Dr.Manja Voß

Manja.Voss@mfn.berlin +49 0 30 889 140 - 8662
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Scientific Coordinator

As a scientific coordinator for strategic volunteer management, I work at the interface between research, organizational development, and communication. My professional focus is on the conceptual development, support, and evaluation of volunteer structures in the museum. In addition, I am actively involved in research on the evolution and diversity of marine mammals (especially sea cows and whales), focusing on the physical drivers of secondary adaptations to aquatic life, the evolutionary origins, taxonomy, systematics and (paleo)ecological roles of these groups.

Vita

Professional employment and academic education 

  • Since 2022 scientific coordinator for strategic volunteer management at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • 2017 – 2022 officer for strategic science communication at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • 2008 – 2016 science communicator at the department of education at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • Since 2006 research associate in the Marine Mammal working group of PD Dr. O. Hampe at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • 2005 – 2017 research assistant in the EU-infrastructure and scientific network projects SYNTHESYS 1 – 3 (http://www.synthesys.info/) at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • Since 2005 freelance lecturer (Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin) 
  • 2002 – 2005 tutor for students at Freie Universität Berlin 
  • 2001 – 2002 academic assistant in the postgraduate programme at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • 2013 Dissertation and Disputation at the Department of Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin 
  • 2005 Diploma in Geology/Palaeontology at the Department of Geo- and Environmental Sciences, Freie Universität Berlin 
  • 2003 Internship at UNESCO World Heritage Site “Grube Messel”, Hessisches Landesmuseum Darmstadt

Further information

Honors, scholarships and awards 

  • 2021 Special award for science communication of the Inge and Werner Grüter-Foundation 
  • 2016 Featured conference contribution at the 76th Anniversary Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Salt Lake City (USA) 
  • 2016 DAAD travel grant to attend the 76th Anniversary Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Salt Lake City (USA) 
  • 2015 SYNTHESYS research grant for visiting the MNHN Paris, France 
  • 2014 First prize in the competition of the best oral presentation at IV Congreso Colombiano de Zoologia, Cartagena, Colombia 
  • 2014 DAAD travel grant to attend the IV Congreso Colombiano de Zoologia, Cartagena, Colombia 
  • 2013 Third prize in the competition of the best oral presentation at the Young Systematist’s Forum, London, UK 
  • 2013 Travel grant of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft to attend a palaeontological congress in Göttingen 
  • 2013 GfBS travel grant to attend a zoological congress in Vienna, Austria 
  • 2010 Special invitation to NSF-funded field campaign to the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Wadi al Hitan” (Valley of Whales, Egypt) by Prof. Philip Gingerich, University of Michigan 
  • 2010 DAAD travel grant to attend the 70th Anniversary Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Pittsburgh (USA) 
  • 2010 Special invitation to the Symposium “Physical Drivers and Marine Tetrapod Evolution” at the 70th Anniversary Meeting of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology, Pittsburgh (USA) 
  • 2010 German Future Award for young palaeontologists at the 81st Annual Meeting of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft in Munich (Germany) 
  • 2009 Special invitation to EOL (Encyclopedia of Life) Meeting “Marine Tetrapods” at the Biodiversity Synthesis Center in Chicago, IL (USA) 
  • 2008 SYNTHESYS research grant for visiting the NHMUK London, UK 
  • 2008 SYNTHESYS research grant for visiting the MTTM in Budapest, Hungary 
  • 2008 – 2015 different travel and research grants from the Innovationfonds of the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin 
  • 2006 – 2009 Research project grant of the DFG (project leader PD Dr. Oliver Hampe) Professional memberships and reviewer activities 
  • Since 09/2015 Founder member and (until 09/2017 personal board member) of the Dachverband Geowissenschaften/DVGeo 
  • Since 2014 advisory board member of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft 
  • 2014 – 2019 honorary member in the Asociación Colombiana de Zoologia 
  • Since 2013 member of the Gesellschaft für Biologische Systematik (GfBS) 
  • Since 2005 member of the Paläontologische Gesellschaft 
  • 2005 – 2020 member of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology (SVP) 
  • Since 2011 reviews for professional journals (e.g., Nature Ecology & Evolution, Palaeo-3, Anatomical Record, Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie) Teaching 
  • Since 2010 lectures and seminars in the master of education program as part of the module “Development and Evaluation of biology class under a scientific perspective”, a cooperation between the MfN and the Department of Didactics of Biology at the HU (Topics: „Evolution of marine mammals“, “Phylogeny and systematic methods using the example of human evolution“, "Evolution of Whales – a case study“, “Phylogeny and systematic methods – ways to classify organisms“) 
  • SoSe 2008 and SoSe 2009 Lecture and seminar “Phylogeny of Vertebrates Part II: Mammalia” at the FU 
  • WS 2007/2008 and 
  • WS 2008/2009: Lecture and seminar “Phylogeny of Vertebrates Part I: Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles” at the FU 
  • SoSe 2007: Lecture and exercise course in the palaeozoological seminar “Mammalia: Carnivora, Pinnipedia" at the MfN 
  • WS 2006/2007: Palaeobiological field trip and seminar “Functional Morphology of aquatic Vertebrates (Marine Mammals)” at the Aquazoo-Löbbecke-Museum Düsseldorf and MfN 
  • SoSe 2005 – SoSe 2007: Lectures and exercise courses “Vertebrates Part I“ (Fishes, Amphibians, Reptiles Part I) and “Vertebrates Part II“ (Reptiles Part II, Birds and Mammals) within the bachelor of science program “Palaeontology for subsidiary subject students“ at the FU