We at the MDC

The MDC aspires to provide all employees with an attractive work environment – through an outstanding infrastructure and through collaboration with leading researchers, but also by being a place where tolerance, respect, and good interpersonal relations are paramount. It doesn’t always succeed in equal measure at attaining these aims. Our series introduces you to people who are engaged in this field. It also sheds light on internal processes that seek to ensure a positive organizational culture. And it provides tips for an attentive togetherness.

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Sonnenaufgang
Institute & Campus

Mental health: what to do if we can't cope on our own

Sometimes our life needs some structure to help us manage the stress of a huge project without clear goals. There are so many creative ideas such as inclusion of routines, going to stress reduction courses, practice meditation, as well as regularly seeing a therapist or a life coach. Some of these ideas can improve your life tremendously. However, what works for some does not work for others, that’s why I encourage you to find your way, you can start by the resources below.
arrows
Institute & Campus

5 tips to stay mentally healthy during your PhD

We all experience stressful times during our PhD which can be fueled by failing experiments, guilt for taking time off, jealousy successful colleagues or by being overwhelmed when we don’t set proper boundaries with our boss or colleagues. Here are some strategies to prepare for stressful times and also relieve acute stress.
Mental Health
Institute & Campus

Let’s talk about mental health

Our mental health fluctuates as our life changes. We all have times when we feel down, stressed, or angry, and most times these feelings pass. But sometimes, they develop into complex mental health problems.
Brücke
Press Release No. 51 Berlin

“There is no place for sexual harassment at the MDC”

The MDC is committed to maintaining respectful interactions at the research center and is taking decisive action to prevent and address bullying, discrimination, and sexual harassment. Since early 2019 an Anti-Harassment Task Force, consisting of a broad cross-section of stakeholders, has been preparing guidelines for this very purpose. The Board of Directors has declared its support for the proposed guidelines.
Sabine Oertelt-Prigione
Institute & Campus

“The abuse of power and harassment are no longer taboo topics”

The anti-harassment task force has achieved its first goal. Since January, it has been developing guidelines for addressing bullying, harassment, and discrimination at the MDC.
Marion Posselt-Hofmann at her desk in the Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Haus
Institute & Campus

„I’m there for disabled employees”

Marion Posselt-Hofmann is Disabilities Officer at the MDC. She is committed to promoting the rights of disabled employees and wants to encourage more people with disabilities to work at the MDC. A report from the “We at the MDC” series.
Verleihung audit Beruf und Familie 2019
Institute & Campus

Life plans – both a challenge and an asset

The MDC has once again received a certificate from audit berufundfamilie (audit workandfamily). In the future, a center-wide leadership culture and personnel policy is to be established that supports and encourages employees in their current life phases and with their life plans.
Vasiliki Anastasopoulou
Institute & Campus

The student’s advocate

Vasiliki Anastasopoulou is a PhD representative for the interests of students at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine. Her most important goal is to ensure that young researchers are paid and treated fairly. For the series "We at the MDC" we spoke with the young scientist.
Brücke
Institute & Campus

“I want to build bridges”

Ingo Kahl has for more than a decade been chairman of the Staff Council of the MDC. As part of the “We at the MDC” series, he reveals what to him is so unique about his work.
Sabine Oertelt-Prigione
Institute & Campus

“Haressment doesn’t happen in a vacuum”

In late January, the Anti-Harassment Task Force started its work at the MDC. More than 50 employees from all areas and across all hierarchies will develop guidelines for respectful interaction. To mark the launch of the task force, we spoke with the project facilitator, Professor Sabine Oertelt-Prigione.