The DLR Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Cologne, Germany, offers in
cooperation with several partners an excellent and interdisciplinary
training for up to 25 doctoral students from different fields.
Members and partners of SpaceLife in Germany are the universities of
Aachen, Berlin, Bonn, Cologne, Erlangen-Nürnberg, Frankfurt, Hohenheim,
Kiel, Köln, Magdeburg, Marburg, Regensburg, München, the German Sports
University Cologne and the University of Applied Sciences
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg in Rheinbach. Partners abroad are the University Zurich,
the Beihang University and King’s College London.
Together with these cooperating institutions we intend to qualify a new
generation of internationally competitive young scientists in the field
of space life sciences research. They will be prepared for taking over
leading positions in research, management and policy, industry, or
consulting and education.
Aims:
SpaceLife aims to improve the qualification of the participating
doctoral students and provide an optimal research environment towards
their doctoral degree. Students will learn to develop integrated
concepts to solve health issues in human spaceflight and in related
disease patterns on Earth, and to further explore the requirements for
life in extreme environments, enabling a better understanding of the
ecosystem Earth and the search for life on other planets in unmanned and
manned missions.
Funding:
SpaceLife is funded in equal parts by the “President’s Initiative and
Networking Fund” (“Impuls- und Vernetzungsfonds des Präsidenten”) of the
Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers and by the DLR
(Executive Board Member for Space Research and Technology and Institute
of Aerospace Medicine).
PhD degree:
SpaceLife gives the opportunity to carry out a full-time doctoral thesis
at the end of which the doctoral students will receive a “German PhD”
(Dr. rer. nat., Dr. hum. biol., Dr. oec. troph., Dr. med. vet., Dr. rer.
medic., Dr. Sports Sciences).
In general, all doctoral candidates at Institute of Aerospace Medicine
can actively participate in the Research School regardless of the type
of funding they obtained (basic or third-party). SpaceLife scholarship
recipients are required to participate. The graduate program is also
open for doctoral candidates from the member and partner universities,
provided their fields of specialization fits one or more fields of
research addressed in SpaceLife.
Prospective students can choose one out of 19 challenging research
projects offered by our faculty members. Although students specialize in
a particular research topic (Radiobiology, Gravitational Biology,
Astrobiology, Space Physiology), the interdisciplinary context of the
program facilitates interactions with other research groups and fosters
the ability of cross-frontier thinking. Laboratory work is supplemented
by lectures, a students’ workshop, journal clubs, elective courses, soft
skills training, exchanges with partner universities or partner
organizations, and participation in national orinternational
conferences.
The Research School will support candidates in the development of a
strong personal career profile and establish a tight network of young
researchers. Integration in internationally renowned research groups
will give you a broad experience in research to develop and improve your
own skills.
We offer
- a top-level research infrastructure and a supportive environment for doctoral candidates
- a PhD stipend paid according to the rules of the DFG (German Research Foundation)
- a clearly focused education and research plan through regularly meetings of the thesis advisory committee
- efficient supervision by a team of two supervisors and a mentor
- a structured interdisciplinary training program
- intensive courses in transferable skills (“soft skills”)
- stays at labs at the partner institutions or abroad
- Cologne – a lively city with dynamic business activities,
successful scientific centers of innovation and a vibrant cultural scene
We expect
- Master’s or other degree with excellent grades comparable to a
German University Diploma or Master in biology, human biology,
biochemistry, physiology, anatomy, biotechnology, microbiology, physics,
chemistry, veterinary medicine, biomechanical engineering, and
nutrition or sports sciences. Candidates about to earn their degree are
welcome to apply.
- linguistic proficiency in English: Fluent in spoken and written English
- first laboratory experience / clinical study experience (dependent on research topic)
- strong interest in space life sciences
- a high degree of motivation and dedication for scientific working
- the ability to work creatively in a multidisciplinary team
- knowledge of standard word processing and spreadsheet software
It is advantageous to have…
- experience with databases management and statistical software
- ability using biomedical literature databases
- experience with working in multicultural groups
- basic knowledge in German for daily life in Germany
Application
Please download the Application form and the Referee’s Report form and follow the instructions given in these forms.
After filling in the forms, please send by e-mail to Dr. Christine Hellweg:
- the Application Form (as pdf file with the following file name: “Family name”_”First name”_SpaceLife_Application.pdf) and
- the CV and Certificates (in one pdf file with the following file name: “Family name”_”First name”_CV_certificates.pdf)
Only applications arriving in this form can be processed.
If there is no possibility to sign the e-mailed application, please,
send us in addition a FAX of the last page of the application form (p.
9) bearing your signature. Without signature the application is not
valid.
In the Referee’s Report – “topic of doctoral thesis”, please indicate
your favorite scientific field preference (as listed in the application
form).
- If you are already sure which specific topic interests you most
(after reading the SpaceLife booklet), you can provide the full title of
the thesis.
- If not, just mention the scientific field preference, e.g.
radiobiology – radiation protection and space radiation measurements.
Please make sure that your referees use the report form and do not send a
letter of recommendation of their own style. The referee’s reports
should carry file names composed as described here: “Family name”_”First
name”_Referees_Report_”Number”.pdf
For application it is imperative:
- We do not accept any hardcopies/paper copies sent by ordinary post
or fax (excluding the copy of the signed main application form).
- Regardless of the outcome of your application we are unable to return any documents you send to us.
When will you be hearing from us?
A decision on your application will be made within six weeks after the
deadline by which you have to submit your completed application. During
the admission process the key faculty members in the academic field for
which you are applying may contact you for a telephone interview.
Financial assistance:
During the doctoral studies, SpaceLife can provide up to 13 candidates
with a stipend that is limited to maximum 3 years, enabling the students
to exclusively work on their research project. A stipend requires at
the beginning of the doctoral thesis that the graduation must not date
back longer than 3 years. Servitors must not have completed their 30th
year of age.
The stipend is paid without any taxes and ranges between 1.277,- € and 1.431,- €, depending on the marital status.
SpaceLife offers the program without tuition fees. However, doctoral
candidates might have to be enrolled at one of the member universities.
Here, each semester you might have to pay an enrollment fee. Please
check the websites of the member and partner universities for more
information.
Please be aware that living expenses in Germany might be higher than in
other countries. It has been estimated that students will require
approx. 880,- € per month to cover the costs of living and study.
Estimated costs include:
- Accommodation: 380,- € per month on average (deposit: one to two
month rent, returned on expiry of the duration of rent if there is no
cause for complain)
- Health insurance: mandatory, but on your own responsibility, ca. 200 €
- Third party liability insurance: 30,- € per year
- Other costs: varies from person to person but is unlikely to be
less than 250,- € per month (food, books, stationery, travel, clothes,
sport/leisure, etc)
If you have any questions concerning your application, please contact:
Helmholtz Space Life Sciences Research School
Email: Christine Hellweg
phone: + 49 2203 601 3243
For more information, please visit official website :
www.dlr.de
Credit : Kesma BEM KM Undip