PhD Representatives

The PhD Representatives are the interdepartmental voice of all doctoral researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat). Their role is to stregthen collaboration within the Max Planck Society and beyond.

The PhD Representatives are the interdepartmental voice of all doctoral researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials (MPI-SusMat). Their role is to stregthen collaboration within the Max Planck Society and beyond.

They keep their peers informed about essential topics such as funding and contract options, insurance matters, and other issues that make research and life at the institute easier. They also act as a link to the institute’s management, ensuring that PhD students’ perspectives are heard.

In addition to advocacy, the PhD Representatives offer a wide range of activities to support personal and professional growth. They organize soft skill courses on scientific writing, presentation, and leadership, as well as career talks with industry partners, giving PhD students and postdocs valuable opportunities to network and explore career paths outside academia.

They also host the “MPI-SusMat-Lectures”, where senior researchers present advanced methods available at the institute. And becuase community matters too, the PhD Representatives arrange social events thorughout the year, from game nights to sports competitions, to bring people together beyond the lab.