Evening event
Tuesday, 2026/09/22, 17:15
Talk by Seraina Friedli, former Swiss soccer goalkeeper, on the topic “Resilience and Mental Strength in Elite Sports and Academia.” Followed by a panel discussion with Seraina Friedli, Firuze Polat (health scientist at Hirncoach AG), Michael Schmid (former elite rower and postdoc at the University of Bern), and Romano Keller-Meier (former elite curler and doctoral candidate at the University of Bern). Afterward, you are invited to stay for a reception (apéro) to continue the conversation and meet other participants. In English.
| Event organizer: | Academic Careers Office and Intermediate Staff Association MVUB |
|---|---|
| Speaker: | Seraina Friedli, Firuze Polat, Michael Schmid, Romano Keller-Meier |
| Date: | 22.09.2026 |
| Time: | 17:15 - 18:30 |
| Locality: |
Room 205 Main Building Hochschulstrasse 4 3012 Bern |
| Registration: | Register here |
| Characteristics: |
not open to the public free of charge |
Limited number of spots. Please note that applications from postdocs will be given priority due to Postdoc Appreciation Week.
Schedule
- 5.15-5.25 p.m.: Welcome by the University of Bern (Vice-Rector Prof. Dr. Andrew Chan) and the Intermediate Staff Association (Co-Chair Felix Kraft)
- 5.25-5.40 p.m.: Talk by Seraina Friedli on the topic “Resilience and Mental Strength in Elite Sports and Academia”
- 5.40-6.30 p.m.: Panel discussion with Seraina Friedli, Firuze Polat, Michael Schmid and Romano Keller-Meier
- 6.30 p.m.: recpetion (apéro)
Guests
Seraina Friedli
Seraina Friedli is a former Swiss soccer goalkeeper. She played at the top level in Switzerland, Italy, and Belgium and made appearances in the UEFA Women's Champions League, among others. Starting in 2016, she played for the Swiss national team and has competed in several European Championships and World Cups.
Since her retirement at the end of 2023, she is a doctoral candidate at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, where she researches the influence of sex hormones on the biomechanics and injuries of the lower extremities in female recreational athletes.
Firuze Polat
Firuze Polat is a research project manager and speaker at Hirncoach AG, as well as a lacturer for basic medical courses. In her work, she combines insights from brain research, psychology and medicine with a practical approach to mental health, learning, and performance.
As a co-author of a randomized controlled fMRI study in the field of consciousness research, she brings a scientifically grounded perspective on mental health and mindfulness to her work.
For more information about the speaker, visit: https://www.hirncoach.ch/firuze-polat
Michael Schmid
Michael Schmid, Dr. phil., a psychologist and sports scientist, works as a postdoc and research group leader at the Institute of Sport Science at the University of Bern. His research focuses on careers in and after elite sports, talent selection and development, and the development of interests and identity.
He also competed as a rower in the Olympic Games and won several medals at the World and European Championship.
Romano Keller-Meier
Romano Keller-Meier is a doctoral candidate at the Institue of Sport Science at the University of Bern.
As a Swiss curler he won the Swiss Championship twice and won several medals at the World and European Curling Championship.