General

PhD Networks publish Wahlprüfsteine for the German Federal Elections

On September 26, Germany elects a new federal parliament, the Bundestag. This election affects all aspects of life, including the worklife of doctoral researchers, development of science and diversity in acadmia. To help doctoral researchers and other early-career scientists, several PhD networks have joined forces to provide them with a guide to navigate the elections using information that directly affects them. We very much encourage you to cast your vote if you can!

The project was conducted by the the N² network (Helmholtz Association, Max Planck Society, leibniz PhD Network and IPP Mayence), the TUM Graduate Council of the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the ProKo of the Friedrich-August-University in Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), THESIS e.V., the Doctoral Covenant of Baden-Württemberg, the Coucil of Doctoral Researchers of the Technical University of Brunswik, the ProRat of the University of Leipzig, and the DR.FSU of the University of Jena.

With our forces joined, we asked the political parties currently present in the Bundestag about their plans after the election regarding science and academia, including the working conditions of doctoral researchers among other topics. The result can be read in our report. The report is only available in German because this is about the German elections and entails an introductory note, summary tables, a short text with our overall impression and an annex with the verbatim answers of the parties.

Our joint effort has received complete sets of answers from the parties CDU/CSU, FDP, Bündnis90/Die Grünen and Die Linke. The SPD has answered to one of the blocks of questions only, while the AfD has not sent any answers.

We hope the report is a useful tool to inform your voting decision.

Wahlprufsteinebericht_Promovierende_BTW2021

“Institutes need to be aware of LGBTI+ issues”

Interview with Jan Klenke on IDAHOBIT

Today, LGBTI+ folks around the world and their allies observe IDAHOBIT – the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia, and Transphobia. As the Leibniz PhD Network, we would like to express our support for the community. To shed a light on LGBTI+ issues in academia, our Working Group Diversity conducted an interview with our Co-Spokesperson Jan Klenke.

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1st Online Science Slam

Only a few days to go until our 1st online science slam!

We have seven doctoral researchers from seven different Leibniz institutes who will battle for the title.

Join us on Friday, 30 April 2021 at 5 pm on Zoom to hear their talks, learn something cool and vote for your favorite!

The entries:

Your microbiota poopprint
Lisa Budzinski
German Rheumatism Research Center Berlin (DRFZ)

Go with the flow – how brains perceive motion
Benedict Wild
German Primate Center (DPZ)

DO NOT DISTURB – Age effects of interruption processing
Marlene Rösner
Research Centre for Working Environment and Human Factors (IfADo)

Surviving the valley of death – New innovations in agriculture
Richard Orozco
Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATP)

Self control struggles and terrible shopping choices – A scientific analysis
Jana Hamdan
German Institute for Economic Research (DIW Berlin)

How to build a (not so intelligent) human brain
Emilio Perez-Bosch
IHP – Innovations for High Performance Microelectronics

From Russia with love: tracking bats with stable isotopes
Cecilia Kruszynski de Assis
Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

Invitation to the 1st Leibniz PhD Network Science Slam

Times have been tough on all of us and we all really need a little fun. This is why the working group ‘WG Communication’ is organizing a Science Slam event within the Leibniz PhD Network. We invite PhD candidates from all sections to participate in this event to teach others what their field of research is all about.

For the ones not familiar: Science Slams are a platform to communicate research in an entertaining way. Make people laugh, cry or amazed by the work you’re doing – similar to conference talks, but without the formalities and that one guy sleeping in the background.

  • Who can participate? All doctoral researchers at Leibniz institutes or research museums. From all registrations, 10 speakers will be selected.
  • Presentation format? English, 10 minutes
  • When? Friday, 30 April 2020 – 5pm
  • Where? Online – via Zoom
  • How can you register as a speaker? Fill out this registration form until 30 March 2021
  • Are there prizes for the winners? Yes, of course. And glory!

We hope to get speakers from all sections, so register and represent your institute! For all others, save the date and support your representing speaker. Winners will be voted by the audience.