Graduate Center News 06/26
Jun 04, 2026
Inhalt
Career Perspectives with a PhD in Natural & Life Sciences // June 11, 5 – 6 pm
Looking for career options after your doctorate? And not sure what is “out there”? With the series "Career Perspectives with a PhD in Natural and Life Sciences", we would like to offer an opportunity for interactive and informal exchange about career-related topics.
On Thursday, June 11, we welcome Dr. Sergey Trishin, a physicist who works as postdoctoral researcher at the University of California Berkeley (UCB). All information and the meeting link can be found on this website.
On July 9, Dr. Jan Möller, a pharmacist working at Boehringer Ingelheim will be our guest.
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Open online consultation hours from the Graduate Center // Tuesdays from 11 - 12
The graduate center coordinator Simone offers regular open online consultation hours.
The consultation is always strictly confidential!
Do you have any questions relating your doctorate? None of your problems are too small or unimportant—come by and ask your questions.
Join me online via Webex (please wait in the lobby - I will let you in as soon as the consultation room is free). Always on Tuesdays from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
The advisory service is also open to master's students who seek advice in starting a doctorate. Please feel free to pass on this information.
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Scientific workflows: Tools and Tips / Online lecture series by Dr. Selina Baldauf //June 18, 4-6pm
In this lecture series we will explore a diverse range of topics, including R code quality and efficiency, reproducible document creation, version control with Git, literature management, and academic notetaking. You'll learn practical tips and tricks that can help you optimize your research workflow and increase your productivity.
We will meet online on the 3rd Thursday of every month during the lecture period and you are welcome to join.
The next session will be “Stop repeating yourself: functions and iteration in R ”. Find further information and the meeting link here.
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Info event series: Doctoral studies at the BCP department // June 26, 11 am – 12 pm
The Graduate Center is organizing an information series for doctoral candidates at the BCP department. Once a month, the focus will be on a specific topic related to doctoral studies at the department, with a short input and the opportunity to ask questions.
he next info event in our series takes place in June 2026 and deals with the topic “Publication & Awarding”
This info event deals with the topic of thesis publication at the university library, the awarding of the degree and the alumni program.
When does the publication take place? Which formats of publication are possible? Is the publication required for the award of the certificate? When can the title be used? When and where do I get the certificate? How can I become a member of the Ernst-Reuter-Gesellschaft? What are the advantages?
Join the online meeting, gather some information and ask your questions!
Further information and the Webex link can soon be found here: https://www.bcp.fu-berlin.de/en/graduiertenzentrum/promovierende/veranstaltungen/info-events/index.html
Here you will also find the presentations of past information events as well as helpful links on the respective topic.
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Summer festival of the BCP department // July 2
You are warmly invited to join the next summer festival of the BCP Department:
Thursday, July 2, 2026
From 3:30 p.m.
Arnimallee 22, large lecture hall & outdoor area between Fabeckstr. 34/36 and Arnimallee 22
In keeping with tradition, the Award for Excellence in Teaching will be presented in conjunction with our celebration. A detailed and updated program can be found here.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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Dahlem Research School (DRS)
Find the complete list of workshops offered by the DRS here.
Open Door Talk: AI-Basics (online)
Date: 17. Juni 2026, 13:00-15:00 hrs / 1:00-3:00 pm Berlin time
Format: online @ Dahlem Research School
Language: English
AI-Basics offers doctoral researchers a concise introduction to large language models and their scientific implications. Explore how LLMs work, what they truly “know,” and how to use them responsibly in research maintaining high standards of scientific integrity.
Registration: https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/en/node/132123
Open Door Talk: "What's Next Doc?" by Research Division of Freie Universität
Date: 18. June 2026, 14:00 – 16:00
Format: onsite @ Dahlem Research School, Hittorfstr. 16, 14195 Berlin, room 001
Language: English
In this Open Door Talk, the team of Freie Universität’s research funding service will inform you about funding options for postdoctoral research projects.
They will introduce funding opportunities for the various disciplines from a postdoc perspective and present a short overview of interdisciplinary and discipline-specific programs and their requirements as well as tipps and information regarding proposal writing.
Open Door Talk for/on First Generation PhD Students (online)
Date: 6. Juli 2026, 15:00-17:00 hrs / 3:00-5:00 pm Berlin time
Format: online @ Dahlem Research School
Language: English
In this Open Door Talk, two members of the association "Erste Generation Promotion – EGP e. V." (PhD First Generation) will engage in dialogue with you about the challenges for first generation PhD students and give you an insight into their advocacy work. Both first-generation (PhD) students and anyone interested in the topic are welcome.
Direct link: https://fu-berlin.webex.com/fu-berlin/j.php?MTID=m486f76cc2894cc33781f86b27f362d56
Registration: https://drs.fu-berlin.de/en/node/131414
Open Door Talk: Prompting and Literature Search (online)
Date: 16. Juli 2026, 10:00-12:00 hrs / 10:00-12:00 am Berlin time
format: online @ Dahlem Research School
Language: English
Prompting and Literature Search introduces PhD students to practical strategies for using large language models and AI-based search tools. Get hands-on experience through guided examples that help you craft prompts and integrate AI-enhanced search into your research workflow.
Registration: https://www.drs.fu-berlin.de/en/node/132129
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DRS SUMMER PARTY
Date: July 3, 2pm – 6pm
Venue: Dahlem Research School, Hittorfstraße 16
Registration: https://www.fu-berlin.de/en/sites/drs/offers/sommerfest (open only to Freie Universität members and invited guests from BUA)
Join the DRS team in celebrating doctoral research and excellent supervision at Freie Universität Berlin at the DRS summer party on July 3. Connect with fellow doctoral researchers and meet our team in person.
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Berlin University Alliance (BUA)
E-Learning Module “Good Research Practice for Doctoral Researchers”
This online course covers responsibility and misconduct in research, managing research data, identifying and avoiding questionable research practices, plagiarism, authorship & publication, and conflicts in doctoral supervision.
You can complete the course at your own pace. To fulfill the obligation to provide proof of participation in a course on good scientific practice worth at least one credit point (12 full hours) you also have to complete the optional chapter 2.2 Statistical Inference.
A list of workshops and events from the BUA organizations for all doctoral researchers can be found here.
English Writing: Individual Online Tutoring
Open to doctoral candidates and postocs of the BUA
This individual tutoring service offers free one-to-one consulting in English writing. The service is especially useful for those for graduate students and researchers working on an article or on their dissertation. The tutoring is designed to help your develop your own proficiency in English writing, while polishing the text that you bring with you.
You can sign up for an individual time slot via Zoom of 60 minutes. These take place on Tuesdays 15:00-17:00 and on Thursdays 13:00-15:00 until 16 July. Please sign up for one of the time slots via the DFN Terminplaner.
At the time of the appointment, please bring up to 5 pages of text written by you (as a digital file) to your appointment. It might be a section of a thesis or article, an essay or homework assignment, a CV or cover letter, or any other English text.
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individual time slot of 60 minutes, Tuesdays 15:00-17:00 and on Thursdays 13:00-15:00 until 16/07 |
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online |
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English |
Open to doctoral candidates and postdocs of the BUA
The workshop combines theoretical input, interactive activities, and practice-oriented reflection. Using case studies from various academic fields, participants analyze mechanisms of exclusion, communication challenges, and the impact of disciplinary cultures. Tools such as the Implicit Association Test (IAT) are introduced to make unconscious biases visible and to discuss their methodological limits. Peer-learning sessions invite participants to connect these insights to their own experiences in research environments. A dedicated module addresses bias in AI systems, using live-prompting examples to explore how training data, algorithms, and language models can reproduce inequities – and what responsibilities researchers hold in this context.
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15/06/2026, 10:00-16:00 |
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online |
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English |
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6 |
Introduction to electronic lab notebooks and their use
30.07.2026, 09:00-12:30
Electronic Laboratory Notebooks (ELNs) support FAIR – i.e. findable, accessible, interoperable and ready for reuse in new projects – data management by enabling structured documentation of projects and experiments. They replace paper-based methods by organizing data and metadata efficiently. Templates and API connections ensure standardized documentation and seamless data transfer between devices and analyses.
Workshop language: German.
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15th PhD and Doctoral Student Symposium // Sept 17 // Registration until July 17
Dear doctoral and PhD students,
We are thrilled to invite you once again to our annual PhD and Doctoral Student Symposium! Get ready for an exciting day filled with fresh ideas, inspiring research, and stimulating conversations. Organized by the doctoral students of the School of Veterinary Medicine of FU Berlin, the symposium brings together PhD students from the fields of Life Sciences, Biomedical Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine – the perfect opportunity to broaden your horizons and connect with fellow early-career researchers.
Look forward to a varied programme of talks, exciting posters, and plenty of opportunities for exchange. Whether you want to present your own research, seek inspiration, or simply expand your network – this is the place to engage with fellow doctoral students in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Scientific input meets lively discussion and open exchange in a casual setting.
New this year: Researchers who are just at the beginning of their PhD journey will also have the chance to present their research plans! In the form of shorter Lightning Talks, you can introduce your project, share early ideas, and get direct feedback from the community – the perfect way to take your first steps in scientific presenting.
And because great conversations shouldn't have to end after the last talk, we'll round off the day together with a relaxed social event.
The 15th PhD and Doctoral Student Symposium will take place on 17 September 2026 at the Veterinarium Progressum on Campus Düppel. The event will be held in English.
Participation is free of charge, but prior registration is required. You can find the registration form on our website.
Refreshments will be provided!
The registration deadline is 17 July 2026. Attendance hours will be certified for the DRS. ATF hours will be applied for.
We look forward to a wonderful day with you!
The PhD and Doctoral Student Symposium Organizing Team