Hermann Staudinger Doctoral Fellowships and Agnes Pockels Doctoral Fellowships

Hermann Staudinger Doctoral Fellowships and Agnes Pockels Doctoral Fellowships.

The Cluster of Excellence Living, Adaptive and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems (livMatS) is offering up to four doctoral fellowships to excellent candidates seeking to propose and pursue a PhD research topic which matches the materials science research foci of the Cluster. These fellowships serve as an essential building block of the Cluster's early career advancement and gender equality objectives. In particular, the Agnes Pockels Fellowship is a unique diversity measure to support underrepresented female researchers in the STEM sciences.

Research program
The vision of livMatS is to combine the best of two worlds - nature and technology by developing life-like materials systems inspired by nature. The systems will adapt autonomously to their environment, harvest clean energy from it, and be insensitive to damage or recover from it. The purely technical, but behaviorally quasi-living materials systems that are being developed should also meet people's demands for future-oriented environmental and energy technologies. Research into the acceptance and social relevance of these autonomous systems and their sustainability are thus important components of development.
livMatS is characterized by highly interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers from a broad range of fields including engineering, chemistry, physics, biology, psychology, the humanities, and sustainability sciences. Research is carried out in four interlinking research areas which target Concepts for Energy Autonomy and Integration, Concepts for Adaptive and Active Materials Systems, Concepts for the Longevity of Systems Functions, and Societal Challenges - Sustainability Assessment and Investigation of Psychological, Philosophical, and Ethical Implications of Living Materials Systems. Research in the different areas is integrated in a fifth research area, which is developing Technology Demonstrators.

Application criteria
The Cluster invites applications from exceptional candidates in the fields specified above who are committed to interdisciplinary research in a cutting-edge environment. Key selection criteria include the applicants' thematic fit to the Cluster's research foci, their academic performance and references, and the quality and feasibility of their ppoposed project.

In particular, your project pitch (circa 750 words) should include a working title, your research question(s), references to key papers, your idea and its contribution to livMatS research program. Your letter of intent (circa 750 words) should outline your academic background and motivation to pursue a PhD.

Applicants should have a Master's degree in one of the fields specified above. We expect enthusiasm, a strong motivation to work in an interdisciplinary team, and good self-organization. Fluency in English is mandatory. Successful candidates are expected to begin their position in early 2023.

What we offer
You will have access to university research infrastructure, including modern laboratory space and state-of-the-art facilities at the Freiburg Center for Interactive Materials and Bioinspired Technologies (FIT). In addition, you will join an interdisciplinary group of early career and senior scientists and have access to career advancement training and international networking opportunities within our cluster at the University of Freiburg. Doctoral positions at livMatS are part-time positions (65%) and are limited to 36 months. The salary is determined in accordance with TV-L E 13.

Application process
Check out details on how to apply at https://www.livmats.uni-freiburg.de/en/career/call-for-applications-doctoral-fellowships

Application deadline is 15 October 2022.

livMatS is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) under Germany's Excellence Strategy - EXC-2193 - 390951807.