Our excellent PhD supervisor: Balázs Hangya
There are not only many types of people, but also many types of awards, and the high science of statistics has proven that once you've won a great award, it's easier to win another. However, the award that Balázs Hangya received on 10 July at Semmelweis University is not one of the more commonly known types of award. So much so that Balázs did not even know it existed.
A similar award has been introduced in many universities, but nowhere is it old. One might wonder at this since even if we don't go as far back as Plato's Academy (387 BC) or mention the institution set up by Charlemagne in Aachen for the children of the aristocracy to acquire the knowledge needed to run the German-Roman Empire, it almost a thousand years that the first university was officially founded in Bologna (1088). There, the professors were called magistrates, the municipal body of the students was called universitas, the teachers' were called collegium, and only those who had passed certain examinations and obtained a license to teach (licentia docendi) were allowed to teach.
So it was a long way to the introduction of the academic degree of PhD (Philosophiæ Doctor), from the end of the 19th century in the Western world, and due to historical necessities, a few decades ago in our country. Understandably, the foundation of doctoral schools, training, and examination regulations was more important than the 'Outstanding PhD Supervisor' award.
Since 2020, Semmelweis University has been awarding it to those who are deemed worthy based on the performance of their PhD students, and the quality of such work at KOKI is reflected in the fact that one of our colleagues, Balázs Rózsa, was awarded it in the very first year. The following year, Ádám Dénes and in 2023, István Katona received the award.
- Even if you didn't know about it, I think you were happy to receive this award, and I congratulate you on behalf of our staff!
- I wasn't expecting it at all, but this is when you can be happy the best because dopamine and acetylcholine cells, too are at their top after a surprise reward! :)
- I'm glad to know that too! Was there any other reason for your joy besides the fact that you received the award?
- I was particularly pleased because it was an award for an activity not usually measured very well: the quality of the PhD theses defended. The number of PhD degrees obtained in the lab is just a number in one of the tables in the annual reports, and the quality of these degrees is not usually questioned. Besides, I was happy about this because a significant part of my time is spent on expected activities - such as an interview like this one - but the future of the lab and its funding depend not on them. If you are altruistic, you have many, if you are opportunistic, you don't.
- Fortunately, these commitments do not seem to weaken the scientific performance of you and your group!
- What I was honored for is not one of them, as the good articles of our PhD students are also good articles of the lab. And even if it sounds cliché, this award also recognizes their good work.
- During this academic year, several of your excellent students have had their defenses!
- Here are the names of our "heroes", in the order of their defense. Dr. Tamás Laszlovszky, Dr. Bálint Király, Dr. Panna Jámbor-Hegedüs. Right now I checked our articles for the award presentation. The three of them are the authors of more than half of the lab's articles. Tamás and Panna have a PhD from Semmelweis University, so presumably, the award was based on their publications, while Bálint has a PhD from ELTE, but his name is definitely in there.
- Most of them spend a postdoctoral period after graduation in other laboratories if only to gain experience. How did this happen to your students?
- Tamás is currently the head of the data science team at Neunos (Szeged), a company that aims to develop a non-pharmacological treatment for epilepsy. Panna got a resident job at the Institute of Pathology, Forensic and Insurance Medicine at Semmelweis University, and Bálint is still looking for a postdoctoral position.
- Have you had other similarly outstanding students?
- I would like to highlight the work of two more "students".
Dr. Dániel Schlingloff has also recently defended. His thesis supervisor was Attila Gulyás, but he has been doing an excellent job for four years. Barnabás Kocsis, who stood out as an MSc student, is preparing to defend his PhD thesis in István Ulbert's lab (HUN-REN RTK).
- Before/after receiving the award, you were invited to give a presentation on your career. You had to be prepared for this in a different way than for a conference or even a scientific outreach event!
- As requested, I also presented a bit about my path to leading the group, in case it might inspire some students. As important I reported on the scientific achievements and plans of the group, largely highlighting the results of the newly defended students.
- Were you satisfied with the 'results?
- It is quite rare that I am delighted with my presentations. Even now, I could have simplified the neuroscience parts, since unlike me, some of the medical student audience probably did not enjoy the neuroanatomy exercises so much.