Summer School for Materials Researchers – Platform for Emerging Scientists

The participants of the summer school. Photo: Alette Winter

Scientists work in an international environment. This becomes clear through the choice of the summer school’s working language. Due to the culturally varying backgrounds of colleagues, everyday tasks can come up against certain linguistic challenges for international teams. We are therefore dedicating a seminar to “Communication in International Teams.” Professional coaches provide emerging researchers with instruments for successful team communication.

The participants learn more about publication in academic journals in another workshop. Experienced researchers often take over the role of contact person for the journals. It is therefore important that emerging scientists expand their knowledge in this area and become acquainted with special professional terminology.

Further courses are held addressing career paths or successful self-presentation. The workshop participants are thus to be provided with tools to support them during the course of their professional careers.

Dr. Alette Winter Photo: HZG/R.Lippels

Forming networks and engaging in scientific exchange are also vital and are therefore covered in the program. Dr Alette Winter, scientific coordinator and project leader of the Graduate School for Materials Science at the ZHM, points out: “In addition to further developing key competencies, professional exchange and time spent together form a vital foundation for the doctoral students. In order to enable them to concentrate entirely on the summer school content, such exchange takes place at an external seminar centre. There they can discuss difficulties or obtain tips from other scientists who find themselves in the same situation. This provides a great deal of moral support during the stressful PhD period.