Extra-curricular activities

Presenting in your own language is difficult enough, but in today’s global environment more and more
post‐graduates are required to attend international events and/or present their research in English. This two-day seminar will look at what makes an effective presentation, focusing on language skills, non‐verbal communication and intercultural issues.

Further information and registration

Dr. Vira Bondar and Dr. Andreas Eggenberger, ETH Zürich

Teaching is unseparable part of life of PhD students. Therefore, it is important to take time and space to think about your didactical philosophy, tools and resources which can help to prepare your class and feel happy in your teaching duties.

In this workshop we will glance at hands-on techniques and strategies of the Engaging Physics Tutoring approach,  supporting  PhD students in their teaching and development of transverse skills.

You will learn about:

• how to connect to your students and create atmosphere for effective learning
• techniques to activate students and involve them emotionally
• some aspects of time-management, communication and  feedback
• engaging teaching of physics labs

We will try to rethink the traditionally rather technical physics teaching, to make it an inspiring  experience for both - teachers and their students.

Lets enjoy it together!

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 01.11.2024)

Data analysis plays a critical role in many academic disciplines, and the Python programming language has become one of the standard tools within the Data Science community. However, the first steps in coding can be intimidating and discouraging—especially if you have never worked with a programming language before. This course will introduce programming with Python and how to use it for data analysis.

Further information and registration

As early-career researchers venture towards scientific independence, proposal writing becomes an ever more important activity. In this workshop, Dr. Andreas Trabesinger will present context, tools and perspectives related to writing up scientific ideas and to effectively communicating key points to reviewers, based on his experience as a scientific consultant, science writer and a former editor at Nature Physics.

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 18.11.2024)

Writing and publishing is arguably an almost intrinsic part of scientific endeavour. In this workshop, Dr. Andreas Trabesinger will present context, tools and perspectives related to writing up scientific results, based on his experience as a professional manuscript editor at Nature Physics, as a communications consultant and as a science writer. Participants will hear about typical editorial checkpoints, the changing publishing landscape, typical mistakes, how AI might change academic writing — and how an appreciation of these aspects can help to communicate more efficiently with editors, peers and a wider public.

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 19.11.2024)

What is next after your doctorate or postdoc phase? In the post-doctoral phase, there is often the challenge of making more fundamental career decisions, developing and implementing an individual strategy for your own career. In fact, as an academic, you have excellent opportunities to pursue a career path that suits you.

JGU's Human Resources Development would like to support you in developing and realising your own career strategy with an individual coaching offer. If you decide to take advantage of this offer, you will have the opportunity to focus and work on your individual counselling needs in up to 5 coaching sessions with an external career coach.

Further information and registration

In our interactive workshop we will help you write a successful and convincing cover letter through a mixture of presentations and group work - so please make sure that you can use your microphone and camera. We will also answer your individual questions in order to help you prepare a successful application and get that job!

Further information and registration

Do you know what is important during job interviews? How do I present myself and my qualifications convincingly? How can I convince my future employer and get that job?

This workshop will help you understand the employer's perspective and how to play into their needs effectively.

Further information and registration

You have spent the last few years deeply involved in academia and research. Now you have finally got
your PhD and have to enter the real world. Congratulations!
Finding a job in the private sector working for an international company is a dream for many. However,
understanding job adverts and knowing what the company actually wants is not as straight forward as
you might think. This two-day workshop discusses the language of adverts and what should be
included in your CV to make you as attractive as possible. There is much more to it than just stating
your PhD title.

Further information and registration

This interactive workshop, designed specifically for doctoral candidates, focuses on the distinctive aspects of applying for industry jobs and postdoctoral research positions worldwide in English. It provides training in navigating selected stages of that process, including creating compelling curricula vitae and cover letters and presenting yourself convincingly in the interview. We'll examine sample CVs and cover letters (including ones which are real and were successful), exploring them for strengths as well as for what they reveal about differences between applications for industry and those for short-term research positions such as postdocs. You'll work with fellow participants in pairs and small groups to do short exercises and role-plays with feedback from your trainer. In addition, you'll receive a handout with examples of CVs and cover letters as well as other helpful information related to the application process.

Further information and registration

Dr. Jernej Zupanc

You will learn to visually communicate your complex research ideas and results so your messages are effortlessly understood by any specific audience (scientists or non-scientists). We will primarily focus not on aesthetics but on how knowledge on human visual perception can help you design effective scientific images, slides and posters with a step-by-step method. You will design a graphical abstract of your research, discuss it with peer scientists in a group exercise, and get actionable advice and feedback on your own images. It is an immersive workshop, comprehensive, structured, memorable, easy to follow, useful and fun.

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 13.09.2024)

This is an activity-based workshop led by a theatre professional whose expertise is in helping the speaker effectively communicate the importance and relevance of the work and the core message in the talk. A key aspect of the training focuses on strengthening the narrative, the emotional tone, and the delivery of the talk in order to define and support the speaker’s own dynamic style.

Further information and registration

Integral to voice and body training is the central idea that physical and vocal dynamics are connected to the speaker’s motivation and to the importance of the information being communicated. The workshop is led by a theatre professional who will identify the verbal challenges of each speaker, giving attention to breath, articulation, intonation, volume, modulation and tempo. You will be coached to improve nonverbal aspects such as gesture, positioning, distance, eye contact and relationship with media.

Further information and registration

Being a doctoral cadidate means to experience much more autonomy than in many other fields of activity. This however, requires high levels of self-organization. In this workshop you will be introduced to several aspects of effectively organizing your PhD project. You will reflect on your individual use of time and develop strategies for motivating yourself on the long run.

Further information and registration

Stefanie Henauer, Scienza Science Coaching

In this workshop, we will focus on the importance and the complexity of the doctoral supervisory relationship. We will cover three main aspects, namely (1) active design of the supervisory relationship, (2) navigating hierarchies, and (3) effective communication. You will be introduced to strategies for establishing and maintaining a productive relationship with your supervisor by learning how to navigate the sometimes challenging relationship with your supervisor, address problems professionally, and build positive interactions.

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 04.09.2024)

“Academics around the world share the same aims so working together should not be a problem...”
“If we speak the same language, we can work with each other...”
“We live in a global village...”
Phrases we hear every day and have learnt to accept. However, why then does working internationally
cause so many problems? Why is it so difficult to work with my German/Mexican/Chinese colleagues?

Further information and registration

Time autonomy and productive self-organisation are the basis for academic success. In this workshop you will learn how to define your goals, set the right priorities and make time where you thought there is none. The coordinators of the MPA, Dr. Victoria Durant and Freya Luberg, want to show you how you can improve your time management from scratch and organise your studies so that you have to study less and get better grades at the same time. You will first learn the basics of time management and the most important productivity techniques for students and then focus specifically on physics. The workshop is aimed at the needs of Bachelor's and Master's students.

To register, send an email to mpa@uni-mainz.de (Registration deadline: 04.10.2024)