Within the RU, young researchers have a major role in the organization of the research program. The education and further training of outstanding young researchers is an express goal of Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Mainz and the FOR 5327. Measures specifically related to the FOR 5327 include:
Competitive funding scheme for young researchers
We established a competitive funding scheme that is open to all researchers, with a special emphasis on young researchers. Young scientists in the FOR 5327 are able to independently work out small-scale research projects. This funding could for instance be used for trips, for buying special equipment, or for hiring additional personnel that is supervised by the young researcher.
Cooperation with existing measures
Whenever possible, we will cooperate and join the already existing measures at JGU (e.g. the International Office), at the PRISMA+ Cluster of Excellence, and at future DFG-funded Research Training Groups (RTG).
Educational events
The RU will be actively engaged in the organization of events for the education of young researchers, either by organizing dedicated physics schools, preconference schools, and by arranging lecture series featuring internal and external experts from the field of hadron and particle physics.
Postdocs
We will be making efforts to give to our postdocs the maximum international visibility, which is essential at this career stage. This will include talks at conferences, but also the participation of postdocs in the organization of workshops and schools (where they should act as lecturers). Furthermore, we encourage the postdocs to spend some time at the host institutions of our Mercator Fellows or international cooperation partners. We will be giving them the opportunity to suggest speakers for the lecture weeks, colloquia, schools, and workshops organized by us. While all softskill courses of the JGU will be open to them, we invite them to visit courses intended for more experienced researchers, such as leadership courses, personnel management and courses in which they learn how to build scientific networks. The most talented postdoc candidates should apply for competitive programs such as the Emmy-Noether or the Helmholtz Young Investigator programs.
PhD education
The structured education of PhD students will be embedded in the Mainz Physics Academy within PRISMA+, as well as future DFG funded RTGs. We will mostly be following the high standards of supervision as given by the HGS-HIRe (Helmholtz Graduate School for Hadron and Ion Research), of which some of our existing PhD students are already members. Additionally there will be a foundation of a PhD committee consisting of the supervisor, the co-supervisor, and an external mentor with meetings at least every six months. PhD student can also give regular reports at the meetings of the RU and visit the home institutions of the Mercator Fellows and the international partners. Further opportunities are the participation in lectures of the Mainz Physics Academy within PRISMA+ and/or of the future RTGs, physics schools, such as PRISMA+ summer school and preconference schools, and participation in soft-skill programs of the university.
Bachelor and master students
Our bachelor and master students will be given the opportunity – whenever possible – to participate in schools, lecture series, and structured lecture programs. Recently the Physics Faculty at JGU also established an excellence track at the MSc level, which is promoting highly-talented
students.