His journey to Nijmegen began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he joined the Genzel lab with a fellowship from his home university in Bochum. “My PhD research looked at how experiences during wakefulness shape brain activity,” he explains. “That naturally led me to ask: what happens during sleep?” This question has since driven his postdoctoral work. What started with designing computational tools to better define sleep states in rodents has grown into a large-scale project: coordinating an international effort to create a consensus manual for rodent sleep scoring.
Yet, for Rayan, being a postdoc is about more than research. He emphasizes the transitional and often uncertain nature of the role. “As a PhD, the goal is clear: finish your thesis. But as a postdoc, the expectations are broad and the pressure seems to be higher. You need to publish quickly, secure funding, and think about the next career step—all within a limited timeframe.”
Postdoc Council
This pressure is felt across the community. As a member of the Postdoc Council, Rayan has worked with other council members to strengthen support structures, including advocating for the creation of a dedicated Postdoc Coordinator at the Donders Institute. “That was an important step,” he notes, “but more engagement is still needed. Postdocs should feel empowered to raise their voices and shape their environment.”
Despite these challenges, Rayan highlights the collaborative spirit within his lab and the importance of solidarity among postdocs. He is also clear about what institutions can do: provide more transparency and long-term support, particularly during times of budget cuts and hiring freezes. “If we want to sustain talent in academia, universities need to invest in postdocs. Otherwise, we risk losing a whole generation of researchers.”
According to Rayan self-love and self-care are essential qualities for postdocs to develop: “The journey is demanding, but taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of your research.”
Make sure to check out the Postdoc Appreciation Week programme.
