The IRTG Qualification Concept
The objectives of the IRTG are pursued by a structured curriculum comprising activities for peer-based knowledge transfer, permanently scheduled interdisciplinary seminars, the invitation of guest scientists, participation at conferences and summer schools, and regularly scheduled retreats. The doctoral researchers are actively involved in the planning of these events and organise a significant portion of the activities themselves. The structured curriculum is complemented by the input from the Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC) consisting of three senior members of the SFB. TAC members offer high expertise, broad experience, and dedicated guidance to the doctoral researchers. They meet with the young researcher on a regular basis to give feedback on progress and performance, and advise how to accomplish ambitious research aims. Moreover, mandatory external research stays are an additional key element of the scientific qualification measures of the SFB.
Lectures are given by external experts and by SFB members. The general public is invited to attend these lectures. For the program of the Lecture Series, please follow this link
The Rostock Summer Schools on Electrically Active Implants are a platform for exchange of distinguished invited experts and young scientists and complement the Lecture Series by a method-focused approach.
Past summer schools:
- Summer school "Biomaterials for Electrically Active Implants" at Tagungshotel der Wirtschaft Schloss Hasenwinkel, May 18th-20th, 2022
- Summer school “Uncertainty Quantification” at University of Rostock, May 28th-29th, 2018
- Summer school “Clinical Needs for Electrically Active Implants” at Tagungshotel der Wirtschaft Schloss Hasenwinkel, May 23rd-25th, 2018
At annual Basics and Trends Workshops (“BaTs Workshops”), all doctoral researchers present progress reports followed by extensive discussions with all IRTG members.
Past and planned IRTG BaTs workshops:
- Eighth annual BaTs workshop at Schloss Hasenwinkel, June 8th-June 10th, 2026
Organizing committee: Nico Graumüller, Nadine Berger, Theres Fersterer, Jan Philipp Payonk, Jacob Thönes - Seventh annual BaTs workshop at Schloss Hasenwinkel, June 30th-July 2nd, 2025
Organizing committee: Laura Lembcke, Nadine Berger, Karl Blynow, Jan Philipp Payonk, Hendrikje Raben, Meike Statz, Jacob Thönes - Sixth annual BaTs workshop at Schloss Hasenwinkel, July 8th-10th, 2024
Organizing committee: Jan Philipp Payonk, Nadine Berger, Meike Bielfeldt, Laura Lembcke, Paula Respondek, Meike Statz - Fifth annual BaTs workshop at Schloss Hasenwinkel, June 26th-28th, 2023
Organizing committee: Meike Statz, Nadine Berger, Meike Bielfeldt, Laura Lembcke, Jan Philipp Payonk, Paula Respondek - Fourth annual BaTs workshop at Universität Rostock, May 30th-June 1st, 2022
Organizing committee: Meike Genzow, Jan Philipp Payonk, Meike Statz, Julius Zimmermann - Third annual BaTs workshop, May 10th, 2021, with guest speakers Dr. Elisabeth Bik, "The Dark Side of Science: Misconduct in Biomedical Research", and Virginia Bolowski, "Funding Opportunities for (Early Career) Scientists" and "Scientific Writing of Grant proposals" - online event
Organizing committee: Philipp Henning, Nadine Berger, Michael Sämann, Julius Zimmermann - Second annual BaTs workshop at Gutshaus Parin, November 4th-6th, 2019
Organizing committee: Michael Sämann, Nadine Berger, Maria Kober, Stefanie Kreß, Wiebke Radlof, Max Schröder, Julius Zimmermann - First annual BaTs workshop at Gutshaus Parin, November 5th-7th, 2018
Organizing committee: Hendrikje Raben, Nadine Berger, Kai Budde, Abdul Razzaq Farooqi, Maria Kober, Frank Krüger, Simone Krüger, Hans-Eckhard Lange
Joint projects and internal IRTG workshops are of particular interest for scientific networking. These events serve both as a means to introduce IRTG members to each other and as a forum for new ideas.
An annual Research Data Management and Reproducibility Award, set up in collaboration with project INF, honours good research practice since 2023.
Researchs stays of up to three months in an institution abroad may be funded for IRTG members (application to IRTG office in agreement with their supervisor).
The Graduate Academy of the University of Rostock, the Rostock International House, the IT- and Media Centre, and the Centre of Entrepreneurship (ZfE) offer a wide range of workshops open to all IRTG members.
Each IRTG member is supervised by his or her Thesis Advisory Committee (TAC). Progress reports and progress report meetings are due on a schedule specifically defined for each doctoral researcher in order to give feedback and advice on progress and performance. The TAC complements the supervision by the main group leader and – as an important aspect of TAC thesis supervision – TAC members are available for resolving disputes if any conflicts arise.
A limited number of short-term fellowships for a period of up to one year are available - link.