Workshops & training
Photo: Joanna Pianka
My workshops are built on 14 years of experience with editing and writing coaching. From editing, I've learned what it takes to get manuscripts published in peer-reviewed journals and research proposals funded. From coaching academic researchers on their writing projects, I've learned what researchers struggle with.
This experience, combined with knowledge about the academic publication and review process, both from the researcher side as well as from the editor and reviewer perspective, provides workshop content that is immediately relevant for participants.
Participants in my workshops see real editor and reviewer comments and follow manuscripts and proposals as they develop from initial draft to publication and acceptance. These insights give participants valuable, concrete, practical content.
Photo: Joanna Pianka
RECENT PROJECTS
Workshops and events
April 2024
Writing in the Sciences
A workshop to help PhD students, postdocs, and PIs publish their research and secure funding
University of Jyväskylä, Finland
Over two days, I led a five-module workshop and individual writing-review sessions designed to elevate researchers' academic writing skills for peer-reviewed journal articles and research funding applications. Seven PhD students and postdoctoral researchers came together to get personalized guidance and expert advice to improve their writing output and academic publications and funding applications.
February 2024
Winter School 2024
A week-long retreat outside Vienna, Austria organized by the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellchaft Career Center.
Vienna, Austria
I was a workshop trainer for the fourth year in a row at the six-day Winter School 2024 workshop and retreat, sponsored by the Ludwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft Career Center. I led five intensive training sessions focused on enhancing academic writing and peer-review skills among researchers.
January 2024
Expert Talk
"Inside tips from an academic editor— How to avoid common pitfalls in scientific writing"
Online
In this two-hour talk, organized by the Ludgwig Boltzmann Gesellschaft Career Center, I drew on my extensive experience as a developmental academic text editor to highlight for attendees the five most common mistakes made by researchers across various disciplines, including natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. I shared anonymized examples from my editorial projects, provided insights into why these errors occur, and offered practical advice on how to identify and correct them in future works.
Workshop Highlight
I've been a trainer at the Winter School for four years, since its start in 2021. This week-long retreat for PhD students and postdocs in medicine and the natural and social sciences is the highlight of my year. Click below to learn more about my workshop sessions and experience.
Feedback from LBG Career Center Winter School participants
LBG Winter School 2024
"Even though I am very familiar with academic writing, there were lots of things I learned during the input sessions. I particularly liked the incentives to take a different approach to what is familiar to us, to be bold and to focus on conveying the messages we want to get across. Having an academic editor as a writing coach is a real gem!"
LBG Winter School 2023
"What a blast to have Marc there...He was genuinely enthusiastic, helpful, honest. He prepared slides specifically for us, made connections to other sessions we had and it was impressive how he always kept the audience (young shy academics!) in mind. Approachable person...One can feel that he knows the LBG, its target group and other LBG programmes very well."
LBG Winter School 2022
"Extremely commited to give us the best possible insights and helpful experience. Very applicable hands-on training. Very authentic presentation style."
"Marc was fantastic on so many levels! Especially during the 1:1 session, where he helped me set up an adequate strategy for writing my paper and gave me specific advice for structuring my arguments."
Experience
Working with hundreds of manuscripts and research proposals for the past 14 years, I know what researchers struggle with when writing journal articles and funding proposals. I use this experience to build workshop modules that get to the heart of what researchers need to successfully publish in peer-reviewed journal and obtain competitive funding.
