Exploring Academia

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-06-11_Identity
    International

    When your PhD becomes your identity

    9 juni 2025

    As academic work increasingly shapes personal identity, early-career researchers are especially vulnerable to over-identifying with their PhD. Isabelle Kohler shares how this dynamic affected her own journey and offers practical strategies to help PhD students and postdocs build a broader sense of self. 

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-05-28_DutchCourses
    International

    Cutting language support is cutting the future of the Dutch research landscape

    26 mei 2025

    Isabelle Kohler contemplates how local decisions, like cutting language support, risk undermining national goals for integration and long-term talent retention. She calls on institutions and policymakers to invest in those people already committed to building their careers in the Netherlands.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-05-14_CareerPrep
    International

    Is there a real-world gap in PhD training?

    13 mei 2025

    Isabelle Kohler highlights the disconnect between academic training and real-world readiness. She calls for a systemic shift to better equip early-career scientists for a job market that extends far beyond academia.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-04-30_WomeninSpace
    International

    Women in science: still invisible, even in space

    28 april 2025

    Isabelle Kohler reflects on the recent all-female space flight and the media’s focus on celebrities over scientists. She shares actionable steps researchers can take to foster a more inclusive and equitable academic culture.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-04-16_Breaks
    International

    Have a break, have a breakthrough

    15 april 2025

    In the relentless world of academia, taking intentional breaks is often dismissed as an indulgence rather than a necessity. Isabelle Kohler shares the lessons learned during her recent “company retreat” in Lisbon. 

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-04-02_PhDCompletion
    International

    The struggle of timely PhD completion

    1 april 2025

    Isabelle Kohler explores the structural issues behind PhD delays and shares practical advice for both PhD students and supervisors to support timely and sustainable PhD completion

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-03-19_Money
    International

    Take charge of your finances

    18 maart 2025

    Isabelle Kohler shares her journey from financial uncertainty to financial confidence and offers practical advice to help early-career researchers take control of their financial future.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-03-05_BlankPage
    International

    Finding your writer’s voice

    4 maart 2025

    Writing is an essential skill in academia, yet many early-career researchers find it challenging. In this column, Isabelle Kohler shares her personal relationship with writing and offers practical advice to help researchers transform writing from a daunting task into a rewarding practice.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-02-19_LookBackward
    International

    The power of looking backwards

    19 februari 2025

    Isabelle shares how her personal journey taught her the value of looking backwards rather than forwards or sideways. She applies these insights to academia, encouraging PhD students and postdocs to acknowledge their progress and small wins.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-02-05_CareerPrep
    International

    Prioritise your next step

    3 februari 2025

    Career planning is often overshadowed by the demands of research, leaving many PhD students unprepared for their next step. That’s why they should start planning their next career move early, says Isabelle Kohler.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-01-22_Success
    International

    What does success mean to you?

    20 januari 2025

    Isabelle Kohler explores the personal nature of success and guides early-career researchers through the process of defining what success means to them.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-12-11_Patience3
    International

    An ode to patience

    10 december 2024

    Isabelle Kohler offers valuable tips to help early-career researchers stay patient while pursuing their professional dreams.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-11-27_Feedback
    International

    How to embrace feedback as an academic writer

    26 november 2024

    Isabelle Kohler shares practical strategies to help early-career researchers and students not only survive feedback but also embrace it as a powerful tool for growth.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-11-13_BudgetCuts
    International

    It’s not just about money

    12 november 2024

    The government’s massive budget cuts are sparking deep concern across academia. In this column, Isabelle Kohler outlines the primary effects of these cuts on research, higher education, and innovation, with a specific focus on PhD students. 

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-10-30_InvisibleProgress
    International

    When persistence bears fruit: from invisible effort to visible success

    29 oktober 2024

    As she celebrates her first year writing for C2W International, Isabelle Kohler reflects on how persistent effort can shape our professional journey. She draws parallels between her writing activity and PhD journey, both relying on invisible work behind visible achievements. 

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-10-16_HealthConditions
    International

    Thriving in academia with a chronic condition

    15 oktober 2024

    Isabelle Kohler shares her experience of navigating academia while managing health struggles, offering practical strategies for others to thrive too.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-10-02_IntrovertAtConferences
    International

    An introvert’s guide to professional events

    1 oktober 2024

    Isabelle Kohler offers practical tips to help introverts not onlly survive but even thrive at conferences and professional events.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-09-18_Conferences
    International

    Below the tip of the iceberg: the hidden value of conferences

    16 september 2024

    Isabelle Kohler explores the benefits of conferences that can significantly influence your research and career development in unexpected ways.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-09-04_BalancedProductivity
    International

    Back to work: balancing productivity with well-being

    3 september 2024

    Isabelle Kohler shares her journey towards balanced productivity, exploring strategies to optimize her work without compromising her well-being.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2024-07-17_Progress
    International

    Compete with yourself, not your peers

    15 juli 2024

    Each PhD or postdoc journey is unique and incomparable and it’s important to measure yourself against your past selve, rather than your peers.