Alle artikelen van Isabelle Kohler

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-12-10_FocusWork
    International

    Protecting your focus time in academia

    2025-12-10T13:01:00Z

    Between endless emails, meetings, and administrative tasks, finding time for deep work has become increasingly difficult in academic life. In her final column of the year, Isabelle Kohler shares the strategies she’s developed to protect time for the work that truly fulfills her: writing, reading, and thinking.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-11-26_QuittingPhD
    International

    Should you quit your PhD?

    2025-11-25T12:22:00Z

    ‘Should I quit my PhD?’ is a question many doctoral students face but few dare to voice. In her column, Isabelle Kohler explores why this decision feels so taboo, reflects on her own moments of doubts as a PhD student, and offers practical support for anyone wrestling with this question.

  • doolhofzwwt
    International

    Exploring what’s next: 10 tips for early-career researchers shaping their career path

    2025-11-19T09:37:00Z

    PhD students and postdocs highly specialise in research and scientific expertise. Something that’s often lacking is looking forward to career options. In this special edition of Exploring Academia, Isabelle Kohler presents ten tips to help you take actionable steps towards your career preparation.

  • doolhofzwwt
    Mens & Loopbaan

    10 tips om je loopbaanopties in kaart te brengen

    2025-11-14T12:01:00Z

    Je hebt je helemaal gestort op je promotieonderzoek, soms nog gevolgd door een postdoc-project, maar op een dag is daar die grote vraag: Wat nu? C2W International-columnist Isabelle Kohler loodst je door het carrièredoolhof.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-11-12_GenAI
    International

    Will you become a researcher or an AI user?

    2025-11-12T14:15:00Z

    Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the world in just three years. Isabelle Kohler ponders this rapid transformation and questions whether the focus on output in academia risks undermining the core purpose of PhD training. She argues that PhD students should develop skills and expertise, not just deliver results, and ...

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-10-29_Disability
    International

    Dealing with a disability in academia

    2025-10-29T13:13:00Z

    Isabelle Kohler reflects on her own experience navigating health challenges while building an academic career, the crucial role of supportive supervisors and colleagues, and how both students and teachers can foster a more inclusive and understanding academic environment.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-10-15_Committees
    International

    Committing to committees: strategic move or waste of time?

    2025-10-13T12:15:00Z

    Isabelle Kohler explores the diverse types of academic committees, the skills and impact they can bring, and how to strategically decide which opportunities are worth accepting.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-10-01_Postdoc
    International

    Should I do a postdoc?

    2025-09-29T12:33:00Z

    Isabelle Kohler shares her perspectives on the pros and cons of a postdoc fellowship and breaks down the decision that can shape a career trajectory.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-09-17_Validation
    International

    Breaking free from the validation trap

    2025-09-15T13:33:00Z

    Isabelle Kohler explores how early-career researchers can develop internal validation skills to find genuine fulfillment and authentic career direction while breaking free from the pressure to constantly perform for others.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-09-03_Teaching
    International

    How to make student supervision and teaching work for you

    2025-09-03T07:49:00Z

    Teaching transformed Isabelle Kohler’s career from an anxiety-inducing PhD requirement to her greatest academic passion. Here, she offers practical strategies to PhD students and postdocs facing increased supervision duties.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-07-09_SummerBreak
    International

    Recalibrating your academic compass this summer

    2025-07-08T07:15:00Z

    The summer break offers academics more than rest – it’s a rare opportunity to pause, reflect, and realign. Isabelle Kohler shares how a quieter pace can help you recalibrate your academic compass and make intentional choices for the year ahead.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-06-25_Communication
    International

    Science communication: your pathway to broader impact

    2025-06-25T07:04:00Z

    Isabelle Kohler shares why science communication – in whatever format works best – might be one of the most rewarding parts of any professional journey.

  • HPLC2025
    Partnerbijdragen

    Accelerate your career at HPLC2025

    2025-06-11T10:06:00Z

    Are you a Master’s student, PhD candidate, or postdoc wondering about your next professional step? Join the Career Accelerator Program taking place at HPLC2025 in Bruges (15-19 June 2025) and explore what your future could look like.

  • shutterstock_2029548179
    Opinie & Columns

    ‘We moeten PhD studenten beter voorbereiden op de arbeidsmarkt’

    2025-06-10T09:36:00Z

    Hoewel universiteiten claimen dat ze hun promovendi voorbereiden op de volgende stappen in hun loopbaan, ziet Isabelle Kohler een kloof tussen wat die academische training biedt en wat early-career onderzoekers nodig hebben om goed voorbereid de ‘echte’ wereld in te trekken. 

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-06-11_Identity
    International

    When your PhD becomes your identity

    2025-06-09T12:01:00Z

    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. 

  • HPLC2025
    International

    Accelerate your career at HPLC2025

    2025-06-03T11:31:00Z

    Are you a Master’s student, PhD candidate, or postdoc wondering about your next professional step? Join the Career Accelerator Program taking place at HPLC2025 in Bruges (15-19 June 2025) and explore what your future could look like.

  • C2W_ColumnIsabelle_2025-05-28_DutchCourses
    International

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

    2025-05-26T11:17:00Z

    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?

    2025-05-13T05:27:00Z

    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

    2025-04-28T12:31:00Z

    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

    2025-04-15T16:37:00Z

    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.