Carstens, Diana

I am the assistant to Director of the Department, Prof. Jean-Jacques Hublin, and the secretary and administrator for the Department of Human Evolution at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany.

After graduating from Euro-Schulen Chemnitz with a diploma in International Administration and Management (specializing in Office Management), I started to work as secretary and administrative assistant for the Department of Human Evolution in January 2005.

During the course of my studies at Euro-Schulen Chemnitz, I attended three practica, one of them in January/February 2004 at SAMA impex Ltd., a pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals company in Swansea, UK. I also took part in a language course in Lisieux, France, in November/December 2001. I speak both English and French fluently and have basic working knowledge of Spanish.

Until the end of 2006, I was mainly responsible for handling national and international business trips for all members of the department (scientific and non-scientific staff), for supporting guests and visiting scientists and for helping new staff members become familiar with life in Leipzig and Germany.

In December 2006 I took over the position of assistant to Prof. Jean-Jacques Hublin. My primary duties are to provide personal administrative support for the director and to provide administrative support for all members of the department with an emphasis on contract management. Within the framework of department-related resource management, I am in charge of planning and controlling both the departmental budget and all kinds of scientific projects, such as excavations and other fieldwork. Furthermore, I setup and coordinate meetings, workshops and conferences and am responsible for the processing of external funds and grants, e.g., EU funding programs.

Together with my colleagues Cornelia Schicke and Silke Streiber, I work to ensure a smooth running of all tasks that come up in order to allow the director and our researchers, scientists and technical staff to work in a unique and motivating atmosphere.