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4 Oct 2024, 15:35
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Newsletter for PhD students and Postdocs
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Dear PhD students and Postdocs,
as the colourful and cool autumn days begin, we are all also getting back to our university studies and duties. We believe you have recharged enough energy over the summer to get through the initial hectic period with ease. Hopefully, the information in this newsletter will also contribute to your smooth passing through the whole fall semester. We wish you all the best of luck!
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Save the Date:
Research Breakfast - October 7, 2024, (8:00 - 9:00). Interview with Regina Demlová & Jaroslav Štěrba. Registration required. UCB Library
CRISPR-Cas: from bacterial immunity towards genome editing and beyond - Mendel Lectures, October 10, 2024, (17:00). Mendel Museum, Brno
Wellbeing Day - October 10, 2024, (Held in Czech language). Necessary to register for the workshops! Komenského nám. 2 + nearby area, Brno
Developmental Origin and Evolution of Childhood Cancers - Life Sciences Seminar, October 24, 2024, (16:00). UCB, pavilion B11 / seminar room 132
International Student and Alumni Meet-up Brno - October 31, 2024, Komenského nám. 2, Brno
Vladimír Sklenář Memorial Conference on NMR & Structural Biology - November 14 – 15, 2024, CEITEC / UCB
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The Minimum (Not Only) for a New PhD Student
On September 25, 2024, the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University held a traditional event supporting and informing all PhD students - MUNI SCI PhD Day 2024. The programme included a healthy breakfast, an introduction to PhD studies and a range of inspiring presentations about mobility programmes, career paths and benefits that students can take advantage of during doctoral studies. The informal and friendly atmosphere welcomed more than eighty participants with half of them being motivated MSc students seeking information before their further career decisions. The event brought open discussions, sharing experience and valuable interactions between future and current early-stage researchers.
The Vice Dean for Doctoral Studies, prof. Luděk Bláha, commented on the event: "We are pleased that these events allow us to attract talented and matured individuals to our PhD programmes. I am very happy to meet the students in person to motivate them as well as shape their realistic expectations about doctoral studies."
If you could not attend the PhD Day 2024, you can read and use the individual presentations, or check out the video!
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We Will Appreciate Your Feedback!
We kindly request you give us your feedback on PhD Day 2024 and on your overall satisfaction with doctoral studies at SCI MUNI. Please take a few minutes to complete the questionnaire. Your valuable input will help us enhance the quality of doctoral studies and the services to PhD students at our faculty.
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The New Design of ISP in IS MU
As you have already been informed, the IS MU has launched an updated design of the Individual Study Plan (ISP) agenda. The new agenda is introduced on the website, where you will also find detailed instructions soon.
The data filled in the original agenda has been transferred to the new agenda, but without the possibility to edit the information previously filled in. We hope that the transition to the new agenda will be beneficial to you.
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Please take note of the recent information from the Dean of the Faculty of Science concerning the minimum guaranteed scholarship amount for full-time students.
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Are you Back at MUNI After a Career Break? Try the Supporting Grant!
This grant programme aims to support the integration of researchers after a career break, for instance, due to parental leave, into Masaryk University research teams. The programme shall facilitate and speed up the return of young, talented researchers to a productive academic career and increase their share in independent/leading research posts. Deadline for submitting proposals: October 18, 2024! More info here.
*The proposal form in pdf including all annexes must be entered in the Project Management Information System (PMIS) under one reference number at the latest on the deadline date. The documents shall include the project proposal and budget. The files entered shall be submitted for evaluation.
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The Werner von Siemens Prize
Are you finishing your dissertation? Don't keep it only to yourselves and apply for the Werner von Siemens. Prize to win CZK 70,000!
The aim of the competition is to reward the authors of the best student and scientific papers and university teachers focusing on natural sciences and thus contribute to the development of Czech higher education, science and research.
Categories announced:
Most Outstanding Basic Research Result
Best teaching staff member
Best thesis (first three places + thesis supervisor)
Best dissertation (first three places + supervisor)
Award for overcoming obstacles to study (the candidate is nominated by academic staff from among the university's undergraduate, master's and doctoral students)
Special award for excellence in women's scientific work
Best graduate thesis (master's/dissertation) dealing with Industry 4.0 concepts
Best graduate thesis (master's/dissertation) dealing with smart infrastructure and energy
Nominations are also open to the general public this year – candidates and their work can be nominated via the website www.cenasiemens.cz. An award of CZK 10,000 also awaits a nominator of a successful candidate!
Application deadline: November 30, 2024
Announcement of winners: March 19, 2025
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The Albert Einstein World Award of Science
The Albert Einstein Prize is awarded to eminent scientists whose achievements can serve as an inspiration for future generations. Considerations will be given to individuals or institutions in one of the Life Sciences, such as Neuroscience, Earth Science, Biology, Biochemistry, or Chemistry; or in one of the Natural Sciences such as Physics, Mathematics or Astronomy. The application form is available here.
Nominations must be supported by the Rector, so please send the documents to Mrs. Švestková by October 31, 2024. Further information can be found on the competition website.
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The conference will explore modern tools based on artificial intelligence, which has an indisputably wide range of applications. Thus, it is also very well usable for PR and marketing communication in science and research. During the conference, participants can expect practical demonstrations of working with AI, and we will also look at the legal aspects of using this tool. The speakers are professionals from the field of AI and the research environment. Web only in Czech. The conference will be held in Czech.
Where: Prague, Charles University
When: November 21, 2024
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Interdisciplinary Courses for PhD Students and Postdocs
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Cite and Write Scientific Articles Correctly:
We are pleased to invite you to courses organized by the University Campus Library that focus on effective database searching and the using the citation manager ZOTERO. The classes are free of charge, and most of them will be conducted as webinars. You can find an overview of the lesson dates on the library website by clicking on "Sign up for our courses". Classes will be held with a minimum of 4 registered participants.
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Also this autumn, the M365 team offers you the opportunity to deepen your IT skills, and you can do so comfortably - online! There are introductory courses followed by specific webinars focused on individual Microsoft tools (Teams, Outlook, One Drive, etc.). The comprehensive offer of educational activities was created under the auspices of the M365 team at MU and their colleagues from the University Computer Centre (CPS). In addition to the webinars in Czech and English listed on the link below, the M365 Team also offers the possibility of tailor-made trainings depending on your specific needs.
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Research Grants in Germany Aimed at PhD and Postdocs
The DAAD agency offers research grants for early-stage researchers (postdocs up to 4 years after the defence of their PhD) to conduct research projects in Germany. The funding duration is 2-12 months for PhD students and 2-6 months for postdocs. The programme also covers preparatory German language courses for stays longer than six months. You can find more information about the scholarship on the website.
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Fulbright Scholarship for Researchers and Lecturers from the Czech Republic
Aspiring applicants should take note of the necessary requirements for the fellowship programme, which include holding a PhD degree, demonstrating prior successful research or teaching experience, possessing a proficient command of the English language, presenting a well-crafted research project, and securing an invitation from a host institution in the USA. The regular application deadline is November 1, providing a clear timeline for interested individuals to work towards. The duration of the fellowship ranges from three to ten months, allowing applicants to tailor their proposals to meet their specific needs and the scope of their projects.
The programme offers two categories of fellowships: postdoctoral and senior, with the distinction based on the applicant's proximity to the PhD, five years after the programme deadline. This provides clarity and guidance for potential candidates. For detailed information regarding scholarships for researchers and lecturers, interested individuals are encouraged to refer to the respective websites, which can offer valuable insights and assistance during the application process. This fellowship is for Czech citizens only.
We will inform you about scholarships for PhD students in a future issue of our Newsletter for ESR. The deadline for the Fulbright scholarship for PhD students’ applications is February 1, 2025. Essential information can be found here.
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Webinars for Doctoral Candidates and Early Stage Career Researchers
With the beginning of the new academic year, the National Library of Technology (NTK) is offering its traditional webinars for doctoral candidates and early career researchers. These free webinars are held in English and cover a variety of topics in the area of transferable skills, such as navigating academic resources, writing scientific articles (beginner level), and a basic intro to research data management. Membership at the NTK is not necessary. However, participants need to sign up online for individual webinars prior to each event:
Navigating Scientific Resources & Staying Organized - October 15, 2024, (10:00 – 11:00)
My First Scientific Article - October 22, 2024, (10:00 – 11:30)
Introduction to Research Data Management - October 30, 2024, (10:00 – 11:30)
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Interesting Reading for PhD Students and Postdocs
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Text: Petra Polčáková (Universitas)
Most researchers will not have a long-term career at universities after completing their doctorate, and that, according to Alexander Hasgall, from the European University Association (EUA), is also a good thing: they become ambassadors for universities in other sectors. However, it is still important to improve the economic situation of doctoral students and to teach them to openly communicate with their supervisors about mutual expectations.
In June, the EUA published the document Building the Foundation of Research: A Vision for the Future of Doctoral Education in Europe, which presents ten proposals for the development of doctoral education and research training in the coming years.
“We need to explain more thoroughly and with greater clarity that as well as having a significant value for various employers and society as a whole, a doctorate is important for the candidates themselves. And that the research could not work without them,” explains Alexander Hasgall, one of the authors of the document and head of the EUA Council for Doctoral Education.
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Sites we recommend to follow:
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Distributed by:
Office for Doctoral Studies, Quality, Academic Affairs and Internationalization (noskova@sci.muni.cz)
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