Bei der ersten Mitgliederversammlung der jGDNÄ in Bremen wurden erstmals zwei Sprecher gewählt: Lennard Kleemann, der Molekulare Biotechnologie an der Universität Heidelberg und zusätzlich Humanmedizin studiert und Nina Rack – sie studiert Humanmedizin an der Universität Greifswald. Hier sprechen sie über das, was die jGDNÄ in zwei Jahren erreicht hat und über große Pläne für die Zukunft.

Two years ago, at the GDNÄ meeting in Potsdam, the Young GDNÄ was founded. Where does it stand today?

Lennard: In Potsdam, the Young GDNÄ was merely announced; we first had to think about what we wanted to make of it. Since then, we’ve achieved a great deal: We have a social media team; we organised a jGDNÄ congress in Heidelberg in 2025; we’ve set up a buddy programme where student mentors support younger members; we’ve agreed on a set of rules of procedure; and we’ve pushed ahead with networking with other organisations for young scientists. Incidentally, we no longer refer to it as the ‘Young GDNÄ’, but as the ‘Young Network of the GDNÄ’.

Nina: We also helped organise the preparatory workshops and evening entertainment as part of the school pupils’ programme, initiated the talk by Cologne-based forensic biologist Mark Benecke, set up the student advisory service for school pupils, and launched the NextMed Science Café.

Lennard: Not to mention the first general meeting of the jGDNÄ, at which not only were the two of us elected as spokespersons for two years, but a coordination team comprising six subject representatives was also established, modelled on the GDNÄ.

Wow. And you still find time to study on top of all that?

Nina: Absolutely. Before the conferences, it’s naturally a lot of work. But in between, the tasks are spread out quite well, especially because we’re backed by a highly motivated team of around thirty very active jGDNÄ members.

How many of you are there in total?

Lennard: We have 160 members. Now, following the Bremen conference, another hundred participants from the school programme will be joining us. Anyone who joins the GDNÄ as a young person up to the age of 32 automatically becomes a member of ours.

What’s your relationship with the GDNÄ like?

Nina: Very good. The Executive Board supports us in every way, and our projects are also funded by the GDNÄ. We attend the Executive Board meetings and our views are taken seriously. We’re also very pleased with our collaboration with the secretariat: our emails are answered quickly, even at the weekend, and Ms Landeck and Ms Diete are on hand to help with any questions we have.

What are your plans for next?

Lennard: The next jGDNÄ Congress will take place from 24 to 27 June 2027 in Frankfurt am Main, and intensive preparations are currently under way. The theme is ‘Knowledge Connects Worlds’. The focus will be on the natural and technical sciences and medicine. As we did in Heidelberg in 2025, we’ll be visiting research institutions and production facilities, partly with a view to potential future workplaces for us. Nina, a native of Frankfurt, will be in charge of coordination.

Nina: Fortunately, I’ll have a brilliant team to help. On the evening of 25 June, there will also be a regional meeting in Frankfurt – see the QR code – to which not only GDNÄ members but anyone interested is invited. We’ll hear a talk by the journalist and qualified neurobiologist Dr Regina Oehler entitled ‘The Illusion of the Simple Answer: Theses on Science Journalism Using the Brain and Consciousness as Examples’ – a great starting point for our discussion afterwards.