Your doctoral Journey at GFZ
At the GFZ, we empower doctoral researchers with access to a vibrant, interdisciplinary community, setting the stage for pioneering work in Geosciences. Our graduate program emphasizes ownership, mastery, and supportive mentorship, recognizing doctoral training as central to our mission. Our researchers are key contributors, advancing discoveries with real-world impact. GFZ graduates thrive across diverse career paths, in academia, industry, consulting, and both governmental and non-governmental organizations, bringing innovation from our labs into the world.
![[Translate to English:] Doctoral Days Photo by: Marcel Ludwig](/fileadmin/_processed_/7/0/csm_Drohnenbild_2_47bd0e8b1c.webp)
The GFZ Graduate Programm
![[Translate to English:] Two doctoral researchers in a workshop](/fileadmin/_processed_/4/7/csm_GFZDoctoralDay_spi060_b19b12e241.webp)
The GFZ Graduate Program mission is responsible for and manages graduate training at the GFZ, through the building and delivery of a broad training offer, the organization of events such as the PhD Day and the Graduate Program Induction Day and the monitoring of Graduate Researcher progress and compliance to regulations.
Pathways to Continuous Learning
![[Translate to English:] Doctoral researchers in a seminar in the auditorium](/fileadmin/_processed_/5/d/csm_1718704913136_4e1179a396.webp)
To assist the learning journey of our early career researchers (ECR), we compiled the following course curriculum for the current year. Our doctoral researchers are asked to participate in at least one training day per year. However, to fullfill this requirement doctoral researchers are free to choose from other existing course offers. Our offer goes beyond the GFZ given that we also collaborate with partner institutions to develop different trainings.
![[Translate to English:] Winners of the doctoral days posters](/fileadmin/_processed_/3/b/csm_GFZDoctoralDay_spi060-COLLAGE_def317dc88.webp)
Diversity in perspectives is a primary value that guides our research
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At GFZ, more than 200 doctoral researchers from over 60 countries bring unique cultural insights and expertise to our work. This international community fuels innovation by combining diverse perspectives to tackle complex geoscientific challenges. The Coordinator of Doctoral Researchers plays a key role in supporting this environment, offering guidance, fostering collaboration, and ensuring that diverse ideas are valued and integrated. Together, our researchers contribute to a deeper understanding of the Earth and develop solutions that benefit society on a global scale.
The GFZ offers its doctoral reseachers the opportunity to acquire and develop interdisciplinary skills in a wide range of workshops. The various workshops cover communication and presentation techniques, career development, self-organisation and project management.
The current workshop programme is regularly announced via the doctoral researchers' e-mail distribution list. Detailed information on the 2024 course offering can be found here.
Helmholtz Association
The GFZ is part of the Helmholtz Association, which brings together 19 scientific-technical and medical-biological research centers. To ensure a high quality of education for the approximately 8000 PhD students in the Helmholtz Association, cross-center workshops on topics such as work organization, teamwork, presentation and writing training, and career planning are offered every year (Key Competence Training, see item "Workshops").
Helmholtz Juniors (HeJus)
Within the Helmholtz Association, the interests of PhD students are represented by the Helmholtz Juniors (HeJus), a PhD student initiative within the Research Alliance. It consists of two PhD students from each center. The most important goals of the Helmholtz Juniors are to facilitate communication among each other and to further improve doctoral education in the Helmholtz Association for all.
Every PhD student can become active as a Helmholtz Junior. Various working groups deal with specific topics. New ideas and suggestions are welcome. If you would like to get involved, please contact the contact persons at the institute, the spokespersons of the working groups or the PhD student representatives.
Current GFZ representatives of the Helmholtz Juniors are:
NextGen / N2
Every two years NextGen takes place, a meeting for all PhD students of the Helmholtz Association. In those years where NextGen is not offered, the N2 conference is held instead. This is a meeting for PhD students from the Helmholtz, Max Planck and Leibniz research communities.
In addition to various workshops, participants can expect poster sessions, science slam talks, panel discussions, and the opportunity to meet former PhD students from various research centers. The fun factor is not neglected either. The events make it possible to exchange ideas with PhD students from other research areas, learn new skills, and network with scientists from all over Germany.
Research Network Geo.X
GFZ is a member of the regional research network Geo.X. It bundles the geoscientific research and infrastructure of a total of four universities and five non-university research institutions in Berlin and Potsdam. In addition to the Young Academy, the joint promotion of young scientists by all partner institutions through the Early Career Scientists Section (ECS) is a central component of the network's activities.
Geo.X Early Career Scientists
GFZ graduates automatically belong to the Geo.X Early Career Scientists (ECS). The network offers early career scientists the opportunity to participate in thematic workshops and conferences, as well as career development events. At self-organized, informal events, PhD students and postdocs can exchange ideas and network inter-institutionally. Everyone is invited to get involved in planning further events or activities in the ECS network.
Mailing list
For regular information about Geo.X offerings, all you need to do is subscribe to the ECS mailing list.