK, and topresent posters or talks wherever possible.‘This fellowship has offered me the opportunity to take partin the excellent ZSN PhD programme,’ says Marie CurieFellow Danai Dima from Greece. Her fellowship allowed herto undertake PhD studies in another country and familiariseherself with the research being done there. ‘Moreover, thanksto the programme,’ she says, ‘I have met and collaborated withoutstanding scientists in the fi eld of neuroscience.’ She alsoparticipated in the 2008 Marie Curie Conference in Barcelona,which helped broaden her career perspectives and enabledher to meet other Marie Curie Fellows.…in a supportive environmentAnother Fellow, Spain’s Maria Herrojo Ruiz, says, ‘Marie Curiehas helped me develop my academic career in a signifi cantway, due to the excellent training and the mobility requirementof the programme. Working in a German research instituteand cooperating with world-leading scientists has been agreat opportunity. The last three years of my Marie CurieFellowship have been the most productive and creativeperiod of my academic life.’ She has decided to continueher research work in Germany.Two ZSN Marie Curie Fellows have received prizes for presentationsat conferences in Croatia and New Zealand. ‘This internationalattention shows the outstanding quality of the researchand the efforts of our Marie Curie Fellows,’ says Dr Esser,‘and we believe the emphasis on family-friendly workingconditions has contributed to that excellence.’A friend of the familyIndeed, these family-friendly working conditions are what makesthis institution outstanding.Basic services and procedures that enable PhD researchers tocombine personal and professional aims and manage their ownschedules can go a long way towards ensuring they receive thebest possible training under the best possible circumstances.‘To improve the studying conditions of PhD researchers withchildren,’ explains Dr Esser, ‘the Graduate School for BiomedicalSciences in Hanover has established a consultancy service forPhD researchers who are parents.’302