Future proof — Paul Breiding

MPI MiS: What are you currently researching and how do you plan to develop this topic at your new institution?
Paul Breiding: I find it difficult to pin down my research to a single topic. In my career I have always worked on what was interesting to me. The upside of this is that I learned to communicate with all kinds of different researchers and that I can apply my results in various fields. In my new position I plan to work on geometry and computations of data and will focus on algebraic geometry. I want to describe and analyze data that arises as the vanishing set of polynomial equations.

MPI MiS: How important was your time at the MiS both your personal development and your scientific career?
Paul Breiding: Very important. I was here as a postdoc in the years 2017-2019. After graduating from TU Berlin, I was not sure what do to next. I had a few job interviews outside of academia. After all, our director Bernd Sturmfels strongly encouraged me to apply at the MPI for an Emmy-Noether program. I was hesitant, because I did not feel I was good enough for such a prestigious position. But in the end, I applied and got the job. During those two years I learned an incredible amount of new mathematics and got to know many new colleagues. This definitely boosted my career and was crucial in bringing me to the point where I am now.

MPI MiS: What do you consider to be your greatest achievements?
Paul Breiding: I was part of the Berlin Women Roller Derby Team in the season 2017, when we played German Bundesliga. I consider my greatest achievement that I managed to be accepted in the team and that I was able to play a central role in the season. This time taught me countless important lessons in leadership and teamwork. These lessons are particularly helpful today in my role as a research group leader.

MPI MiS: Did you have a role model that influenced/inspired you to work in science or that helped you in your journey?
Paul Breiding: Sonja Petrovic. In 2019 we co-organized a workshop in Leipzig. Sonja came with her new-born and her mother, who was babysitting when she was busy with the workshop. At the time, I was about to become a father myself and I was afraid that I would not be able to take care of the baby and at the same time continue my career as before. Sonja showed me that being a parent and having a successful career is not a contradiction and this inspired me a lot.

MPI MiS: Did you ever doubt your abilities as a scientist? Why? How did you handle these feelings and how do you stay motivated when life gets tough?
Paul Breiding: Yes, and I still do regularly. My coping strategy is to talk openly with my colleagues about these feelings. There is also a unique person that I must mention: my wife Andrea. She has always believed in me. This has helped me through all difficult times. I would not be where I am today without her support.