PhD Programme
see also: Earth System Science Research School
The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) consists of the research units in Bremerhaven and Potsdam, the Biologische Anstalt on Helgoland and the Wadden Sea Station Sylt. The foundation is a member of the Hermann von Helmholtz Association of German Research Centres. The AWI operates the polar research vessel "Polarstern" and several polar stations, and operates super-computer facilities. Although the primary focus is on research, almost 170 PhD students are currently trained at the AWI. The AWI has a PhD qualification concept since 2001 including modules for communication skills, project management, scientific writing, conflict management, etc.
PhD students
- Advisor and PhD student write a short outline (1 page at most) including title, aim and work plan. In case of a third-party funding, this is necessary anyway in order to apply for a project. Furthermore, the outline is necessary to apply as a PhD student at the University.
- PhD committees: each PhD student should have a committee with the doctoral advisor and 2 senior scientists. For interdisciplinary work, it would be helpful to have a person from another department at the AWI and/or from the University. The PhD student should be encouraged to add further persons to her/his committee if necessary or desirable (e.g., another PhD student). The PhD student discusses with her/his committee at least once per half year.
- PhD students present their topic after 6 months (seminar) and afterwards discuss with the committee; mutual evaluation
- PhD students report on progress and problems once per year in a seminar talk. Self-organised reading clubs are highly recommended.
- PhD students are encouraged to take courses at Helmholtz research schools, Bremen University, e.g., Physics International Postgraduate Program (PIP), European Graduate College in Marine Sciences, NEtherlands BRemen Oceanography (NEBROC), International Max Planck Research Schools, Research schools funded by PAGES, CLIVAR, EGU, PROPER, etc. Most of the international courses offer grants which should be applied. Teaching networks provide a forum to allow interaction with internationally leading researchers and students.
- PhD students will be encouraged to publish scientific papers. After 1 year, the perspective for a cumulative thesis should be discussed. A course in scientific writing is highly recommended.
- PhD students should present results at an international meeting at least once.
- PhD students are encouraged to spend some time (2-6 months) in another institute related to the work (e.g., DAAD funding). This is also a training for writing a proposal.
- internal and external review of the PhD thesis or defence
Seminars/meetings
Additional Courses
- Physics International Postgraduate Program (PIP)
- Postgraduate Programme Environmental Physics (PEP) Bremen University
Condensed Courses (Blockseminare)
- European Graduate College in Marine Sciences (ECOLMAS), related to NEBROC
- Max Planck Research School of Marine Microbiology (MARMIC)
- Proxies in Paleoclimatology: Education and Research (PROPER)
- Earth System Science Research School (ESSReS)
- Helmholtz Graduate School for Polar and Marine Research (POLMAR)
Summer Schools
Schooling concept for AWI PhD students:
Besides technical education in the frame of the doctorate thesis, the Alfred Wegener Institute offers a programme of further training where young scientists can acquire additional qualifications in the fields of methodical competence and project management as well as personal abilities regarding communication, capacity for teamwork and overcoming conflicts.
The schooling programme consists of three blocks of 3(4) modules:
In the first teaching unit, 3 modules deal with the improvement of communication skills and presentations in the scientific field: How to present me and my scientific results (modules 1 and 2, 2 days each + 1 day reflection – advanced module).
The second teaching unit deepens the acquired qualifications in, in total, 3 modules of 2 days: Success through teamwork; conflict management; efficiency at work.
The third teaching unit is dedicated to methodical competence (modules 6-8,8a of 2 days).
Here, the focus is on advanced skills concerning application for third-party fundings (how to successfully write a project proposal), basics of managerial-economics and matters of project management.
After the successful conclusion of the schooling, the students obtain a certificate as a supporting document for later applications.
Related PhD programmes:
- Helmholtz Juniors: Doktorandeninitiative der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaften
- Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences - "Global Change in the Marine Realm (GLOMAR)
- EUROPROX International Graduate College – Proxies in Earth History (www.europrox.de)
- MPI Research School (www.earthsystemschool.mpg.de)
- ESSReS (Earth System Science Research School)
- POLMAR
Helpful links:
How to write a thesis proposal
List of PhD students and their research topics:
Sagar Bora
Wave adjustment in a finite element ocean model
Xun Gong
Past Arctic Ocean circulation: hydrography and circulation changes as obtained from a high-resolution numerical model
Barbara Haese
Isotope modelling to understand North African monsoon changes in the Holocene
Tilman Hesse
Modelling carbon isotopes - glacial to interglacial climate transition
Madlene Pfeiffer
Evaluation of Eemian and Holocene Climate Trends: Synthesis of marine archives with climate modelling
Patrick Scholz
Variability of the deep water formation in the North Atlantic
Michael Stärz
Understanding Cenozoic climate cooling
Christian Stepanek
Onset of northern and southern hemisphere glaciation - lessons from climate modelling
Axel Wagner
Model experiments with the coupled ocean-sea ice model NOASIM
Wei Wei
Isotopenmodellierung im gekoppelten Atmosphäre-Ozean-Meereissystem: Anwendungen im Holozän
Xu Xu
Simulation of carbonate proxy data of planktic foraminifera using oxygen isotope tracers in a global ocean model
Xu Zhang
Simulating the BO events after Last Glacial Maximum
Finished PhD works
Vanya Romanova: Stability of the Climate System and Extreme Climates in Model Experiments (2004) pdf (9,5 MB)
Gregor Knorr: Collapse and Resumption of the Thermohaline Circulation during Deglaciation: Insights by Models of Different Complexity (2005) pdf (3,3 MB)
Stephan Lorenz: Glacial and interglacial climate during the late Quaternary: global circulation model simulations and comparison with proxa data (Universität Hamburg, 2006)
Thomas Laepple
Climate dynamics on interannual to multimillenial time scales: Synthesis of instrumental, model and high resolution proxy data (2009, Univ. Bremen)
Monica Ionita
Reconstructing climate variability using observational data, proxy reconstructions and models (2009, Univ. Bremen)
Luisa Cristini
Cenozoic Antarctic Glaciation: an integrated atmosphere-ocean-ice sheet model approach (2010, Univ. Bremen)
Marcus Herold
Holocene climate variability on interannual to decadal time scales - numerical studies with a coupled atmosphere-ocean general circulation model
List of finished Bachelor's theses
Alina Gainusa Bogdan
Climate sensitivity in response to extreme solar forcing conditions: A case study on polar amplification
Moritz Krieger
Climate signatures of grape harvest dates
List of Master students and their topics:
Finished Master's theses
Isabelle Guilloton
Centennial oscillations of the NADW transport during glacial times.
Finished Diploma theses
Nils Kaiser
Die Thermohaline Zirkulation - Stochastische Analyse eines dynamischen Systems. Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn und AWI
Diplomarbeit im Fach Meteorologie. 2008
Stefan Moritz
Three-dimensional modelling of glacial ocean circulation and marine biogeochemistry.
Stepanek, Christian
Einfluss der Ozeanpassagen auf das Klima und die Auswirkung auf biogeochemische Kreisläufe: Anwendungen eines physikalischen Strömungs- und ozeanischen Biogeochemiemodells.