The Research Careers Campus Graz showcases people and networks which shape our research environment here in Graz - towards a more collegial, friendly and diverse academia, where all research talents can thrive.
Today, we showcase Christian Clason, Professor of Mathematical Optimization, who is convinced that mathematics is not done by lone geniuses. Here are his three answers to three questions!
1) Which activities for contributing to a positive research environment are most important in your view, and what is your personal contribution to this cause?
Every person - be they mentee or mentor - has different wants and needs, and these change over time. So the specific research environment has to be negotiated and continuously adapted in each case. This requires fostering communication, trust, and agency: It is important that both sides are able to and feel comfortable asking for what they currently need, and that any feedback is made and received as well-meaning and constructive.
"Agency" is a bit more difficult to put concisely, but arguably the central goal: Encouraging an active research effort driven by personal scientific curiosity, and protecting intrinsic motivation from the constant onslaught of extrinsic factors (finish that degree, submit that paper, apply for that grant, ...); the supervisor should ideally be a guide on the student's own journey.
(To a lesser extent, this is also important in the other direction: everybody probably remembers that one student who was exceptionally talented and independent and only came to you for travel money or a letter of recommendation!). Of course, all these can break down from time to time, and the critical -- and hardest -- part of mentoring is to quickly and patiently take any steps necessary to restore them.
2) What do you personally get out of your engagement as a mentor and supervisor?
Despite the common stereotype, mathematics is not done by lone geniuses - it's a language that was developed over millennia for sharing abstract ideas, and like any language, the use and joy of it is in speaking it with others.
Specifically when working with younger researchers, it's a chance to see things that you know so well that they have become stale with fresh eyes; fresh eyes will also often see exciting new aspects that you had always overlooked. (It's another stereotype that mathematicians peak at 35...)
Beyond that, there's the universal joy in seeing someone grow over the years, both as a person and as a researcher; this is a rare privilege we have in our job, as we get to spend so much time with so many people over the course of our career. And if, years later, you see in their work something they picked up during their time with you -- a problem studied, a method applied, or just a turn of phrase in a paper or talk -- it's one of the most gratifying moments in our professional life.
3) What helped you the most in your own leadership development, and what would you suggest to others who are starting out on their leadership path?
I think I can safely say that my own teachers came from a generation before ubiquitous offers (and requirements) of professional leadership training, and I don't believe they suffered from it.
Of course, learning a set of tools for thinking and talking about issues in a professional (or, really, any) relationship is nothing if not helpful; but they can't replace the fundamental work of trying to be a decent person: Always remember that you are dealing with another human being whom you only ever get to see facets of, and to hold on to the joy of sharing - be it your time, your knowledge, or your resources. In fact, what I remember most from my teachers is their generosity, and being able to pay it forward is exactly what made me try to follow in their footsteps.
Thanks a lot, Christian Clason, for giving us this insight!
Interview: Johanna Stadlbauer, RCC, 19.5.2025
Picture credit: Uni Graz / Communication