Career Days 2025: The Future of Science is Diverse

Dr. Hanna Zwaka studied Biology at Freie Universität Berlin, where she also completed her PhD in Neuroscience, investigating memory consolidation during sleep. She then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to join Harvard University as a postdoctoral researcher in Systems Neuroscience. There, she focused on uncovering how sleep deprivation affects neural circuits in the brain and alters behavior.
Currently, she leads her own research group, studying the consequences of sleep deprivation on brain and body function using zebrafish larvae as a model organism. Throughout her career, she has mentored numerous Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD students who have actively contributed to her research.
Dr. Hanna Zwaka is committed to advancing diversity and inclusion in science. She served as a mentor in the Harvard Graduate Women in Science and Engineering Program, participated in Harvard’s Diversity and Belonging Task Force, and is currently an Equal Opportunity Officer at her institute.
In addition to her academic work, she has a strong background in science communication. While at Harvard, she worked as a science communicator for the Harvard Museum of Natural History. She has also given numerous public talks, participated in podcast and radio interviews, and contributed to newspapers and other media outlets to make science more accessible to the public.
She has published multiple peer-reviewed papers and presented her work at international conferences.
She is the mother of two wonderful boys and pursues her career supported by her loving partner and her equally dedicated parents.

Dr. Lorena Morton is a medical doctor and neuroscientist at the Institute of Inflammation and Neurodegeneration, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. She earned her PhD summa cum laude in Neuroimmunology, where she investigated pericytes and microglia in the neurovascular unit and their role in cerebral small vessel disease. Her current research focuses on neurovascular–immune interactions in chronic inflammatory conditions such as hypertension, chronic stress, and systemic or CNS infections, with a translational perspective on extracellular vesicles as biomarkers and therapeutic tools. She is the recipient of the OVGU Young Investigator Award 2024 and the Polycarp Leporin Program fellowship (2025–2027).

Katalin Varga is Project Coordinator of MeCoSa MINT Career at the Coordination Office for Gender Research & Equal Opportunities Saxony-Anhalt (KGC). In this role, she manages projects, coordinates teams, and organizes events to strengthen career development, intercultural exchange, and talent retention in Saxony-Anhalt. She previously worked as a welfare worker at the advisory office Magdalena of AWO Saxony-Anhalt, providing social and career counseling, intercultural communication, and multilingual support. Earlier in her career, she served as Coordinator for Refugee and Integration Affairs at Hochschule Harz, where she developed integration concepts, supported prospective students with refugee backgrounds, and promoted inclusive academic opportunities.

Drawing on this extensive experience in counseling, networking, and event facilitation, Katalin will moderate the Career Days 2025, guiding discussions on diversity, equal opportunities, and the future of science.