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How do I start a PhD in Jena?

If you want to start a doctorate, there are three aspects you should consider: You need to find a supervisor, funding and a topic. Below you will find information on how to proceed in this search.

The formal steps that are necessary when you start a doctorate in Jena are explained at the end of this page.

Search for a supervisor

To find a supervisor for your own doctoral project is often the first step on the way to a doctorate. The search for funding is often related to this.

It is extremely important that you have a close and trusting relationship with your supervisor or supervisors. Supervisors are your first stop for questions relating to your research, as well as an invaluable resource of tips on structuring your academic and professional career. They can open doors to a wealth of professional contacts through their own academic achievements, and offer an example that you can aspire towards. Just as importantly, they serve as a sparring partner, helping you to question, refine and improve your research.

If you have already had direct contact with a possible supervisor, for example as a result of supervising your Master's thesis, you should generally pay attention to the following aspects when making your decision:

• Is the research area of your supervisor the area you want to work in? Does your topic fit to their research interests?
• What is their form of supervision? Do they give the right amount of feedback? How often can you meet them?
• Do you have a good feeling with them? Is the "chemistry" right between you?
• Do they help you to find a way to fund your doctorate?

If you are applying for supervision from abroad, you will certainly find it difficult to answer these questions. In this case, possible indicators for you could be the number of doctoral projects in the professor's department or also what impression you get in email communication.

In Germany, it is quite common to write to professors directly and ask them if they would supervise your doctorate.

Before you contact someone, you should first do some research to find out which professor is conducting research in an area that matches your own previous research experience and corresponds to your future research interests. For a nationwide search, you can use the platform " German Research Institutions External link ". For the search at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, please use the websites of the faculties . Just as a hint: If the websites of an institute are not available in English, this is often an indicator that the working language at this institute is German and thus an application from abroad without the appropriate German language skills has little chance of success.

If you decide to contact a professor, please send a well-written e-mail containing, among other things, the following information: your prior academic achievements, the topic of your master's thesis and the subject area in which you wish to specialise. It is important to illustrate, how your research interests and experiences match with the research done by the professor. Therefore, you should consider to search for the latest publications of the professor in question.

As soon as you have found a supervisor, you can ask them about the possibilities of financing your doctorate: For example, whether positions at the department or in third-party funded projects will be available or whether you need support in applying for a scholarship. You can find more information in the section "Finding funding".

Search for a topic

Another important step is finding a thesis topic. The degree of freedom in deciding on the topic differs between the academic disciplines.

In the natural and life sciences , it is more common for those interested in doing a doctorate to first search for a supervisor, who then roughly defines the topic of the dissertation. If you apply to a structured doctoral programme in the natural and life sciences, the topic is usually specified within the framework of the programme.

In the humanities and social sciences , it is more common for those interested in doing a doctorate to first look for a topic on their own and then use this topic to find a suitable supervisor. To apply for a structured doctoral programme in the humanities and social sciences, you usually need your own topic, which must fit the programme's range of topics.

If the topic of your doctoral project is not set by the structured programme or your supervisor, you should consider the following aspects:

On the one hand, the topic should provide a certain continuity to your prior research topics, while, on the other hand, it should represent a new step in your scientific development. Overall, the topic should be manageable within the planned time schedule.

Search for a funding

Depending on the academic discipline, the ways to finance a doctorate in Germany differ. Basically, there are four different ways:

You can do your doctorate as part of an academic staff position. These positions are usually temporary and part-time. Basically, there are two different types of positions you can apply for in Germany:

As an academic employee paid by FSU , you are employed by your supervisor's institute. One part of your duties will be supporting your supervisor in carrying out tasks within his or her institute. This includes assisting with teaching Bachelor and Master's degree students, working on research and helping with departmental administration. Another part of your duties will be working independently on your own doctoral project.

As an academic employee in a programme funded by a third party , your work will focus more on the project's research programme, as well as on completing your own doctoral project. As practices vary depending upon the discipline and the source of funding, be sure to clarify with your supervisor how the larger research programme and your own research project will be connected and how much time you will have to conduct research for your thesis. In these positions, you do not usually have to take on tasks of the chair, such as teaching.

If you would like to apply for these positions from abroad, it is important to check the requirements stated in the job advertisement. Especially for positions in the humanities and social sciences, knowledge of German is often an important requirement, as the working language at the institute and in teaching is often German. In the natural and life sciences, English is more widely used as the teaching and working language at institutes. The language in which the advertisement is written often gives an indication of what language skills are expected.

You can find the job market of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena here .

You can do your doctorate within a structured doctoral programme. This path to a doctorate is more widespread internationally than in Germany. Increasingly, however, doctoral research as part of a structured doctoral programme is also being offered in Germany – especially in the natural and life sciences.

In structured doctoral programmes, doctoral researchers conduct their research based on a common research topic - thus the topic of the doctorate cannot be chosen freely and must fit the thematic focus of the programme. The doctoral researchers are supervised in teams and therefore do not have only one doctoral supervisor as in individual doctorates. Funding is usually provided either through the programme's own positions or scholarships.

You can also apply for acceptance to such a programme from abroad. There are more than 20 graduate schools, research training groups and structured doctoral programmes at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. You can find an overview of the programmes here . There you will also find information on how often calls for applications take place in the respective programmes.

There are many different scholarships for doctoral researchers. The application procedure of the individual scholarship programmes varies greatly. Before you can apply for a scholarship, you already need a supervisor and a topic.

Most scholarships in Germany are awarded by the 13 organisations for the promotion of young talent . The state of Thuringia finances state graduate scholarships for doctoral researchers at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena. A common scholarship for foreign doctoral researchers is the DAAD Research Fellowship External link .

In addition to these subject-independent scholarships, there are also numerous subject-specific scholarships . Many of these scholarships are publicly advertised. You can find some current announcements here . To search for subject-specific scholarships, we also recommend the mystipendium database External link for German doctoral researchers or the DAAD database External link or euraxess External link for international doctoral researchers.

General information on how to apply for a scholarship can be found here .

If you earn your living by working outside the university, you can also pursue your doctorate while you are working. While planning your doctoral thesis, please consider that in most cases it will require more time to complete your dissertation if you are employed at the same time – especially if your doctoral project is not related to your professional activities.

First official steps: Admission, enrolment and co.

Once you have found funding, a topic and a professor who has agreed to supervise your doctoral project, you can officially start your doctorate in Jena. The following steps are then necessary for the start:

As soon as you have found a supervisor, you should conclude a written agreement on the supervision of your doctorate, the so-called supervision agreement. With this agreement, the relationship between doctoral candidates and supervisors can be arranged transparently for both sides in terms of topic and time. It is prerequisite for the admission as a doctoral candidate at a faculty of FSU.

You can find further information here .

The status of a doctoral candidate is granted when you are admitted by one of the faculties of Jena University – irrespective of whether you finance your doctorate by scholarship, university employment or other means. To get the admission, you first have to register in the online registration portal doc-in External link . There you will find the "Application for Admission as a Doctoral Candidate". Please submit it to the dean's office of your faculty.

After the admission, doctoral candidates have the possibility to enrol with the university. Enrolment is not mandatory, but it offers some advantages. You can find further information here .

Frequently asked questions

Possible supervisors of the dissertation project may be:

• private lecturer ("Privatdozent/in")
• junior research group leaders ("Nachwuchsgruppenleiter"), if their scientific qualification has been confirmed by an external evaluation procedure.

One of your supervisors must be a member of the faculty at which you are about to carry out your project. Exceptions are possible, however, only when the faculty's council grants its approval.

Junior research group leaders may also be permitted to supervise doctoral candidates if their academic qualifications have been assessed. The Senate Research Committee has compiled an overview of the funding programmes pdf, 231 kb  · de for which this qualification is generally fulfilled and therefore doctoral supervision is possible.

In order to get an admission as a doctoral candidate, you usually need an academic degree in the same field. If you decide to do your doctorate in a subject that has not been your field of study previously, the respective faculty will examine your qualifications and, if necessary, may impose certain conditions like attending additional courses.

Once you have a supervisor, you can start with your doctorate – even though you have not found a way to finance it. But please keep in mind that finding the proper funding may take several months, in which you also need to be able to finance your living expenses. Possible options for funding can be found here .

Upon admission, the faculty checks whether your foreign degree is sufficient to be accepted for the doctorate in Jena. If your degree is not sufficient, the faculty may admit you to the doctorate under certain conditions. One such condition could be, for example, that you have to complete a certain number of credits by attending seminars in the course of your doctorate.

Whether you need to have German skills depends on your supervisor. If your supervisor agrees that English is the language of your PhD, you can write your thesis and do most of your work in English. But for everyday life some German skills might be useful.

No. You do not have to pay tuition fees for a doctorate in Germany.

There are no application deadlines for admission as a doctoral candidate. You can be accepted as a doctoral candidate at any time.

Application deadlines only exist if you want to apply for a doctoral position in a structured doctoral programme. About 25 per cent of doctorates take place in such a programme in Germany. The majority of doctorates are conducted as so-called "individual doctorates".

Enrolment is optional. There are no enrolment deadlines – doctoral candidates can enrol at any time during semester.

The enrolment as a doctoral candidate is different from the enrolment as a student. Therefore, you have to de-register as a student first and then you can enrol as a doctoral candidate. But before you can enrol as a doctoral candidate, you will need to apply for the admission as a doctoral candidate at the Dean’s Office of your faculty. You can find all information about the admission here .

In order to apply for the admission you will need a final degree certificate, which means that, as a rule, you can only start the admission process once you finished your prior studies.

Once you handed in the application for admission at the Dean’s Office, it may take up to two or three weeks until you receive an admission letter. With this letter, you can start the enrolment process. Enrolment as a doctoral candidate is possible at any time. You can find all information about enrolment here .

More information

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House for Young Researchers "Zur Rosen", Room Ground floor Johannisstraße 13 07743 Jena

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Opening hours: Monday, Wednesday: 10.00h – 12.00h Tuesday, Thursday: 10.00h – 12.00h, 14.00h – 16.00h

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PhD program

General information.

The PhD program allows graduates to obtain a doctorate (doctor iuris, Dr. iur.). The doctoral degree can be awarded upon proof that the candidate is capable of in-depth scholarly work in the field of law. This proof is provided by the submission of a written scientific paper (dissertation) and an oral examination (defence).

The PhD program at the Law Faculty is divided into several stages:

1. Supervision and topic search; organising the PhD project

The first step is to find a supervisor and a suitable topic for the dissertation. This is the most important step in determining the course of the PhD program. You should make thorough enquiries in advance as to which university lecturer would be a suitable supervisor for your research project.

Furthermore, you should determine how you want to organise your PhD project. In particular, how you intend on financing the period during which you plan to complete your doctorate (e.g. by means of a scholarship, part-time work, etc.)

2. Admission requirements for the PhD program

Finally, you should clarify whether you meet the formal requirements for a PhD at the Law Faculty:

In order to be admitted to the PhD program, the candidates must have successfully completed a degree in law at a German university. Applicants with an equivalent foreign degree in law must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of the German language and the German legal system. This proof can be provided by successfully completing a postgraduate course (magister iuris, magister legum) at a German university or in an equivalent manner.

As a general rule, candidates are required to have passed the First or Second State Examination in Law with at least the grade "fully satisfactory". In justified cases, the Faculty Council may exempt candidates from this requirement if they obtained the grade "satisfactory" in at least one state examination. Usually, this will be the case if the applicant either completed a seminar at the faculty and received a grade not lower than "good" or is employed as a research assistant at a chair in the Faculty .

3. Enrolling as a PhD candidate

Once the topic of the dissertation has been determined, the candidate applies to the Dean for admission to the PhD program.

The application must be accompanied by copies of the required documents and certificates as proof of eligibility for the PhD program; external applicants must submit certified copies. Applicants must also provide an informal written statement from a full-time university lecturer working at the Faculty confirming their ongoing contact with the candidate in regard to the intended dissertation. The application must also include details of any exemptions that may be necessary (e.g. from the grade requirement).

The Dean decides on admission; in certain cases the Faculty Council must give its consent. The Dean issues a written decision concerning the application for admission to the PhD program.

The supervisor and the doctoral candidate then draw up a supervision agreement. The PhD candidate is required to register for admission via the online portal for PhD and doctoral administration at the FSU Jena ( doc-in External link ).

4. Writing the PhD thesis

The main task for the PhD candidate is to write the dissertation.

The guidelines of the faculty regarding the formal requirements of a term paper, seminar paper or scientific paper apply accordingly.

In addition, the principles of good scientific practice must be observed when writing the thesis.

5. Steps of the doctoral process

Upon completion of the thesis, candidates must submit an application to the Dean's Office to initiate the doctoral process. The application must include a number of documents, the details of which can be found in the information leaflet.

The Faculty Council decides on the application to initiate the doctoral procedure; concurrently, the members of the PhD Commission are appointed upon proposal of the Dean. The Dean notifies the PhD candidate that the PhD procedure has been initiated and provides the names of the members of the PhD commission.

The examining members of the commission provide a first and second report and recommend that the thesis either be accepted or rejected (non sufficit) and, if the former, a grade. The following grading scale applies:

• summa cum laude = an outstanding achievement (0),
• magna cum laude = a very good achievement (1)
• cum laude = a good achievement (2)
• satis bene = a satisfactory achievement (3)
• rite = an achievement meeting average requirements (4).

The members of the commission can also require the work to be rectified or corrections to be made. If both reports recommend the PhD thesis be accepted by the PhD commission, this is considered to constitute a decision by the commission to accept the thesis. When the thesis has been accepted, university lecturers and members of the Faculty Council holding a doctoral title have a three week period during which they can read the thesis and the reports in the Dean's office.

The Dean notifies the PhD student that the thesis has been accepted as well as the date for the oral defense (disputation).

6. Conclusion of the doctoral process

Once the doctoral process has been successfully completed, the doctoral candidate is obliged to publish the dissertation in an appropriate manner. Depending on the chosen method of publication, the required number of mandatory copies must be submitted to the Thuringian University and State Library.

If desired, candidates can apply to the Dean for permission to use their title provisionally. If no such request is made, the right to use the doctoral title only begins once the doctoral certificate has been issued. The certificate is awarded on Feuerbach Day (approx. mid-November each year).

Doctoral candidates are required to submit a written paper (dissertation) and deliver an oral defense (disputation).

The dissertation must deal with a legal topic and must demonstrate the PhD candidate's ability to carry out independent scientific research and to contribute to the further development of jurisprudence, its theories and methods.

The dissertation may not be identical or partially identical to a paper submitted to the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena or another university for the purpose of obtaining an academic degree or as a credit for a state examination. The dissertation must have been written at least in part under the supervision of a professor, university lecturer or private lecturer of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena.

The typewritten and bound dissertation must be submitted in German. The Faculty Council may allow a different language in justified cases. In such cases, candidates must also submit a summary of their dissertation in German.

The oral part of the PhD examination consists of the public defence of the dissertation (disputation) in front of the PhD commission. Generally, the defence takes no longer than 60 minutes.

The purpose of the defense is for the candidate to present the dissertation's main findings to the most part without notes. In the subsequent oral discussion, the candidate is then expected to defend their arguments. The third examiner who is from another discipline will assess the PhD candidate's understanding of areas of law unrelated to the subject matter of the dissertation, insofar as there is any relevance to the content of the dissertation.

After the PhD process has been successfully completed, the PhD candidate is obliged to publish the dissertation in an appropriate manner. Depending on the chosen method of publication, the mandatory number of copies must be submitted to the Thuringian University and State Library.

Information regarding depositing the required deposit copies can be found here External link .

We recommend consulting the ThULB checklist External link before submitting the deposit copies.

PhD regulations External link

Supervision agreement (model) pdf, 258 kb  · de

Application for Admission to the PhD process pdf, 90 kb  · de   Ι  Data protection notice pdf, 90 kb  · de

Please note the information regarding the collection of personal data (> data protection notice).

PhD candidates can register as doctoral students at the University of Jena (Friedrich Schiller University). The student status comes with a variety of benefits such as student prices in the canteens and the free use of rail transport in Thuringia and local transport in Jena, Weimar, Erfurt and Gera. External link

• For further details as well as information regarding PhD scholarships please refer to the Graduate Academy website External link .
• The contact person for PhD candidates is Dr. FSU External link , the FSU PhD candidate council.

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PhD Programs

Under the umbrella of the schumpeter center, we offer various doctoral programs., jena graduate school "human behaviour in social and economic change" (gsbc).

We work closely together with the Jena Graduate School "Human Behaviour in Social and Economic Change" (GSBC), funded by the Federal Programme "ProExzellenz" of the Free State of Thuringia and hosted by the Friedrich-Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena). The GSBC is an interdisciplinary doctoral school, aiming at providing the best research environment for doctoral and post-doctoral candidates.

further information

Graduate Programme "The Economic Impact of Digital Transformation"

The graduate program "The Economic Impact of Digital Transformation" is an interdisciplinary and international doctoral program at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, funded by the Free State of Thuringia. It offers comprehensive doctoral training and is committed to quality in teaching and research.

Graduate College 'The Economics of Innovative Change'

The Research Training Group "The Economics of Innovative Change" is a prestigious PhD program in economics offered by the Faculty of Economics at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The program evolved from the former DFG Research Training Group 1411, which was funded by the German Research Foundation from 2006-2017. We offer comprehensive doctoral-level training to 10-15 outstanding young graduates. The program is internationally oriented and highly committed to quality in teaching and research. All academic activities of the PhD program are conducted in English.

Jena Doctoral Program in Economics

The Jena Doctoral Program in Economics is designed for doctoral candidates aiming for a successful career in academia or institutions that require high-quality doctoral training, including international organizations, think tanks, research institutes, government agencies, central banks, and financial institutions. The program is structured to provide doctoral students with the essential skills and competencies needed to succeed as economists. The JDPE offers a vibrant research environment with a strong connection to the Central-German Doctoral Program in Economics (CGDE) External link , a cooperation between the Universities of Jena, Dresden, Halle-Wittenberg, Leipzig, and Magdeburg, as well as the Halle Institute for Economic Research and the Dresden branch of the ifo Institute. This partnership opens the door to various doctoral courses taught by internal and external experts.

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Jena Doctoral Program in Economics (JDPE)

Jena Doctoral Program in Economics

The Jena Doctoral Program in Economics is designed for doctoral candidates aiming for a successful career in academia or institutions that require high-quality doctoral training, including international organizations, think tanks, research institutes, government agencies, central banks, and financial institutions. The program is structured to provide doctoral students with the essential skills and competencies needed to succeed as economists. The JDPE offers a vibrant research environment with a strong connection to the Central-German Doctoral Program in Economics (CGDE) External link , a cooperation between the Universities of Jena, Dresden, Halle-Wittenberg, Leipzig, and Magdeburg, as well as the Halle Institute for Economic Research and the Dresden branch of the ifo Institute. This partnership opens the door to various doctoral courses taught by internal and external experts.

The program consists of various elements, including basic courses in microeconomics, macroeconomics, and econometrics, special courses in various fields of economics, soft-skill training, individual presentation opportunities, and active participation in seminars and conferences.

The curriculum is primarily based on the Ph.D. courses offered by the CGDE. In addition, our students can enrich their education by enrolling in doctoral-level courses offered within existing faculty programs and through the FSU Graduate Academy. The JDPE acknowledges the benefits of external courses and summer schools in enhancing students' academic growth. However, approval for including these external courses is contingent upon consultation with the student's academic supervisor and the JDPE director.

Doctoral students are required to accumulate a total of 36 credit points (CP) in five different categories:

• Basic Area (12 CP): In this segment, students must complete two out of the three basic CGDE courses, namely Econometrics, Microeconomics, and Macroeconomics, each worth 6 CP.
• Specialization Area (6 CP): In the specialization area, students must complete two special courses, each worth 3 CP. They can choose between CGDE courses, Summer Schools, or equivalent internal or external PhD courses. Course equivalences must be approved by the JDPE director.
• Personal Qualification Area (2 CP): Students earn 2 CP through soft-skill training, which can be fulfilled by either attending the CGDE Personal Qualification Workshop or similar internal or external soft-skill courses. Course equivalences must be approved by the JDPE director.
• Presentations (4 CP): The presentation component requires doctoral students to disseminate their research findings in internal and external settings, such as seminars, workshops, or conferences. This requirement includes two presentations, at least one of which must be held outside the student's home university or institution.
• Elective (12 CP): The remaining 12 CPs can be earned through various activities. These activities may include teaching a course, attending a course on teaching professionalization, attending additional courses from the basic area and the specialization area, or engaging in additional internal and external presentations. However, it is important to note that the total number of creditable presentations, excluding those outlined in the section Presentations, is limited to three, equivalent to 6 CP.

Ph.D. students must actively engage in internal and external research seminars, including the Jena Economics Research Seminar, the Jena Economics Research Workshops, or similar events. Likewise, students are encouraged to participate in the Annual CGDE Doctoral Workshop. Additionally, successful completion of the seminar on good scientific practice offered by the Jena Graduate Academy is expected.

A detailed overview of the course program is available here pdf, 31 kb  · de .

Our program does not charge tuition fees. Typically, students in our program secure financial support for living expenses by taking on research and teaching assistant positions within the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration. Additionally, we support applicants seeking external scholarships such as those provided by DAAD or similar organizations. It is important to note that our program does not offer its own scholarships.

For doctoral candidates seeking a research and teaching assistant position within the Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, the application process is managed directly through the specific research units where these positions are located. If you have successfully secured the position and wish to enroll in the Jena Doctoral Program in Economics, please notify Susanne Büchner at [email protected] .

For all other candidates interested in applying to the program, please compile the following documents into a single PDF file and submit it to Susanne Büchner at [email protected] :

• A completed  application form pdf, 80 kb  · de
• A letter of motivation in which you outline the anticipated benefits of participating in the program, your research experience, abilities, and interests
• Copies of your academic certificates (please specify the grading system's range, highest and lowest possible grades for your final grade)
• A copy of your master's thesis or an equivalent work

In addition to your application package, please ensure that we receive at least two letters of recommendation from academic instructors who can assess your research capabilities. These letters should be sent directly to us by the referee via email to Susanne Büchner at [email protected] .

Please note that we do not require a formal English language certificate. Language proficiency will be evaluated during the interview.

For inquiries concerning the application process, please do not hesitate to contact Susanne Büchner at [email protected] .

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• To website External link
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Graduate Programme 'The Economic Impact of Digital Transformation'

The Graduate Programme 'The Economic Impact of Digital Transformation' is an interdisciplinary PhD programme of the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany. The programme is financed by a grant from the State of Thuringia and started in 2020. We offer a comprehensive PhD-level training. The programme is international and highly committed to quality in teaching and research.

The programme

The PhD group hosts doctoral candidates from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena which are financed by the University or by external scholarships e.g. DAAD, CSC. The PhD students are expected to complete their PhD projects within 3 years. The first year is devoted to improving the theoretical knowledge and competences, while the second and the third year concentrate on the dissertation-related research. The programme offers a structured course program including a 2-week summer school each year. The programme serves as a platform for collaboration, as a facilitator of joint scientific activities, and as a forum for knowledge exchange. It also provides senior expertise for junior research training in all necessary areas of competence: thematic, methodological, and transferable skills such as networking, scientific management, time management, and career planning.

Research Topics

Allowing for a broad concept of "digital transformation" the Graduate Programme is structured into five research areas:

• Digital Methods and Data
• Law and Regulation
• Organizations and Individuals
• Markets and Regions
• Education and Competences

Through methodological, theoretical and empirical courses the programme deepens the capabilities of our PhD students to conduct a world-class research. The courses are taught by the Faculty of the programme as well as by external scholars.

Wednesdays are seminar days. Our PhD students are welcome to invite distinguished scholars from all over the world to present their current work and discuss it with the group. At least once a year the PhD students present their own dissertation progress. Their work is then discussed and refereed by peers and senior researchers.

The participating scientist work at various departments of the Friedrich Schiller University e.g. Economics and Business Administration (including Statistics, Business Educational Studies), Law, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Philosophy (esp. Intercultural Communication), Chemistry and Earth Sciences (esp. Economic Geography) as well as Mathematics and Computational Sciences.

our faculty members

Research environment

The PhD group shares the capabilities, the resources, and the facilities of the University in Jena  de . Additionally it is integrated in an environment of related graduate programmes in social sciences. Th e Graduate Academy is further dedicated to supporting PhD students with additional advice, courses, and financial aid.

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Doctoral studies

Main building of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy Max-Wien-Platz 1 07743 Jena

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• +49 3641 9-47002

Opening hours: 7:30 - 11:30 Uhr and 14:00 - 15:30 Uhr Consulting for doctoral study: Ms. Dr. Unkroth +49-3641-9-47003 Ongoing doctoral procedures: Ms. Ullrich +49-3641-9-47001

Mailing adress:  Dekanat der Physikalisch-Astronomischen Fakultät                              Max-Wien-Platz 1                              07743 Jena

email:                  [email protected]

General advice on Ph.D. studies :                  Dr. Angela Unkroth,  Tel.: +49-(0)3641-9-47003

Consultancy on ongoing Ph.D. procedures: Nicole Ullrich,  Tel.: +49-(0)3641-9-47001

• Doctoral Examination Regulations dated November 20, 2018 pdf, 447 kb  · de
• Implementing Provisions on the PhD Regulations pdf, 106 kb  · de

Please, register under https://doc-in.uni-jena.de External link .

Please, complete the form "Application for Acceptance into the Doctoral Program"  and the " Supervising agreement docx, 17 kb  · de of the PAF " ( pdf pdf, 121 kb  · de ).

Submit both signed documents together with copies of your grades in the Dean's office of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy please.

The doctoral regulations of the PAF provide for a supplementary subject so that knowledge beyond the topic of the doctoral thesis can be acquired during the doctorate. According to the doctoral regulations, the dean decides on the admission of a supplementary subject. To establish a transparent and comprehensible approval process here, there were several rounds of talks with the responsible status groups and the results were laid down in the implementation regulations for doctoral studies and made known to all those responsible for supervision in our faculty. In the interests of fairness and comparability with all doctoral students in our faculty, the regulations listed below are therefore absolutely binding for all doctoral students.

The doctoral regulations of the PAF require proof of knowledge in a supplementary subject to acquire knowledge in a broader area. According to the regulations, the dean decides on the admission of a supplementary subject. In order to establish a transparent and comprehensible approval procedure, after several rounds of talks the results were laid down in the Durchführungsbestimmungen (implementation regulations for the doctorate) pdf, 106 kb  · de and all supervisors in our faculty were made aware of them. In the interests of fairness and comparability with all doctoral students in our faculty, the regulations listed below are therefore absolutely binding for all doctoral students.

1.       The supplementary subject must be a course for advanced students. This is a special or in-depth lecture for master’s students. It is strongly recommended that approval be obtained from the Dean prior to taking the course.

2.       In order to ensure the breadth, courses from the subject area of ​​the doctoral thesis are excluded. The subject area of ​​the doctorate corresponds to one of the four specializations available at the faculty: optics/photonics, materials science/solid state physics, astronomy/astrophysics and gravitational and quantum theory. The assignment of the doctorate to a subject area results from the assignment of the first supervisor. All courses that are listed in the Friedolin course catalog as specialization of this area are therefore excluded. For optics/photonics it should be noted that courses from the M.Sc. Physics with a focus on optics/photonics and M.Sc. Photonics are excluded. It is assumed, that the teachers or the Dean of Studies have made this assignment for good and understandable reasons, and therefore the Dean does not question this assignment.

3.       Proof of knowledge of the supplementary subject is provided in a discussion between the doctoral students and the responsible lecturer and fixed in a protocol pdf, 83 kb  · de . The requirements for admission as “examiners” are like those for reviewers of a doctoral thesis:

·         Authorization for independent supervision of doctoral theses

·         Exclusion of conflicts of interest; this includes, among others, belonging to the same university or non-university institute/facility as the doctoral candidate or primary supervisor.

4.       According to the doctoral regulations, the council of the faculty deals with objections to the decision of the dean. A corresponding application must be submitted to the council of the faculty.

Please, contact the Dean's office before submission of the doctoral thesis. There you will get further information pdf, 20 kb  · de and help.

Here docx, 15 kb  · de you find the requestion form for the opening of the doctoral conferral procedure. ( pdf pdf, 145 kb  · de ) Please, keep in mind that at the date of opening the doctoral procedure the colloquium in the supplementary subject (protocol) pdf, 83 kb  · de has to be passed.

If the examiners do not live or work in the European Economic Area you have to submit the " Unbedenklichkeitserklärung für die Exportkontrolle (wiss. Publikationen) pdf, 168 kb  · de " for each of them.

After the doctoral degree has been successfully conferred, you are obliged to publish the dissertation and to deliver the required copies to the university library, the Thüringer Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek (ThULB) .

Here you find a checklist External link for submitting a doctoral dissertation at the ThULB.

Ph. D. students of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy can prepare for the oral examinations according to the Ph. D. regulations within graduate studies.

Over a time period of some terms the faculty offers  lectures in the following  key areas of research on a regular basis:

• Optics/Laser Physics
• Solid State Physics / Materials Science
• Astronomy /Astrophysics
• Gravitational and Quantum Theory

The Vorlesungsverzeichnis External link (Friedolin) provides information on the ongoing lectures in the actual term.

Here you find a mailing list for networking with other Ph.D. students of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy :  https://lserv.uni-jena.de/mailman/listinfo/phd-paf External link

Recommendations of the Konferenz der Fachbereiche Physik ( pdf, 461 kb  · de KFP)

The public disputations (defenses) of the doctoral thesis  generally take place at 16:15 in the lecture hall 2, Helmholtzweg 5.

• M.Sc. Julian Johannes Lenz
• M.Sc. Christopher Spiess
• M.Sc. Mohammed Almassarani
• M.Sc. Muhammad Assad Arshad
• M.Sc. Jonathan Apell
• M.Sc. Pascal Birckigt
• M.Sc. Fengji Gui
• M.Sc. José Diogo de Figueiredo e Simão
• M.Sc. Andrej Kržič
• M.Sc. Felix Wiesner
• M.Sc. Marta Gilaberte Basset
• M.Sc. Mingzhe Chi
• M.Sc. David Rumler
• M.Sc. Mona Nissen
• M.Sc. Resad Kahvedzic
• M.Sc. Harsh
• M.Sc. Athira Kuppadakkath

2018 External link

2017 External link

2016 External link

2015 External link

2014 External link

2013 External link

2012 External link

2011 External link

2010 External link

2009 External link

2008 External link

2007 External link

2006 External link

2005 External link

2004 External link

2003 External link

The Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC) at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena is not only an Excellence Graduate School, but also a lively network of scientists from a broad variety of natural & life sciences institutes and an umbrella organization for three Research Training Groups in Jena. The JSMC was first awarded funding within the German Excellence Initiative in 2007. In June 2012 the Excellence Status of the JSMC was confirmed and funding for an additional six years was granted to the Graduate School. Since 2019 the JSMC is funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung.

Today, JSMC hosts a total of about 130 doctoral researchers. Their research projects are situated at the numerous institutes that make up the JSMC network, including institutes and clinics at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena as well as non-university research institutions.

The MiCom2024 conference is due to take place on September 2–4 at the main building of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. This International Conference, which is organised by our JSMC doctoral researchers, is an integral part of our curriculum and provides an excellent opportunity to present your research to your peers.

The abstract submission already started and will be possible until 15 th May

Further information can be found at the MiCom website

We are looking forward to seeing you and your research results!

JSMC Photo Contest

Adjust your microscopes and charge your cameras, the JSMC is having a photo contest!

For a new JSMC calendar 2025, postcards, Welcome Guide, website updates, etc. we’re looking for exciting photos all around your research, the microbial world, a scientist's everyday life, and the JSMC.

Please send your photos (for larger photos please use a Zip file) together with the application form before May 31 st , 2024 to jsmc@uni-jena.de

All information can be found here.

Selected photos will be awarded and featured in the JSMC projects/published with your name and the information you provide.

Jena Alliance "Life in Focus"

The JSMC is part of the Jena Alliance "Life in Focus" that promotes a nationally and internationally visible excellent graduate qualification at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena.

Under the umbrella of the Graduate Academy, the Jena Alliance networks and strengthens the established graduate programmes: Jena School for Microbial Communication (JSMC), Jena School of Molecular Medicine (JSMM), Abbe School of Photonics (ASP) and Max Planck School of Photonics (MPSP).

Want to know more?

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PhD Application

Since we have no own scholarships available, we support applicants who want to apply for a DAAD scholarship or similar. We unfortunately cannot accept students without external funding nor do we accept part-time students. 

Please note our application deadlines: March 31st, September 30th .

The Graduate College 'The Economics of Innovative Change' is an outstanding international research programme, hosted by the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena, Germany.

The mission of the Graduate College is to provide an internationally competitive research training for young economists. The official language is English. Allowing for a broad concept of "innovation" we address a wide range of topics: industrial dynamics; entrepreneurship; innovation decisions and behaviour; competition, cooperation and strategic interaction in innovation; innovation in the development of consumption and consumer behaviour; human capital, skills and employment; innovation and regional development; innovation and economic dynamics of developing countries; energy, environment and innovation; innovation policy, and innovation management. The analytical approaches we pursue range from theoretical and empirical modeling, game theory, simulation analysis to experimental economics.

We search for candidates with excellent past performance in economics, business administration, or closely related fields. The candidates should have interest in pursuing research in at least one of the above-mentioned fields. They should have completed a Master's degree or equivalent (e.g. Diplom). The positions require a permanent and active participation in the study and the research programme of the College. Therefore all members are expected to choose Jena as their place of residence.

We are offering

• a lively international research and social environment hosting top-level researchers in economics and related fields,
• an office and access to all facilities and library resources of the Friedrich Schiller University Jena

To apply please send (as ONE single file)

• the filled our application form Application Form pdf, 40 kb  · de
• a letter of motivation (about one page) where you describe the expected benefits from participating in the programme,
• 10-page research proposal in a topic in innovation economics
• a copy of your BA, Diploma, MA, MSc, or comparable academic certificates, (originals are provided if admitted). For your final grades, please indicate the range of the grading system, the highest and the lowest possible grade.
• 2 letters of recommendation from academic teachers,
• a copy of your master thesis or equivalent.
• We do not require a formal English language certificate, we will assess language proficiency during the interview.

For questions regarding the application process, please contact Dr. Susanne Büchner ( [email protected] ).

Please address all your documents as a single pdf file to Dr. Susanne Büchner: [email protected]

Advanced Computing

• Publications

3 PhD or Postdocs

• 7 PhD Students

Description

Reference number: 387/2021, 3 phd or postdoctoral positions.

Friedrich Schiller University is a traditional university with a strong research profile rooted in the heart of Germany. As a university covering all disciplines, it offers a wide range of subjects. Its research is focused on the areas Light—Life—Liberty. It is closely networked with non-research institutions, research companies and renowned cultural institutions. With around 18,000 students and more than 8,600 employees, the university plays a major role in shaping Jena’s character as a cosmopolitan and future-oriented city.

PhD/Postdoc in Computational and Data Science (m/f/d)

The three groups Advanced Computing, Scalable Data- and Compute-intensive Analyses, and Scientific Computing cooperate in research and teaching. We tackle interdisciplinary applications and computationally demanding challenges in academia and industry. Our work covers fully automated production workflows by integrating mathematical modeling and numerical simulation, high- performance computing, software engineering, and data analytics. This overarching approach is crucial for building visionary, transferable, robust and efficient software pipelines.

Your Responsibilities:

• Harness some of the largest supercomputers in the world and work on emerging microarchitectures, which will shape the future of high-performance computing
• Work on innovative software and algorithms as part of multidisciplinary production workflows
• Propose novel approaches for simulation and data sciences, and discuss them with partners in academia and industry
• Share your solutions with the research community through a variety of outlets
• Support teaching activities in Computational and Data Science at all levels
• Contribute to the design of state-of-the-art courses by integrating your own research experiences
• Work on your scientific qualification, e.g., your doctorate or habilitation

Required Qualifications:

• Master's/Ph.D. degree in Computational and Data Science, Computer Science, Mathematics or a related field
• Knowledge in numerical algorithms and data analytics
• C / C++ skills and a passion for writing high quality code
• Willingness to expand your expertise to new and project-relevant areas
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Willingness to work in a dynamic and team-oriented environment

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience in parallel programming and hardware architectures
• Python skills including interfaces to C/C++
• Experience with machine learning/deep learning frameworks and libraries
• Experience with good software engineering practices
• A Graduate Academy for doctoral candidates and postdocs
• A family-friendly working environment with a variety of offers for families: University Family Office ‘JUniFamilie’ and flexible childcare (‘JUniKinder)
• University health promotion and a wide range of university sports activities
• Attractive fringe benefits, e.g. capital formation benefits (VL), Job Ticket (benefits for public transport), and an occupational pension (VBL)
• Remuneration based on the provisions of the Collective Agreement for the Public Sector of the Federal States (TV-L) at salary scale E13 — depending on the candidate’s personal qualifications—, including a special annual payment in accordance with the collective agreement

Candidates with severe disabilities will be given preference in the case of equal qualifications and suitability.

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena Fakultät für Mathematik und Informatik Institut für Informatik Prof. Dr. Alexander Breuer ([email protected]) Fürstengraben 1 07743 Jena, Germany

Since all application documents will be duly destroyed after the recruitment process, we ask you to submit only copies of your documents.

For further information for applicants, please also refer to www4.uni-jena.de/stellenmarkt_hinweis.html (in German) Please also note the information on the collection of personal data at www4.uni-jena.de/en/jobs_information_collecting_personal_data.html

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Abbe School of Photonics

• Master's Degree Program – 1st Step – Registration External link
• Master's Degree Program – 2nd Step – Online Application External link
• PhD program – Online Application External link

The Abbe School of Photonics (ASP) offers internationalized education programs with multidisciplinary coverage in the field of optics, photonics and quantum technologies. Topics range from current scientific aspects to engineering with product applications possible in major economic sectors, such as information and communication technologies, medicine and health, manufacturing, and energy consumption. Enrolled students are trained for positions in the technical industry or in the world of scientific research in higher academia. Our school is part of a full-scale education photonics program under the auspices of the Faculty of Physics and Astronomy at the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Students enrolled in our Master of Science in Photonics or Master of Science in Quantum Science & Technology programs are offered a distinguished education track starting at the Bachelor level, continuing in the Master's degree program and culminating in a coordinated doctoral program (equivalent to Ph.D. level). Very attractive scholarships are available for high-performance applicants. Likewise, students who are enrolled in a  Master of Science in Physics  can specialize in optics and photonics by choosing from among all elective modules offered by ASP.

What our students say

The Master's degree and doctoral programs are based on the profound experience in optics education which distinguishes the Friedrich Schiller University Jena. The university has established optics and photonics as one of its key profile fields in education and research. ASP's education programs are embedded in the modern research environment of the Abbe Center of Photonics (ACP) . This interfaculty center of the FSU Jena maintains strong bonds with local research institutions, such as the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering External link , the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology External link , and the Helmholtz Institute Jena External link , as well as with several prominent industrial partners.

Upcoming events at ASP and partners

• This event is not open to the public.

• This event is wheelchair accessible.

Seven good reasons for Jena

Important quick links

• Application for the Master's degree program - calls and requirements
• Application for the Master's degree program - FAQs
• Application for open PhD/doctoral positions
• APPLY NOW - online application system External link
• OUR RESEARCH - Abbe Center of Photonics booklet 2024 pdf, 70 mb

Abbe School of Photonics on social media

• Prospective students
• Researchers
• Patrons & alumni
• Business representatives

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Doctoral Candidates

Funded students.

Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology

• Start of PhD: Jan 2022
• Supervising PIs:  Huang, Tan

Email: [email protected]

Developing metasurfaces to convert far-field illumination into a well-designed near-field so that the chiroptical response of chiral matter can be enhanced and the sensitivity of optical chiral sensing can be improved.

Lukas JÄGER

Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University 

• Supervising PIs:  Ronning, Tan

Email: [email protected]

Sai Vaishnavi KANDURI

Institute of Festkörperphysik, Friedrich Schiller University 

• Start of PhD: March 2023
• Supervising PIs:  Heidemarie, Fu

Email: [email protected]

The main goal of the project is to enhance single photon detection efficiency of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors (SNSPD) in the range of 800-1500 nm by frequency-selective metasurfaces. 

Sebastian KLIMMER

• Supervising PIs: Soavi, Neshev

Email: [email protected]

My initial goal is to integrate TMD monolayers on other photonic structures to enable different types of dark excitons to be directly addressable by normal incident light. I am taking two different approaches to this. First, I am working with all-dielectric metasurfaces. Their in-plane modes can be coupled by weak leakage via quasi-BICs (Bound states In the Continuum) to spin-forbidden dark excitons in TMD monolayers, which in turn leads to detectable far-field emission. Second, I plan to integrate TMD monolayers on metallic chirped gratings, which will allow direct access to momentum-forbidden dark excitons by introducing additional momentum provided by the photonic structure. Furthermore, I will work on the resonant light emission enhancement of dark excitons in 2D materials by exploiting their crystal symmetry and valley selection rules to pave the way for future integrated solutions for quantum optics and valleytronics.

Benjamin LAUDERT

Institute of Applied Physics, Friedrich Schiller University

• Start of PhD: July, 2022
• Supervising PIs:  

Email: [email protected]

Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, Australian National University

• Start of PhD: 
• Supervising PIs: Stuade, Fu  

Email: [email protected]

Metasurfaces have shown great potential in various fields, including chemical and biological sensing. By integrating metasurfaces with III-V semiconductor nanowire LEDs, it is possible to create integrated sensing systems with enhanced functionality and performance.

Institute of Condensed Matter Theory and Optics, Friedrich Schiller University

• Start of PhD: Feb., 2022
• Supervising PIs:  David, Back

Email: [email protected]

As artificial photosynthesis, the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 addresses the emission of greenhouse gases by converting them back to organic fuels with solar energy. These redox reactions include multiple electron transfer processes and various products were generated vas separated reaction pathways simultaneously, such as formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, methane, and some higher hydrocarbons products. Therefore, it is challenging to have a highly efficient, stable conversion of a single product. Metasurfaces with a plasmonic materials promote the concentration of hot electrons on the surface and optical near-field enhancement which have a great potential in photocatalysis. 

Martin MICULKA

• Start of PhD: Oct., 2022
• Supervising PIs: Szeghalmi, Choi

Email: [email protected]

My research focuses on utilizing metasurfaces, specifically resonant dielectric metasurfaces composed of tailored non-inversion symmetric effective nonlinear media, to achieve efficient second-order nonlinear processes like second harmonic generation and sum-frequency generation. By constructing dielectric metasurfaces from engineered nanocomposites consisting of tailored dielectric-based nanolaminates grown through advanced deposition techniques, we can enhance the nonlinear optical properties and introduce tailored symmetry breaks in the meta-atoms' composite materials. This approach allows for the optimization of the nonlinear response and the manipulation of the far-field properties of the generated fields. The long-term vision is to expand the range of materials used for layer growth, including metals deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to broaden the capabilities and applications of metasurfaces in nonlinear optics.

Jinliang REN

Department of Electronic Materials Engineering, Research School of Physics, Australian National University 

• Start of PhD: July 2022
• Supervising PIs: Sukhorukov, Setzpfandt

Email: [email protected]

My thesis focuses on the development of a metasurface-based quantum imaging technique, which incorporates a novel quantum light source from a nonlocal metasurface. Traditionally, entangled photon pairs are generated from bulky crystals through Spontaneous Parametric Down Conversion (SPDC) due to their high nonlinear susceptibility. However, the utilization of a designed nonlocal metasurface with resonance frequency can overcome the challenges that exist with bulky crystals such as low generation rate, temperature control, and manipulation. The PhD thesis comprises several crucial phases. In the first year, we aim to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a quantum imaging system with a metasurface-based quantum light source. Subsequently, we will focus on phase imaging and edge sensing using this system. Furthermore, we plan to optimize the system by changing the metasurface material and design for non-degenerate light source and enhancing imaging. Ultimately, our objective is to establish a multifunctional quantum imaging system.

Rahil REZWAN

• Start of PhD: July, 2023
• Supervising PIs: Soavi, Lu

Email: [email protected]

The goal of this project is to develop a new family of tunable atomically thin flat lenses. Two-dimensional TMDs (Transitional Metal Dichalcogenides) show direct bandgap in their monolayer form along with excitonic behavior. My work is to utilize excitonic resonances in order to realize ultrafast all-optical tunable metalenses based on ground state bleaching and ultrafast all-optical tuning of the nonlinearities in TMDs. These ultrafast all-optically tunable thin flat lenses have potential application in 3D displays, augmented reality, virtual reality and future photonic integrated circuits.

Marijn RIKERS

• Start of PhD: Jan., 2022
• Supervising PIs:  Staude, Choi

Email: [email protected]

The goal of the project is to enhance the emission properties of nanoscopic emitters by tailoring their local environment.  

Saniya SHINDE

• Start of PhD: Dec., 2022
• Supervising PIs: Setzpfandt, Sukhorukov

Email: [email protected]

This project aims to generate polarization entangled photon pairs from metasurfaces using spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC). 

Laura Daniela VALENCIA MOLINA

• Start of PhD: Feb. 2022
• Supervising PIs:  Neshev, Staude

Email: [email protected]

The aim of my project is to demonstrate the effectiveness of upconversion IR imaging using high-Q bound-state-in-the-continuum resonances found in nonlinear optical metasurfaces. 

Fundamental & Theoretical Physics, Research School of Physics, Australian National University

• Start of PhD: Dec., 2020
• Supervising PIs: Shadrivov, Setzpfandt

Email: [email protected]

Luyao is immersed in the fascinating field of tunable metasurfaces. Driven by a steadfast quest for faster tuning methods, her research endeavors to uncover new possibilities in this exciting field of electro-optics metasurfaces. 

Fengkai WEI

• Supervising PIs: Ronning, Choi

Email: [email protected]

• Supervising PIs:  Neshev

Email: [email protected]

Associated Doctoral Candidates

Anjalie EDIRISOORIYA

College of Engineering and Computer Science, Research School of Electrical Energy and Materials Engineering (EEME), Australian National University

• Supervising PIs: David, Beck
• Co-supervisor: Fusco

Email: [email protected]

The project focuses on using plasmonic materials to enhance the efficiency of photocatalytic reactions that convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into carbon-based fuels or value-added chemicals.These plasmonic materials can interact with light at a very small scale and concentrate the electromagnetic field around them, known as surface plasmon resonance. By optimizing the composition, size, and shape of plasmonic nanoparticles, the aim is to selectively convert CO2 into desirable products while minimizing unwanted by-products. This involves designing photocatalyst materials with specific active sites to promote the adsorption and activation of CO2 molecules, facilitating their conversion selectively.

The investigation aims to advance our understanding of plasmonic-driven photocatalysis for selective CO2 reduction, which can contribute to sustainable and efficient strategies for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and utilizing CO2 as a valuable resource. The findings have important implications for designing future photocatalytic systems that can play a significant role in addressing climate change and promoting a transition to a carbon-neutral society.

Ayesheh BASHIRI

Institute of Solid State Physics, Friedrich Schiller University

• Supervising PIs:  Staude, Tan

Email: [email protected]

My project is dedicated to the investigation and tailoring of the light-emission processes such as spontaneous or stimulated emission of the quantum emitters and their far-field emission pattern properties, using all-dielectric metasurfaces incorporating or hybridized with polymer layers containing laser dyes or fluorescent molecules. 

Maximilian Edmund BEDDOE

• Supervising PIs: Staude

Email: [email protected]

I am working on liquid-crystal tunable metasurfaces. My focus is on achieving spatially variant active control of the metasurface optical properties. To this end I use structured light as a stimulus to alter the properties of the metasurface system as a function of in-plane position.

Joshua JORDAAN

• Start of PhD: 2022
• Supervising PIs: Staude; Neshev

Email: [email protected]

This project is focussed on the design, fabrication and characterisation of actively tunable devices for the spatiotemporal control of light fields, with specific regard to optical beam steering. In this case the metasurface deflects an incident reflected or transmitted field in a programmable way that allows for scanning over a particular field of view. Optical beam steering has many applications including optical communications, LIDAR and laser machining.  Current devices are based on mature technologies that have limited potential for further SWaP-C (size, weight, power, and cost) improvements. Metasurface beam steering is well placed to overcome many of their shortcomings.

• Start of PhD: 2020
• Supervising PIs:  Sukhorukov, Neshev

Email: [email protected]

The PhD is to develep inverse design algorithms that can be used to design metasurfaces for tailored applications; these include polarisation control, beam deflection, non-linear generation and phase discrimination. 

Sarka VAVRECKOVA

• Start of PhD: Oct, 2022

Email: [email protected]

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Welcome to the Faculty of Biological Sciences

The Faculty of Biological Sciences represents a broad variety of biological disciplines as well as the nutritional sciences and pharmacy. Famous scholars such as the botanist Matthias Jacob Schleiden (1804-1881) and the zoologist Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919) worked here with their sunny and dark sides.

The Faculty of Biological Sciences cooperates with other faculties of the Friedrich Schiller University and non-university research institutes of the Max Planck Society and the Leibniz Association in several coordinated research projects. These projects are part the Cluster of Excellence  "Balance of the Microverse" External link funded by the German Research Foundation.  

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