Portrait of Zia Fellow Windie Höfs

The "Visible Women in Science" program networks and empowers female scientists

Windie Höfs, postdoctoral researcher in Sara Wickström's department at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine, is a fellow in the Zia program 2024/2025. The fellowship program "Visible Women in Science" of ZEIT Verlag, networks and strengthens female scientists by supporting their career development.

As part of the Zia fellowship program, a female fellow from the current year is presented at regular intervals in order to make women in science more visible. In the latest Zia post on LinkedIn, our colleague Windie Höfs shares which women have particularly inspired her during her career.

After completing her studies and doctorate in mechanobiology and cell biophysics at University College London and the Francis Crick Institute, Windie Höfs joined the MPI in Münster in March 2023. "As a new member of the German academic community, I was looking for a network of visionary women that promotes exchange on scientific topics and career paths. The Zia program fits perfectly with these goals," says Windie Höfs.

"The Zia program offers me the opportunity to gain deeper insights into the German academic system and to further develop my leadership skills and network," she says. This is essential for future applications for group leader positions. "The interdisciplinary exchange with outstanding female researchers is particularly valuable. Thanks to the fellowship, I was able to engage with a wide community of researchers and critical discussions such as when taking part in the Falling Walls Summit in Berlin and experiencing an exclusive interview with Angela Merkel, organized by DIE ZEIT," she reports.

The application phase for the next cohort begins on July 1, 2025; the application deadline is August 31, 2025.