Qualification

Objectives

In addition to their personal research focus, the study program is intended to impart in-depth knowledge in the fields of microsystems technology, chemistry and the physico-chemical properties of hydrogels as well as structural and fluid-mechanical couplings in hydrogels (including mechano-electro-thermo-chemical couplings). The scholarship holders should thus be able to work on interdisciplinary scientific tasks within the scope of the Research Training Group. The teaching contents offered represent the relevant scientific field at an

•     up to date knowledge
•     in concentrated form
•     from the hands of the respective experts.

The study programme aims to achieve the following objectives:

• The scholarship holders should be put in a position to carry out outstanding research in their own field, including the neighbouring scientific fields.
• The study programme should support the inter- and transdisciplinarity of the research focus between chemical and engineering fundamentals, modelling and simulation as well as microsystems engineering applications.
• The study programme will systematically combine natural sciences and technology, manufacturing and business aspects as well as cultural content.
• A scientific-technical environment is to be created which serves to impart basic scientific knowledge in all sub-disciplines and which methodically enables the scholarship holders to incorporate new technologies and findings into their research work.

In addition, the scholarship holders should enjoy the greatest possible independence and personal responsibility within the framework of the Research Training Group. This is the only way to enable them to take on leadership tasks in research and development after completing their dissertation. This includes the independent organisation of the research seminar, the literature seminar (Journal Club) and the workshops by the fellows and the independent realisation of their projects including the guidance of diploma and master students and student assistants.

A central and unique element of the study programme is to impart knowledge and skills from the various scientific fields of chemistry and engineering in order to make hydrogels widely usable for microsystems engineering solutions. This goes far beyond the objectives of diploma and master courses and can only be successful in connection with outstanding research. For the interdisciplinary topic of the use of scientific and engineering fundamentals for hydrogel-based microsystems, there are no established training courses. The Research Training Group is the ideal institution for us to develop the topic adequately and interdisciplinarily both in research and teaching.

Language

The working language of the Research Training Group is English.

Structure

Research Projects
The active scientific research of the fellows themselves is at the centre of the qualification programme. The research projects of the research programme offer the fellows topics that are scientifically attractive, have great research potential and are technically interesting and challenging.

Lecture Series
Within the lecture period of the first semester, a lecture series is held by the participating university teachers. Here the current research areas of the project leaders and the technical equipment available to the fellows are presented.

Introductory Block Internship
At the beginning of the first semester, there is an introductory block internship in which the fellows can learn basic knowledge and skills from the various scientific fields of the Research Training Group. Planned are:

•     Synthesis and characterization of hydrogels (Voit)
•     Rheology (Odenbach)
•     Introduction to the Finite Element Method (Wallmersperger)
•     Sensors (Gerlach, Günther)
•     Special measuring methods in chemistry and microsystems technology (external)

Total: 1 SWS (1st semester), mandatory

Research Seminar, Literature Seminar
Within the framework of the regular research seminar, the collegiates will be given the opportunity to present the current status of their own work and to discuss it with others. It is thus also a connecting element between the study and research programmes. In the literature seminar (Journal Club), the fellows are to present and discuss the latest developments in the fields of science concerning the CFR on the basis of the latest publications. The Research Seminar and the Literature Seminar will take place every two weeks after the first semester during the entire duration of the Research Training Group and will serve as a scientific exchange within the Research Training Group. The leadership of the seminar will be taken over independently by the fellows, who will also organize the integration of lectures of the guest researchers. The spokesperson of the scholarship holders compiles the programme of the research semester for one semester in advance.

Total volume: 5 semesters with 2 SWS each (2nd to 6th semester), compulsory

Advanced Courses
After familiarisation with the doctoral topic in the first semester, in the 2nd to 6th semesters in-depth courses should enable students to deepen their knowledge in the specific subject areas of their own research project as well as in related subject areas. The doctoral candidate selects courses with a total volume of m + n = 10 SWS from the following offerings:

•     Courses offered specifically for the GRK (table),
•     regularly offered LV to the topic area of the GRK,
•     Electives according to the individual professional objective.

Guest Lectures
German and foreign scientists from universities, research institutes and industry will report on the latest results in the subject areas of the Research Training Group. Guest lectures are offered as separate events or within the Research Seminar.

Workshops, Summer Schools
One workshop and one summer school are held each year:

• The workshops will be dedicated to specific topics of the Research Training Group with the involvement of guest researchers. They may include individual lectures or block seminars. They are aimed in particular at the Research Training Group.
• The Summer Schools aim to disseminate the basics and results of the RTG to the outside world. Through an academic tutorial and other events, primarily young doctoral students from other universities or other countries are to be attracted to Dresden.

Supplementary Offers
The Career Service, the Centre for Continuing Education and the Graduate Academy of the TU Dresden offer a wide range of courses on individual competence development or vocational preparation, support programmes and counselling:

• The Career Service of the TU Dresden coordinates offers for students and doctoral candidates for career entry and career planning and offers competence workshops (potential analysis, application documents check, application training).
• The Zentrum für Weiterbildung offers target group-specific continuing education programs for doctoral students and scientists at TU Dresden on university didactics and key qualifications.
• The Graduiertenakademie is a central point of contact and service for all questions relating to doctoral studies. Furthermore, during the doctoral and postdoctoral phases, it aims to create optimal conditions across universities. Through high supervision and quality standards, young scientists at the TU Dresden are to be qualified for outstanding positions in science, business and society.

A workshop on "Good Scientific Practice" is offered for the fellows, in which the participants acquire knowledge of the rules of good scientific practice and competencies for making appropriate decisions in everyday research life. Due to the close personal connection of professors of the Research Training Group, participation in events of the VDE Working Group Microelectronics is also open to the GRK staff members. There about three events per year are offered by guest lectures of industry representatives as well as company visits.

Exam Guidance for the Rigorosum

In all faculties of the participating university teachers, the doctoral regulations require examinations within the framework of a doctoral viva. The doctoral committees of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (EuI), the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering (MW) and the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (MN) (specialising in chemistry) recognise examinations in the courses of the Research Training Group as a doctoral examination. They can be taken in parallel to the doctorate (i.e. well in advance of the defence of the dissertation). At the faculty EuI special examination modalities have to be considered (doctoral committee sets up examination commission), at the faculties MW and MN the examination certificate of the university teachers of the GRK is sufficient for recognition.

Scope of the study programme

The total scope of the teaching and seminar programme is 22 SWS.