Aida Maraj, a research group leader at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and the Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD), has joined the Elisabeth-Schiemann-Kolleg of the Max Planck Society as a fellow together with five other scientists.

Maraj’s group, “Algebraic Statistics for Biology,” investigates statistical and biology questions through the lens of algebra, geometry, and combinatorics and develops new math motivated by this perspective. “As someone new to leading a team, I find the support provided by the membership to be highly beneficial for my new role and goals.”

The Elisabeth-Schiemann-Kolleg fosters the careers of female scientists after their postdoc phase, helping them to succeed in their pursuit of a tenured professorship or a directorship of a research institution. The program supports activities that help its fellows establish themselves in the scientific community and offers a platform for transdisciplinary scientific exchange. It offers a range of benefits, including mentoring, networking, and scientific exchange opportunities, to help its fellows establish themselves as leaders in their field.

The Elisabeth-Schiemann-Kolleg is open to nominations from professors and directors of research institutions worldwide. Each year, a call for nominations is published, and the selected fellows are chosen by the members of the Kolleg. The Kolleg is named after Elisabeth Schiemann (1881-1972), a pioneering scientist who was appointed as a scientific member of the Max Planck Society in 1953. She was a courageous woman and a person of integrity who openly resisted the Nazi regime.