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Support of doctoral candidates

PTB's support program for doctoral candidates has rules that ensure a good and extensive support situation, promoting the participation in professional events as well as the offer of a core curriculum. The curriculum provides, on the one hand, an insight into the structures and environment of metrology and should, on the other hand, support doctoral candidates in acquiring key competencies for their further professional career inside and outside of PTB.

At the same time that a doctoral candidate is employed at PTB a mentor is appointed who, e.g., regularly works together with the doctoral candidate in the laboratory. Two supervisors provide each doctoral candidate with in-situ support during the doctoral period and assistance with the work at PTB. These experienced scientists not only pass on their professional experience, but also introduce the young scientists to the aspects and rules of scientific work. The university advisor (PhD supervisor) is the leading contact for each doctoral candidate for the doctoral examination procedure and is involved – early on – in determining the topic and the goals of the work. The university advisor is, as a rule, the same person as one of the in-situ supervisors, provided that the respective university is located in the vicinity of one of the PTB sites.

Promoting doctoral candidates

Core curriculum

Within the framework of the curriculum, the doctoral candidates are provided with an insight into the spectrum of tasks at PTB. The tasks thus range from fundamental metrological research to regulatory activities, national and international technology transfer and metrological services, and to consulting for politics. Further curriculum events are intended to assist our doctoral candidates to acquire key competencies for their future professional career. Main questions in this context are: What do you have to pay attention to when publishing scientific results? What is the best way to present research work? What are the rules of good scientific practice and what is important for raising third-party funds? In each case the curriculum lectures are held twice, once at PTB in Braunschweig and once at PTB in Berlin-Charlottenburg.

Colloquia

PTB, with its sites in Braunschweig and Berlin, is integrated into the Braunschweig and Berlin-Brandenburg research regions. Numerous cooperations with university institutes are in existence. The Braunschweig International Graduate School of Metrology (IGSM) is jointly managed with the TU Braunschweig. Doctoral candidates have the opportunity to participate in colloquia at these partner institutions as well as in courses held by the Braunschweig IGSM. Furthermore, every year at PTB, departmental and PTB-wide colloquia as well as seminars and symposia are held on selected metrological topics, in which our doctoral candidates may participate. International Graduate School of Metrology geführt. Doktoranden und Doktorandinnen haben die Möglichkeit, an Kolloquien dieser Partnerinstitutionen sowie an Lehrveranstaltungen der Braunschweig IGSM teilzunehmen. Darüber hinaus finden in der PTB jedes Jahr Fachabteilungs- und PTB-weite Kolloquien sowie Seminare und Symposien zu ausgewählten metrologischen Themen statt, an denen unsere Doktoranden und Doktorandinnen teilnehmen können.

Scientific and technical seminars and research trips

Participation in symposia and workshops as well as doctoral research trips to partner institutions are an enrichment for the doctoral period and facilitate gaining early access to the scientific community. Within the framework of its intensive and broad national and international cooperations, PTB is able to offer its doctoral candidates visiting scholarships at national and international partner institutions, in order to not only broaden technical and practical knowledge, but also to conduct interdisciplinary research. Participation in symposia is funded by PTB.

FANwing events

FANwing stands for Förder- und Arbeitskreis der Nachwuchswissenschaftler und -ingenieure. (Support and working circle of young scientists and engineers). Events within the framework of FANwing are a direct way to become acquainted with PTB in its diversity. The events include laboratory tours as well as, e.g., a tour of the Department of Scientific Instrumentation or lectures on IT safety and PTB's Translation Office.

"Doctoral evenings"

"Doctoral evenings" to talk shop and to become acquainted take place in a relaxed atmosphere following curriculum events.