PhD / Postdoc Community
Currently, about 130 PhD students – from all over the world – are working at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) for Biophysical Chemistry in Göttingen. The PhD / Postdoc Community is a network of these students (founded 2003) which aims at promoting their interests. Our goal is to address the current issues affecting PhD students and to make their life at our campus a most pleasant experience. The Max Planck Society-wide network of PhD students is the PhDnet which serves as a platform for exchange among PhD students from all Max Planck Institutes. Since 2008 the network includes Postdocs and their interests as well.
What do we do?
To stimulate interaction among PhD students and Postdocs from the different departments we organize Get Togethers, which are informal gatherings with food and drinks.
In order to prepare ourselves for our "life after the PhD / Postdoc", whether that would be in- or outside the scientific community, we regularly invite guests working in companies or institutes in different areas to inform us about their working field and career opportunities (Career Seminars).
To broaden professional and social competences, we also offer different Soft Skill Seminars and Scientific Seminars.
Furthermore Sport events are organized by us.
Beside of organizing activities for PhD students and Postdocs the PhD / Postdoc Community informs them also about changes within the MPI BPC / MPS concerning administrative issues (e.g. the health insurance subsidy). The PhD / Postdoc Community further assists all PhD students and Postdocs in settling in, and answers queries or helps with problems in regard to the personal situation or the graduate program regulations (Informing). So do not hesitate to contact us no matter which problem you are facing at the moment.
For PhD students: Please contact us especially if you feel that the new guidelines for PhD students (Guidelines for Doctoral Training at Max Planck Institutes and PhDnet Best Practice Guide) are not respected by your supervisor.
Interested in joining us, or sharing an idea?
Feel free to come along and join any of our fortnightly meetings on Thursdays at 5 pm in the Large Seminar Room in the Administration Building.
Next meeting: May 9, 2013
Or, contact us anytime via email.
