“Saxony was my favorite next to the Californian Silicon Valley”, Siavash Ghiasvand says, an ambitious 28-year-old PhD student of computer science from Tehran. The Iranian applied for PhD positions in the USA and in Dresden.“ Here are so many computer companies producing really top hardware. This is an optimal base for me as a software specialist.” The computer scientist is one of 80 PhD students in the Center for Advancing Electronics Dresden (cfaed). On 12 February, cfaed offers an introduction day for new recruits.

Graduates from twelve different countries have started their doctoral studies in the Cluster of Excellence for microelectronics of Technische Universität Dresden since its start in November 2012. About three quarters of them originated from Germany, the other scientists come from India, China, the Iran, Bangladesh, Palestine, Mexico, Ukraine, Belorussia, Czech Republic, Italy and Luxembourg. In the nine research paths of cfaed, they work for the 60 investigators researching new microchip-technologies. About half of the cfaed PhD candidates graduated in the field of electrical engineering, the others are computer scientists, physicists, chemists, mechanical engineers, and mathematicians. Most of them are between 25 and 35 years old. 17 of the 80 PhD students are female. 

The Iranian Siavash Ghiasvand completed his Master of Science at the School of Computer Engineering and Distributed Systems at the Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran. Currently, he is writing a research proposal for his doctoral thesis in the Resilience Path. His supervisor is Professor Wolfgang E. Nagel, director of the Center for Information Services and High Performance Computing of Technische Universität Dresden. Since August 2013, Siavash is working here as a research associate. “The support I had before and just after my arrival in Dresden was a great help”, the young Iranian tells. “With the help of the Welcome Center of the University, I immediately found an apartment in Dresden-Neustadt.” Now, he discovers the city by bike: “I did not expect Dresden to be such a beautiful place.” Siavash likes his new home town. “Even the weather is much better than I expected.” He joined some campus sport courses and will participate in German language courses sponsored by cfaed. Furthermore, he takes part in the extensive career development program of cfaed for young scientists.  All going to plan, Siavash will complete his PhD by 2017.

Photodownload (Photo: Jürgen Lösel)
 
Further Enquiries:
Birgit Holthaus, cfaed Press Officer,
Phone 49 351 463-42848,