This online event celebrates the launch of Finished, the latest book by Dr Marian Joëls (University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands), neuroscientist and diversity advocate.
The discussion will explore the central themes of Finished, touching on complex issues related to inclusivity in academic leadership and the scientific research culture. Dr. Joëls and the panelists will reflect on selected passages from the book, linking them to ongoing challenges in academia, including the persistent difficulties in promoting gender equity and diversity within the scientific workforce—particularly when met with resistance or even opposition.
Through a thought-provoking dialogue, the event will advocate for necessary reforms in academic recognition and reward systems and, more broadly, for transforming research cultures to become more inclusive and supportive.
Finished
"Oh, come on. This is not about political correctness. We want an outstanding scientist as Chair of the Program Committee… someone who entirely oversees the field. After all, we would like to offer the participants of the next conference the best possible program, don’t you agree!"
At the heart of Finished is the fictional story of Ken Bird, a renowned professor of biochemistry whose career is suddenly marred by accusations of bullying and fostering an unsafe workplace. Ken’s bewilderment at the accusations reveals an often-overlooked disconnect between established authority figures and evolving standards of acceptable behaviour in modern academia. The novel raises pertinent questions about leadership, responsibility, and the silent yet critical role that diversity and inclusivity play in shaping the future of neuroscience. Although the scenarios presented in Finished are imaginary, they resonate deeply with real-world dynamics experienced in academic institutions worldwide.
"God, this was why he was always extra careful when hiring female PhD students or postdocs. Either they got themselves pregnant, and usually, it didn’t stop there; they went on to have more children, which meant an impossible juggling of time for them as much as for the other lab members. In fact, to him, it seemed an almost impossible task to raise several kids and aspire to a competitive scientific career. Seriously, he wouldn’t know how to pull it off himself. In a way, he sympathized with them. Or, if it wasn’t a pregnancy, their boyfriend or husband would accept a job somewhere else, and these girls would follow their spouse and leave."
Speakers
Dr John Cryan
University College Cork, Ireland
John F. Cryan is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at University College Cork and Vice President for Research & Innovation since 2021. He is also a Principal Investigator at the APC Microbiome Institute. With a PhD from the National University of Ireland, Galway, Dr Cryan pursued postdoctoral research at institutions including the University of Pennsylvania and The Scripps Research Institute. His research focuses on the neurobiological basis of stress-related disorders such as depression, anxiety, and drug dependence, with a particular emphasis on the brain-gut-microbiome axis and its role in psychiatric and immune disorders. Cryan has published over 600 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored The Psychobiotic Revolution. He has received numerous awards, including election to the Royal Irish Academy in 2017.
Prof. Cryan will be moderating the discussion.
Dr Marian Joels
University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
Marian Joëls obtained her PhD degree in Utrecht in 1984 (The Netherlands). She carried out postdoctoral research at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla California, US. In 2009 she was appointed as (full) professor of neuroscience in Utrecht and scientific director of Brain Center Rudolf Magnus. Between 2016 and 2023, she was Dean of the University Medical Center Groningen. Her research group focuses on the effects of stress in the brain, in health and disease.
Dr Joëls was awarded the ALBA-FKNE Diversity Prize in 2021 for her outstanding work to promote women’s careers in neuroscience. She wrote several books, including ‘Meisjes zijn niet bèta-dom’ (Girls are not science stupid) (2010) and Baanbreeksters (Pioneers) (2021) about twelve women who became leaders in their field.
