What is the CENIDE Peer Mentoring?
The CENIDE Peer Mentoring is a program for researchers from CENIDE and the faculty of engineering at an early career stage (PhD students and early postdocs). Its goal is to develop the own personality and train important soft skills. In a one-year period a self-defined goal should be reached with the help of a peer group, which consists of other motivated early career researchers and experienced CENIDE mentors. This program offers the opportunity to learn a lot of things about yourself and to train personal skills, especially in (science) communication, negotiation and team-leading. Peer group meetings will follow the principle of a cooperative advice, which means that participants will be in both roles: a mentee who asks for advice but also a mentor, who gives advice. With mandatory appointments like workshops and seminars and a retreat a personal network is formed. In the end all participants will get a certificate for successful participation.
What can you expect?
- Personal development
- Identification and support of own abilities, like:
- Negotiation
- Team-leading
- How to express and achieve own goals
- Science Communication
- Cooperative advice in peer groups
- Create a lasting scientific network
What events await you?
- Kickoff-Meeting in October
- New Year's Kickoff-Party in January
- Training Day with workshops and seminars
- Retreat including seminars and a meeting for mentors only
- Summer BBQ
- Final Ceremony
- Peer group Meetings (approximately every 6-8 weeks, self-organized by peer group and mentors)
What could be potential goals?
- finish your recent research project or PhD thesis within one year
- build your own scientific network
- learn new things about project organisation and how to deal with stress
- boost your confidence in presentations
- and many more! It is up to you!
Who are the mentors?
- Klara Lünser, Group Leader in the working group "applied quantum materials" from Gabi Schierning, Engineering
- Atreya Majumdar, Junior Research Leader in the working group "TWIST - Topological Whirls in SpinTronics" from Karin Everschor-Sitte, Physics
- Friedrich Waag, Laboratory Leader in the working group "Energieverfahrenstechnik und Energiesysteme" from Christoph Wieland and founder & managing director of Nanonium
- .. more to come!
How to apply?
- Fill out the application form (personal data, academic background) here
- upload your Personal data sheet/CV and a short motivational letter of 1/2 page in one document
- Please note: for the best outcome the participation of the full one-year period is mandatory
- Duration of upcoming program: from October 2026 to September 2027
If you have any kind of question about the program, please get in touch with Maximilian Fellert (CENIDE) or Miriam Böhm (Engineering Faculty).
We are looking forward to your applications!