NextMinds

💭 I offer tools and knowledge to early-career scientists to help them navigating successfully and with a happy and healthy Mind through academia (and beyond!). 

I empower PhD students and prospective candidates during their academic journey with:
🔸️ Digital courses;
🔸️ Newsletter with actionable tips;
🔸️ 1:1 coaching sessions;  and
🔸️ Workshops and Webinars; 

Are you an institute hosting PhD students or a Consortium Project Manager (e.g., MSCA Doctoral Networks)?
Would you like to train and empower your PhD students or postdocs in different aspects relevant for their career, such as professional development, productivity, or mental health in academia?
Contact me; I can help! 👉 hello@nextminds.net

CEO & Founder

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam)

💭 As one of the PhD Candidate Advisors of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, my role is to support and guide PhD students within the Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, helping them reach their final goals and support their well-being.

PhD Candidate Advisor

📍 Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry.

💡 Research focus: bioanalysis, metabolites identification, new psychoactive substances, separation sciences, mass spectrometry, metabolomics, forensic sciences.

💭 We develop novel analytical approaches to identify and quantify new psychoactive substances and their metabolites in different matrices, including street samples, biological fluids and environmental samples, using high-end mass spectrometry-based techniques. 
We collaborate with the Dutch Police and Trimbos Institute to maximize our impact on the society.

👩🏼‍🏫 I teach in different Bachelor and Master programs, including Chemistry and Drug Discovery Sciences, and mentor students and PhD students during their academic journey. Co-promoter of two PhD students.

Assistant Professor (Tenured)

C2W | Mens & Molecule

💡 Freelancer for C2W International, where I write a bi-weekly column titled "Exploring Academia with Isabelle", discussing tips and tricks that early-career researchers can use to navigate the academic jungle.

Regular Contributor

A Little Bit of Science

📍 www.alittlebitofscience.com 

💡 My blog, where I merge my passions for science and education into blog posts focused on health and lifestyle.

Blogger

De NVMS

Secretary

IMSC2022

Universiteit Leiden

📍 Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research (LACDR), Division of Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, Analytical Biosciences and Metabolomics group.

💡 Research focus: bioanalysis, clinical metabolomics, separation sciences, mass spectrometry, hydrophilic interaction chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, lipid mediators.

💭 Work package co-lead for EU projects Sybil-AA, ADAPTED and CoSTREAM.

👩🏼‍🏫 Lecturer in BSc and MSc Biopharmaceutical Sciences; Education Division coordinator; supervision (co-promoter) of three PhD students. 

Quality Manager for the Biomedical Metabolomics Facility Leiden.

Assistant Professor

Leiden University Medical Center, Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics

📍 Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Metabolomics Unit. 

💡 Postdoctoral fellowship; untargeted and targeted metabolomics in a transgenic mouse model of familial hemiplegic migraine. Research focus: bioanalysis, clinical metabolomics, mass spectrometry, hydrophilic interaction chromatography, sample preparation, lipid mediators.

💭 Project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (Early PostDoc.Mobility grant).

Postdoctoral fellowship

📍 Department of Parasitology and Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics. 

💡 Visiting scientist; cell-based metabolomics for investigating the effect of vaccines on human metabolome. Research focus: metabolomics, MS-based separation, data analysis.

Visiting Scientist

University of Geneva

Research Assistant

Sensitivity improvements in capillary electrophoresis - mass spectrometry for clinical and forensic toxicology

PhD Student

Morgenthal Apotheke, Zuerich-Wollishofen

Pharmacist Assistant

Assistant Professor | Founder of NextMinds | On a mission to empower (PhD) students | Researcher, Lecturer, Certified Coach & Writer

🎯 My mission is clear: mentoring and empowering early-career researchers by providing them knowledge and tools to effectively navigate through academia (and beyond). 

I'm a Researcher, Lecturer and Entrepreneur with a passion for empowering people through knowledge and education. I have 15+ years of experience in academia. 

Here’s what fuels me with energy:
🔥 Guiding early-career scientists. I enjoy teaching and actively supporting students during their academic and personal growth. I get tons of energy by mentoring PhD students, watching them developing their creativity, self-confidence, and scientific mindset under my guidance. 
💡 Research with impact. My research mission is to generate and use knowledge efficiently to benefit the society. 
🤝 Building bridges. Through my activities withing different Boards, I love creating opportunities for people to meet, discuss, exchange their ideas, and start working together. 
📖 Storytelling. I'm in my element when I can share (scientific) stories on stage, on paper, or online.

---

🧡 Discover how I can help you with my company NextMinds: 
👉 https://www.nextminds.net/
📩 Sign up for the NextMinds Newsletter to receive every second week free actionable tips directly in your inbox! 

---

😱 Omg Isabelle your number of citations is not growing anymore! That's the end! 😱

I recently discovered a new trend on my LinkedIn feed: people celebrating the 1000 citations of their articles. 

🤨 In the normal world, people will look at you with weird eyes if you tell them "I got 1000 citations!". 
But in academia, it's still one of the metrics used (subconsciously?) to evaluate the quality of a researcher. 

👀 One of the metrics, Isabelle? Are there others?

Metrics are another national sport in academia. Besides the number of citations, we have:
💡 Journals' impact factor
💡 H-index
💡 i10-index
💡 Number of papers published 
💡 Total citations 
... and probably many others. 

👀 "Probably many others", Isabelle? C'mon, you should know that - it's important for your career! 

This era is an interesting one when it comes to these metrics: 

On one hand, we seem to agree we should not evaluate the work quality of academics using these numbers only (as illustrated by the narrative CV requested by some funding agencies instead of the traditional one)...

... and on the other hand, there is still this not-so-hidden message of "publish or perish", with everyone still looking at the number of papers someone published and in which journal. 

👀 So based on this, you're game over Isabelle, because your citation number is not increasing over time as it should!

Luckily I'm not game over (yet 😂); I've just found purpose in other tasks that have more impact on society than "just" writing papers. 

Is this the reason why my citations profile doesn't follow an exponential curve, as it would be logically expected from a mid-career researcher? 

Hmm, not only. 
My profile shows the bumps I've encountered during my career. 
For instance:
📌 2016-2020: first position as AssProf; most of my energy went into teaching
📌 2020: new job; starting my research from scratch again
📌 2020 (bis): a pandemic (= way less lab time than expected for my PhD students)
📌 2023-2024: partial sick leave; so much brain fog that my cognitive capacities were incapable of reading a scientific manuscript, let alone giving feedback on it

At first, I thought this would really negatively impact my career. 
But now I find happiness in publishing papers when I want to - and not because I have to. 
Most importantly, I find happiness and purpose in producing other types of outputs that have some kind of impact on the community or the society. 

(And based on the current publishing system that is significantly biased by profits, AI-generated stuff and poor rewards for reviewers, I feel pretty okay with my choice). 

💝 So, in case you're worried because your Google Scholar citations profile doesn't look like "it should": that's okay! You do you and you can have impact in the way you define it. 

---

👋 I'm Isabelle, Captain at NextMinds, where I provide tools to help early-career scientists navigate #academia.
💌 Need help or guidance? Check the Featured section of my profile!

Isabelle Kohler

My mission is clear: mentoring and empowering early-career researchers by providing them knowledge and tools to effectively navigate through the first steps of their career. 

I'm a Researcher, Lecturer and Entrepreneur with a passion for empowering people through knowledge and education. 

Here’s what fuels me with energy:
🔥 Guiding early-career scientists. I enjoy teaching and actively supporting students during their academic and personal growth. I get tons of energy by mentoring PhD students, watching them developing their creativity, self-confidence, and scientific mindset under my guidance. 
💡 Research with impact. My research mission is to generate and use knowledge efficiently to benefit the society. 
🤝 Building bridges. Through my activities withing different Boards, I love creating opportunities for people to meet, discuss, exchange their ideas, and start working together. 
📖 Storytelling. I'm in my element when I can share (scientific) stories on stage, on paper, or online 

Dive deeper in my world:
🚀 https://www.nextminds.net/
💊 https://www.alittlebitofscience.com/

🤓 How do you increase the success of your mentoring program, Isabelle - not all mentees want the same guidance! 🤓

We're setting up a nationwide mentoring program in life sciences/chemistry with the Koninklijke Nederlandse Chemische Vereniging-KNCV! 

🎯 The plan? 
Provide early-career scientists the chance to obtain guidance and support from a mentor from our community, helping them with questions they may have related to their professional development. 

👀 But how do you make sure that mentees get teamed up with the adequate mentor, Isabelle? 

That is exactly one of the challenges when setting up a mentoring program!

Early-career scientists all have different wishes, plans, questions, and personality.
 🤔 Some would like to hear more about how to overcomes challenges during their PhD. 
🤔 Some want to get more insights into a career in industry.
🤔 Some wonder how to balance an academic career while starting their family. 

🎯 Our answer to this? 
A matching event, where mentees and mentors could meet in a speed-dating format. 

👀 A speed-dating format, Isabelle? Like a real speed-dating? 

Almost!
Every mentee got the chance to have a quick chat (5 min!) with each mentor, allowing them to have a glimpse of their personality, current situation, and what they can offer as mentors. 

💪 Now comes another challenge for us: creating all mentee-mentor duos based on this information. 

Will that work? 
I don't know! 
But we're scientists - that's why we're doing a pilot experiment this year, before scaling up the program in upcoming years 😁 

But what I do know is that this matching event in itself was already a great success, and very useful:
✔️ Young scientists who could meet more senior people and exchange contacts afterwards,
✔️ PhD students having the opportunity to network with other PhD students from everywhere in the country,
✔️ Jan Willem T., the Director of the KNCV, who could spend the afternoon listening to the younger generation,
✔️ Shirin Alex-Willemse, the Community Manager of the KNCV, who set up a successful event and ran it very smoothly - such a blast to do this together!
✔️ ... and me, looking at all of this, seeing previous students, colleagues, ex-colleagues, previous participants to my workshops, LinkedIn connections, and new connections making it happen. 
Thanks all for this. 

Were we all tired after such intense event? 
Definitely!
Were we all richer in connections and insights? 
Definitely!

💝 That's the beauty of human connection... And that can be very powerful for everyone's professional and personal development. 

Looking forward to seeing what the next steps will bring!

---

👋 I'm Isabelle, Captain at NextMinds, where I provide tools to help early-career scientists navigate #academia.
💌 Need help or guidance? Check the Featured section of my profile to see how I can support you.

📢 Podcast alert 📢

Earlier this year, I had the chance to sit down with Maria Sovago to record together an episode for her new podcast "Scientists on stage". 

Maria is the founder of STRALIA, where she shapes the next generation of leaders and scientists. 

Actually, she also shapes the current generation of scientists. I met Maria a few years ago through one of her workshops on Leadership; I was so sold by her coaching style, personality, passion and enthusiasm that I immediately wanted to work with her. 

She was clearly the catalyst that I needed at the moment I had millions of ideas but didn't fully dare to make them happen and embrace them. 

A few months after our last session, my company NextMinds was born 😍🐣

(And yes we do love words such as "catalyst" because Maria is originally a physicist and I'm a pharmacist - turns out that STEM people can also be excellent coaches 🤓)

A few months ago, she invited me to be one of the guests of her podcast "Scientists on stage". Her plan? Conversations with scientists in their natural habitat. 

👀 Natural habitat? You mean like in the lab under the fume hood, Isabelle? 

"Natural habitat" was for me literally "habitat" as it was at my place, but that's not it!
Natural habitat means talking about things in the most honest, vulnerable and authentic way. 

Both Maria and I strive to be as authentic as possible in our work (as lecturer, coach, etc.), so we knew even beforehand it would be a deep conversation. 

😍 And it was!
🤩 And we talked so much that she made two episodes out of this conversation. 

🎙 Find the two episodes on Spotify and YouTube, under the name "Scientists on stage"!

Episode 1️⃣ is about teaching in academia, bringing the gap between generations, and some tips to PhD students. 

Episode 2️⃣ is about invisible struggles. We recorded this at the moment I was trying to come back to working 100% after two difficult years of dealing with illness. I'm sure that listeners with some health challenges will relate to some aspects we discussed. 

🤩 Want more? 
Great, she already launched 5 episodes and more are on their way! 

💝 Thanks Maria; keep shining a bit (or more!) every day! 

---

👋 I'm Isabelle, Captain at NextMinds, where I provide tools to help early-career scientists navigate #academia.
💌 Need help or guidance? Check the Featured section of my profile to see how I can support you.

🤔 What makes your job so nice, Isabelle? All these tasks, that must be a lot! 🤔

PhD students often ask me why I accept to do tasks such as being a member of the Examination Board, or a track coordinator of the Master Chemistry track Analytical Sciences we offer in Amsterdam (a joined degree between Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) and University of Amsterdam).

The first obvious reason is: 
Because these tasks are spread among everyone in the group, so we make it work as a team. 

🤩 But one of the major reasons that makes me say yes to these tasks is exactly this - have the chance to award a well-deserved diploma to our students!

Yesterday, Trevor A. Hamlin FRSC FYAE and I had the privilege to run the graduation ceremony for 31 graduates of the Master Chemistry, track Analytical Sciences. 

🔥 Seeing these young professionals achieving this milestone and celebrating this with their family, their friends, and their supervisors - this really, really warms my heart. 

💝 That's part of what I like the most in this job - seeing the younger generation growing from students to professionals, developing not only solid professional skills, but also growing immensely as humans. This is really beautiful to witness. 

I also have the chance to be present on their side with my different hats - lecturer, supervisor, mentor, track coordinator, and member of the Examination Board, which allows me to see them developing themselves on all these aspects. 

🥳 Congratulations to all our new graduates! It was fabulous to see you shining yesterday! 💫

--

👋 I'm Isabelle, Captain at NextMinds, where I provide tools to help early-career scientists navigate #academia.

💌 Need help or guidance? Check the Featured section of my profile to see how I can support you.

🎓 Congratulations to our new graduates from the Master Chemistry, track Analytical Sciences!

Yesterday, the graduation ceremony for the Master Chemistry (a joint degree between Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) and University of Amsterdam) took place at the University of Amsterdam.

🧙‍♀️🧙‍♂️ The Examination Board wizards of the evening, Trevor A. Hamlin FRSC FYAE from the TheoCheM Group at the VU and Isabelle Kohler (who still doesn't know how to take selfies), had the honor of awarding Master diplomas to 31 (!!) graduates who completed the Analytical Sciences track.

Among them, we would especially like to congratulate Freek Hollander, Elnaz Imani, and Nicolas Petschanker, who conducted their research projects in our group.

For us – lecturers, supervisors, and mentors – this event is an important moment to celebrate this remarkable achievement with these enthusiastic, talented, and hard-working early-career researchers. Seeing students develop not only their professional skills but also grow as individuals brings immense fulfillment. We're all very proud of them!

We would also like to thank our collaborators in the analytical chemistry community, both in the Netherlands and abroad, who generously give their time, energy, and expertise to supervise our students during their internships.

And if you're wondering why the room looks empty – that's because we took these pictures during setup! With 31 graduates from the Analytical Sciences track and more than 60 in total for our Master program, there's a good chance you'll see celebration photos on your LinkedIn feed.

👏 Bravo to all! 🥂

😳 I still don't what to do after my PhD, Isabelle! Where do I start? 😳

🤔 Contemplating what to do after your PhD, or getting worried because you're unsure about where your next career step will be? 
😳 Overwhelmed by the amount of information you can find online on this topic?
😵‍💫 Panicking because you don't know where to start? 

Fear no more - I have something for you!

In this month's edition of C2W | Mens & Molecule, I give you 10 tips that will help you actively prepare the next step of your career. 

You can find this article:
🗞🇳🇱 In the last edition of C2W | Mens & Molecule (Dutch version)
📲🇳🇱 On C2W online (in Dutch): https://lnkd.in/e2uQR2py
📲🇬🇧 On C2W International (in English): https://lnkd.in/erPuRqWn

No time to read the full article?

Hereby the key aspects!

1️⃣ Start earlier than you think
Career exploration works best without pressure. Update your CV and LinkedIn twice yearly, and block one hour weekly for career maintenance.

2️⃣ Map what's truly out there
Beyond academia and industry, there's policy, science communication, consultancy, education, entrepreneurship, and more. Check alumni from your department.

3️⃣ Understand what an academic career really entails
Talk to professors about the realities of funding applications, committee work, and research time.

4️⃣ Don't overlook "alt-ac" roles
Research project manager, lab coordinator, grant officer, science communicator – these paths keep you close to research.

5️⃣ Learn to read job titles in industry
Job titles often hide more than they reveal. Read the responsibilities and note unfamiliar terms like GxP or agile.

6️⃣ Translate your skills into professional language
Instead of "published three papers," say "managed a 3-year collaborative project." Focus on transferable skills.

7️⃣ Use LinkedIn as a learning tool
Search for people with intriguing roles. Check their backgrounds and spot which skills repeatedly appear.

8️⃣ Use generative AI to clarify
Treat ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini as your free job coach for unpacking job descriptions or generating interview questions.

9️⃣ Make networking small and concrete
Message someone: "I'm a PhD exploring industry roles — could I ask you a few questions?" Not everyone will reply, but a few will.

🔟 Take ownership of your professional development
Don't wait for your supervisor to initiate career discussions. Ask about training budgets or consider a career coach.

--

👋 I'm Isabelle, Captain at NextMinds, where I provide tools to help early-career scientists navigate #academia.
💌 Need help or guidance? Check the Featured section of my profile to see how I can support you.

🔥 A matching event for a mentoring program, Isabelle? How does that look like? 🔥

🥳 Yesterday, we officially kicked off the pilot phase of our mentoring program, a joined effort together with the Koninklijke Nederlandse Chemische Vereniging-KNCV, with the matching event. 

And boy, what an event. 

🤩 The plan?
Create a space where each mentor and mentee could have a chat for 5 min, in a kind of speed-dating format, to see with whom they had the best "matching vibes"  

🤩 The outcome?
A multidimensional networking event, where everyone could interact with everyone and go home with additional insights and connections in their pocket. 

Everytime I organize a professional event that creates a space for people to interact and talk to each other, I'm impressed by the power of human connection. 

🔥 Being able to facilitate this type of exchanges and help early- (and not-so-early) career scientists grow and get to know people who can support and guide them through their career truly warms my heart and makes me feel alive. 

Curious how a speed-dating matching event between mentors and mentees looks like?

👇

Directeur Koninklijke Nederlandse Chemische Vereniging

Speed-dating in Utrecht…for mentors and mentees

What happens when you bring early-career chemists together with seasoned professionals? You get the very first matching event of the new KNCV mentoring program, created with NextMinds, and it was buzzing with energy. 

In Utrecht, two groups met for the first time:
👉 early-career scientists wondering about their next steps
👉 experienced professionals eager to give back

But why does the Koninklijke Nederlandse Chemische Vereniging-KNCV invests in mentoring? Because supporting young chemists and life scientists is at the heart of our mission. 

With this program, we aim to:
💡help early-career researchers navigate an increasingly complex job market
💡make career paths beyond the traditional academic route more visible
💡build a community where members share not only knowledge, but also experiences, networks, and perspectives.

🙏 A big thank you to KNCV’s Shirin Alex-Willemse and Isabelle Kohler, Captain of NextMinds, for bringing this idea to life and and for organizing this inspiring event.

And most of all, thanks to all the mentors and mentees for joining this first stage of the KNCV mentoring program.✨

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