Laboratory and field experiments are supplemented by applied courses of the IGB Doctoral Programme. | Photo: IGB
We at IGB highly appreciate our doctoral students and put strong emphasis on career development of our young scientists. Accordingly, besides the individual guidance by the scientific advisors, we have initiated a course programme, the so called doctoral programme. Doctoral candidates are thus supported to develop into creative, competent and well connected members of the scientific family. The doctoral programme and all other career building activities are developed and coordinated by Dr. Kirsten Pohlmann, who will gladly answer any question in this regard.
Job offers
All doctoral positions at IGB are announced on our webpage as well as in additional suitable online and print job portals. Potential candidates willing to obtain their own funding (scholarships, projects) should directly contact suitable potential supervisors. Only doctoral students supervised by IGB scientists can participate in our doctoral programme. Master and bachelor thesis are also announced on our webpage. Due to the great demand additional thesis on demand can only be hosted in exceptional cases.
Supervision of doctoral candidates
Our Rules for Doctoral Research at the IGB, valid since June 2016, list rights and obligations of doctoral candidates and their advisors in detail. Doctoral candidates, for example, have to develop an exposé on their planned research within the first 3 months and give an oral presentation on it.
Doctoral programme
Besides excellent scientific knowledge successful academic careers require soft skills as well as interdisciplinary skills. The IGB doctoral programme offers various courses of high relevance for many scientific disciplines. Most courses are taught by IGB scientists and are tailored to the specific need of the participants. If necessary, we supplement our programme by hiring external experts. Course topics and content are continuously adapted to our doctoral candidate’s needs. All courses are taught in English and are open to IGB master students and postdoctoral researchers as well. Suggestions for additional courses are welcome!
The following courses are offered at regularly:
- Aim oriented time management and networking
- Scientific presentation: Doctoral candidates present their research in our colloquium in their 1st and 3rd year and receive feedback. They take part in other candidates’ presentations and give feedback under guidance.
- Scientific writing: Doctoral students write their own scientific publication under detailed supervision
- Basics of experimental designs and statistical data analysis
We offer other courses with changing content in the following areas:
- Good scientific practice
- Data processing hard skills
- Communication, presentation and publication of scientific results
- Career planning and development, self-management
Individual coaching
In addition to the thesis supervisors‘ advice and the doctoral programme we offer our doctoral candidates individual coaching regarding experimental design, statistical data evaluation or guidance in time management, career development or other arising questions.
Doctoral representatives
All doctoral candidates periodically elect representatives as connections to the IGB director. They are contact persons for all sorts of questions and problems that might arise during a doctoral or master thesis research. They further initiate activities connecting doctoral candidates of different groups and departments, e.g. pub outings, table soccer tournaments and the doctoral summer retreat. Activities are announced through the doctoral programme or via email. Here you can see the current doctoral representatives, who can be contacted by email.
Career promotion of female doctoral candidates
The IGB aims at enhancing the proportion of highly qualified women in science. We have thus launched the "Equal opportunity fund for young female scientists and families". This programme supports excellent female scientists during and after their doctoral graduation by financing training and other career advancement activities and by facilitating an adequate research-family balance through re-entry grants and other support measures after and during parental leave. The IGB’s equal opportunity commissioner will gladly advise on compatibility of work and family, gender equality or related issues.
