Newsletter May 2022
Nice to Meet You – Jennifer McClung
What did your working days as a postdoc look like, and how did you join Euresearch?
As a postdoc at the University of Neuchâtel,
I carried out a variety of activities, from managing experiments and
writing up publications to teaching cognitive science. While I enjoyed the work, it became almost impossible
to find grants and the pressure of academic life was no longer compatible
with my family life. So I decided to look for something outside academia. I wanted
a more stable position but something that would keep me close to research.
A friend of mine alerted me to the open
position at the Euresearch Regional Office in Neuchâtel and I am glad she did!
Which
elements of your job tell you that you made the right decision?
Firstly, I can still be close to the
world of research. I work with researchers from all over Switzerland across many
different domains. I interact with them and help with network building and
proposal advice. As such, I feel like I can still make a difference to the state of
research funding here in Switzerland. Secondly, I enjoy working at Euresearch
because here I have found in my colleagues that rare mix of productivity, efficiency and humanity.
How does having a PhD support you in your daily work?
More than anything, doing a PhD teaches you
how to think critically and how to write in a logical and clear way. I apply this on an almost daily basis as an NCP. For instance, being able to assess the
structure of a proposal and the proposed research is a key part of my work. Doing a PhD is not only about
learning about a single domain, but also about developing skills
that transfer across domains. Given my background in both the natural and social sciences, I
can now easily advise and help researchers from different backgrounds. This
comes in handy as I am NCP for both ERC and Cluster 2.
You have
lived in many countries. What could you no longer do without after
having lived in Switzerland?
It's true. I originally come from Texas
and I have lived in Scotland and the Ivory Coast, among other countries. I like the fact that things
function in Switzerland – you can rely on basic things like infrastructure and the education
system (I am especially impressed by Swiss schools). Although it seems to take a long time to make personal
connections, Swiss people have a strong sense of community and civic duty, and this, I think, provides the basis for a transparent and functional
society. What could I no longer do without?
Definitely Gruyère cheese!
Facts
& Figures
Euresearch NCPs offer a
range of services from providing basic information and eligibility checks to giving detailed
feedback on the content and structure of proposals. In a regular year, ERC NCPs review 40-50 proposals. In 2021, around 20 researchers received advice on European
funding in Cluster 2 and 6 proposals were reviewed.
Andrea Iafelice, Interview
Alexandra Rosakis, Illustration
