Prof. Björn Krüger recently spoke at the F*ckUp Night hosted at the International Club of the University of Bonn, sharing personal experiences of failures, unexpected career turns, and rejected papers—topics that rarely appear in academic presentations but resonate strongly with researchers at all stages.
In his talk, he emphasized three key insights drawn from these experiences:
- Peer review is unpredictable. Individual reviews often reflect randomness; they should not define one’s self-worth.
- Failures can spark better ideas. Rejections frequently lead to rethinking, refining, and ultimately creating stronger work.
- Career detours are valuable. Unexpected paths can lead to the places where one truly belongs.
The event featured a series of inspiring contributions from speakers who shared their own stories of setback, learning, and resilience.