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THU: Thursday Contributed Sessions

THU 3: Arbeitskreis Chancengleichheit (AKC)

THU 3.4: Invited Talk

Thursday, September 11, 2025, 15:45–16:15, ZHG003

Leadership, Cooperation and Conflicts in Physics: Research Leaders’ Perspectives — •Maike Reimer — Bayerisches Staatsinstitut für Hochschulforschung und Hochschulplanung (IHF), Arnulfstraße 56, 80335 München

“Can Germany rein in its academic bullying problem?” This question was recently raised prominently in a nature article. Anecdotal evidence as well as systematic surveys among researchers indeed paint a bleak picture of research leadership and institutional structures for conflict prevention and management in research settings in Germany and its German-speaking neighbouring states. However, the perspectives and voices of senior researchers are conspicuously absent from this discourse. Therefore, in collaboration with the DPG, we conducted 11 interviews and a survey among all members with leadership experience, about one crucial aspect and challenge of leadership: dealing with conflicts in their research teams. Here, we will present results from the full report on the frequency, kind, antecedents and consequences of conflicts and the ways they were resolved with or without institutional support. In addition, we investigate gender specific patterns in conflict experience. We hope to contribute to a more nuanced discussion and ultimately an improvement in research institutions conflict management structures.