Dr. Iris Köhler

I have always been an open-minded listener, and I know from my own experience and from my professional and voluntary activities what questions and problems young scientists are concerned about.

As an agricultural scientist, I love to watch my garden grow and develop and to intervene when necessary. This passion for growth and development also characterizes my work as a career coach and trainer.

I find it fulfilling to accompany people on their journey and support them in developing their full potential. It goes without saying that I am constantly working on my own development and continuing my education.

Find out more about me and my career here.

Since 2017, I have been working as an enthusiastic and competent course instructor and coach for young scientists with a focus on the topic of career planning. I work for renowned scientific institutions and so far, I have conducted 50 courses with over 650 participants and I have had more than 180 individual consultations/coaching sessions (last update: July 2021). I will be happy to send you a detailed list of my references upon request. I am a career coach, certified instructor and accredited “Kompetenzenbilanz” coach, and I continuously further my skills as coach and trainer. You can download an overview of my qualifications below:

Before I started my own business “The Scientist Coach” as a full-time job, I worked as coordinator of the graduate school HIGRADE as part of personnel and organizational development at the Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig from 2017 to 2019. Not only did I gain first-hand knowledge about the needs of young scientists but also about the requirements and expectations that organizers of further education and qualification programs deal with in a scientific context. I am happy to share my experience and exchange ideas with you!

As a scientist, the major topics I focused on were climate change, plant physiology, agriculture and environment. In my research, I studied the effects of climate change on plants, with the aim to contribute to sustainable agriculture and food production in the future. My experiences in research are incorporated into my career seminars. Apart from my professional experience in the German scientific community, I spent three years as a postdoc in the USA, and during my doctorate I worked in New Zealand and Australia.