Gateway to Germany: Research & Career Opportunities (Online)

Breakout Room 1 (offered twice): German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD): Scholarships, internships, and research funding

Are you interested in internships or short-term research? Germany has a lot to offer for international students and researchers: an excellent research infrastructure, international labs, and many funding opportunities for all academic levels and fields. Join this session to learn more about DAAD funding opportunities and how to apply. 

• Hanni Geist, Senior Manager University Relations, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)

Breakout Room 2 (offered twice): German Research Foundation (DFG): Postdoc and first professorship funding opportunities

Interested in continuing your basic science career in Germany? The German Research Foundation (DFG – Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) has programs to fund your postdoc position or first professorship in any discipline and at every university in Germany. 

Join this session to learn more about these funding opportunities and how to apply.   

• Diego Rivas, Program Manager San Francisco, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

Breakout Room 3: Technical University Munich: Forging the Future at the Technical University of Munich, The Entrepreneurial University  – Research in medical, health, and sustainability fields; entrepreneurial programs

Session A: Breakthrough Research in Medical and Health Technologies at TUM 

TUM is leveraging its considerable, cross-disciplinary technical expertise to create the future of health care, especially in medical and health technologies. Come hear representatives of TUM discuss: 1. Relevant research in the life sciences, medicine, information technology, and engineering and design, including research related to AI as well as medical devices, 2. Clusters of Excellence related to Biosystem Design, Systems Neurology, and Nucleic Acids, 3. Entrepreneurial landscape, rooted in the School of Management, the UnternehmerTUM, focusing on the TUM Venture Lab Health 

• Professor Doctor Oliver Hayden,  Heinz-Nixdorf-Chair for Biomedical Electronics, Technical University of Munich
• Tim Bombosch, PhD, Senior Regional Manager, TUM San Francisco

Come prepared with your questions and learn how you can conduct world-class, high-impact research in Munich. Funding information will be shared with post-presentation materials. 

Session B: Creating a Sustainable Future at TUM 

TUM is world-renowned for its contributions to fighting climate change and creating a sustainable future. Come hear representatives of TUM discuss: 1. Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, 2. Relevant research in materials sciences, biotechnology, mobility, energy, agriculture, and policy, 3. TUM’s Clusters of Excellence for Sustainable Energy (e-conversion) and for Transformative Technologies and Social Change (Transform), 4. Network of global partnerships to address the planet’s most pressing challenges, 5. Entrepreneurial landscape, especially the TUM Venture Lab for Sustainability and the Circular Economy 

• Florian Lintl, Operational Manager, TUM Venture Lab for Sustainability, Circularity, and the Bioeconomy, and the TUM Battery Start-up Incubator (BaStI)
• Tim Bombosch, PhD, Senior Regional Manager, TUM San Francisco

Come prepared with your questions and learn how you can conduct world-class, high-impact research in Munich. Funding information will be shared with post-presentation materials. 

Breakout Room 4: Technical University Berlin: Science, startups, and green chemistry innovation

Session A: Science & Startups: Opportunities for Science Innovators in Berlin 

Science & Startups is the association of the startup support services of three of Germany’s top universities: Technische Universität Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. In this session, we will provide an overview of Berlin’s dynamic research landscape and introduce the services of Science & Startups for supporting academic entrepreneurship – highlighting examples in green chemistry, climate, and sustainability, areas of significant global importance. We will also discuss growth perspectives for startups through the newly established regional entrepreneurship hub for the capital region: UNITE. 

• Dr. Christine Oesterhelt, Head of the Transfer Support Team, TU Berlin
• Prof. Dr. Sören Salomo, Professor of Technology and Innovation Management, TU Berlin, and Development Team of greenCHEM project 
• Alexander Moritz, Advisor & Liaison for TU Berlin in San Francisco and the Bay Area
• TBC, Startup  

Session B: greenCHEM – The Innovation Ecosystem for Green Chemistry in Berlin 

Discover why Germany’s capital is the ideal place to become an innovator in green chemistry. Master’s and PhD students, as well as early-career researchers, will learn what greenCHEM offers to aspiring startup teams and researchers aiming to validate and commercialize their ideas. From lab infrastructure to scholarships, a wide range of support tools is available to drive the chemical industry’s transition toward sustainability. 

• Martin Rahmel, greenCHEM Coordinator, Director of the Chemical Invention Factory (TU Berlin) and Director of the innovate! Lab gGmbH
• Dr. Petra Ryl, Cluster Manager at greenCHEM and Science & Startups (TU Berlin) 
• Dr. Bruno Gomes Guimarães, Innovation Consultant at greenCHEM (HU Berlin) 
• Alexander Moritz, Advisor & Liaison for TU Berlin in San Francisco and the Bay Area
• Tim  Bornemann, AdaptX, TU Berlin Alumni Startup founder 

Breakout Room 5: University Alliance Ruhr: Doctoral programs, early-career support, and global collaboration

Funding for Doctoral Researchers at Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen 

The UA Ruhr pools its internationally renowned research on pressing future issues under the umbrella of the Research Alliance Ruhr. With four research centers and the College for Social Sciences and Humanities, the Research Alliance sets new standards for interdisciplinary and internationally competitive top-level research. This unique research environment attracts leading scientists from around the world. https://www.uaruhr.de/en/research/research-alliance-ruhr/  

University Alliance Ruhr will be represented by:  

• Priya S. Nayar, Executive Director, University Alliance Ruhr 
• Tim Pfoehler, Intern, University Alliance Ruhr 

Breakout Room 6 (offered twice): University of Cologne: Doctoral programs, early-career support, and global collaboration

In this session, representatives from the University of Cologne will present the university’s wide range of opportunities available for PhD students and postdoctoral researchers, with a special focus on programs designed for international scholars. Participants will learn about our five Clusters of Excellence, current job openings, as well as dedicated funding and support structures for early-career researchers. We will showcase the University of Cologne as a vibrant hub for cutting-edge research, innovation, and global collaboration, offering an inspiring academic environment in the heart of Europe. 

The University of Cologne will be represented by:

• Prof. Dr. Ines Neundorf, Vice-Rector, Academic Career and Staff Development  
• Frank Wascheck, Vice Director, Division Research Management 
• Dr. Eva Bosbach, Executive Director, University of Cologne New York Office 
• Cara Schönmüller, Intern, University of Cologne New York Office, and UoC student