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Wiss-Nama Newsletter September 2024
News from Indo-German cooperation
Seven Indian researchers receive European Research Council Grant
Seven Indian researchers have been awarded the European Research Council Starting Grant. The European Research Council (ERC) has announced the award of 494 Starting Grants to young scientists and scholars across Europe. The funding - totalling nearly €780 million - supports cutting-edge research in a wide range of fields, from life sciences and physics to social sciences and humanities. The aim is to help researchers at the beginning of their careers to launch their own projects, form their teams and pursue their most promising ideas. The successful candidates proposed to host their projects at universities and research centres in 24 EU Member States and associated countries, including Germany (98 grants), the Netherlands (51), the UK (50) and France (49).
Upcoming events and conferences
Workshop and Roundtable: World Literature
University of Göttingen and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), supported by DWIH New Delhi, are organising a two-day workshop and roundtable on world literature on October 4 and 5 in New Delhi. During the event, the speaker will be confronted with other issues projected onto the function of literature and with functional differences between literary regions, genres and epochs. Part two of the presentation will focus on different forms of communication within, and provided by, literary texts. The presentation will demonstrate the criteria for specific function for readers and for society and the consequences for teaching literature. The participating institutes are JNU, University of Göttingen, XIM University and Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune.
iHED – International Higher Education Dialogue 2024
DAAD Regional Office New Delhi in cooperation with the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) is organising the iHED workshop 2024 on October 10 and 11 in New Delhi. International Higher Education Dialogue (iHED) by DAAD India fosters international cooperation and dialogue in higher education. iHED connects educational institutions, policymakers, and researchers from Germany and South Asia addressing. Through annual conferences and workshops, iHED facilitates the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and innovative ideas, advancing the internationalisation of higher education. It engages with its existing network and welcomes new participants, offering a platform for exchange. This event aims to contribute to the capacity development and knowledge exchange of international offices of Indian higher education institutions, strengthen the Indo-German/European higher education network, and connect Indian higher education institutions with Germany. Furthermore, the conference marks also 50 years of fruitful Indo-German partnership in science.
Innovators Connect - Tandem 2024
DWIH New Delhi is organising a two weeks immersion programme in Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar and Bengaluru from November 11 to 22 for young researchers interested in start-up founding and early-stage start-up founders from India and Germany ‘Innovators Connect – Tandem’. The programme will include design thinking workshops, information sessions, mentoring, networking sessions, lab visits and more. Participants will work in teams to generate innovative ideas, undergo training for bringing research ideas to market and get exposure to start-up and innovation ecosystems of India and Germany. Participants should have a research background in Life Science, Pharmacy, Material Sciences, Internet of Things (IoT), Robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Blockchain, Cybersecurity and Chemistry.
DAAD Events
Web Session: DAAD HSK Scholarship
All queries about the DAAD University Summer courses (HSK) scholarship programme will be answered in this web session.
September 25, 2024, 4:00 PM, Online
DAAD Alumni Meet
The meet includes a visit to the BASF Innovation Centre, Navi Mumbai and interaction with the leadership team of BASF India.
Participation by invitation only
Mumbai: September 27, 2024, 10:00 AM, BASF Chemicals India Pvt. Ltd., Plot No 12 Thane Belapur Rd, Navi Mumbai 400705
Study in Germany Day - Masters in Focus
Attend this event to know about higher studies in Germany with an expert talk on career opportunities and sharing of experiences by DAAD Young Ambassadors.
Chennai: September 27, 2024, 2:30 PM, Anna University, Centre For Distance Education Sardar Patel Road, Guindy, Chennai 600025
Study and Research in Germany
DAAD visits institutions in Mumbai to inform students/researchers about higher education and research opportunities in Germany.
Open for students of the respective university
Mumbai: October 1, 2024, 12:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Study in Germany
12:00 PM, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Vidyavihar, Mumbai
Research in Germany & DAAD Scholarships
2:00 PM, National Centre for Nanosciences and Nanotechnology, Mumbai University
Higher Studies & Research in Germany (Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute)
An Info session on Higher Studies & Research in Germany. Students will be guided about Master & PhD studies – Eligibility criteria, types of universities, application procedures etc. Their queries will be answered in the interactive Q&A time.
Open for students of Dr. MGR Educational and Research Institute
Chennai: October 8, 2024, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Study in Germany Day - Bachelor and Master in Focus
Explore opportunities for your academic journey in Germany. Learn more about Bachelors and Master studies.
Colombo: October 11, 2024, 2:00 PM, Goethe-Institut Sri Lanka, No. 39, R.G. Senanayake Mawatha (Gregory’s Road), Colombo 7, Sri Lanka
Calls for proposals
Multiple Short-Term Fellowships at ICAS:MP for the academic year July 2025 – June 2026
The M.S. Merian – R. Tagore International Centre of Advanced Studies “Metamorphoses of the Political: Comparative Perspectives on the Long Twentieth Century” (ICAS:MP), a project under the aegis of the Max Weber Stiftung India Branch Office, is inviting applications for multiple fellowships for the academic year July 2025– June 2026. It offers fellowships for researchers (Postdoc and Senior) who work on at least one of the following ICAS:MP research themes: Working Group ‘Theory from the South’, Thematic Consolidation Group ‘Constructing Alternative Pasts: (New) Sources and Methods’, Thematic Consolidation Group ‘The Challenge of Gender’ and Thematic Consolidation Group ‘Normative Conflicts and Transformations’: Collective Action and the Self – South Asian Perspectives. The fellowship seeks to support research on these and related topics with a focus on South Asia. Scholars from across the humanities and the social sciences are invited to apply. Fellows must already have a PhD degree and have 3 years of research or teaching experience after their PhD.
Application deadline: September 30, 2024
Call for nominations for Max Planck Partner Groups
Max Planck Society is inviting applications for the Max Planck Partner Groups that are intended for highly motivated junior scientists or postdocs who have obtained their doctorate no longer than seven years ago. A particular focus of this year´s call will be on new partner groups in the following regions, Africa, Asia/Southeast Asia and Central and Eastern European countries. They must have spent a minimum of 6 to 12 months at an MPI before moving to a respective research institution in their home country or one of the regions mentioned above. The nomination of female scientists is explicitly encouraged.
Application deadline: September 30, 2024
PhD positions in Solar System Science
The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen invites applications for PhD positions in Solar System Science. The IMPRS for Solar System Science at the University of Göttingen and TU Braunschweig (“Solar System School”) offers a research-oriented doctoral programme in Solar system science. With its approximately 300 staff members, MPS in Göttingen is one of the leading institutes in the field of solar physics and planetary research. In particular, the institute is involved in numerous international space missions. In the context of this IMPRS, the MPS offers PhD projects in three main areas: Sun and Heliosphere, Solar and Stellar Interiors, and Planetary Science. Solar System School students collaborate with leading scientists in these fields and graduates are awarded a doctoral degree from the University of Göttingen or the TU Braunschweig. Applicants must have, or about to obtain, a M.Sc. degree or equivalent in physics, chemistry, geosciences or a related field.
Application deadline: October 1, 2024
12th edition EURAXESS Science Slam India
Applications are invited for the 12th edition of EURAXESS Science Slam India, which is open to all researchers with MA/M.Sc. from universities, research institutes, private sector or related careers, in all fields of research including Social Sciences and Humanities, Life Sciences and Engineering. Candidates are requested to submit a short video and present their research project in a creative and entertaining way. The winner will win a free round trip to Europe where they will be able to visit a research institute of their choice, and network with Science Slam winners from across the globe.
Application deadline: October 20, 2024
Max Planck Visiting Researchers Program
The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies (MPIfG) conducts basic research on the governance of modern societies. It aims to develop an empirically based theory of the social and political foundations of modern economies by investigating the interrelation between social, economic, and political action. It is currently seeking visiting researchers for the Visiting Researchers Program. The program is intended for researchers from the fields of economic sociology and comparative and international political economy and offers stays generally ranging from two to twelve months. Applications are welcome from professors, postdoctoral and doctoral researchers based either in Germany or abroad. The intended research project should relate to the MPIfG's research program and ongoing projects at the institute. Visiting researchers need to bring their own funding. A collaborative and collegial working environment is integral to the MPIfG.
Application deadline: October 31, 2024
Indo-German Funding Opportunity for Joint Research Projects in the field of Social Science Research
In pursuance of the MoU signed between the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) Germany, proposals for joint Indo-German academic research projects in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities are invited. Proposals submitted by teams of principal investigators with some initial cooperation experiences are welcome. The objective of this programme is to promote and strengthen the research cooperation in the field of Social Sciences and Humanities between the two countries, by providing funding to allow joint research activities for internationally excellent research in relevant areas of mutual interest and benefit. This is a co-funding mechanism for the support of joint research projects between ICSSR and DFG. Applicants must be permanently employed in a research or academic position in a recognized research or academic institution – either publicly funded university/college, deemed universities recognized by the UGC or a publicly funded research institute or ICSSR research institutes/recognized institutes. They must also hold a PhD or equivalent qualification and have an interest in high quality research which may be evident by past studies, publications and academic background.
The collaboration opportunity will be open throughout the year with no deadline.
PhD positions at the International Max Planck Research School on Astrophysics at the Ludwig Maximilians University Munich
The IMPRS on Astrophysics are inviting applications for 25 PhD positions for research topics in diverse fields of astrophysics. This is a joint International Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) on Astrophysics of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics (MPE), the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (MPA), the University Observatory Munich at the Ludwig Maximilians University (LMU/USM) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Together, they form one of the largest centers of astrophysical research in the world, covering every subject from planets, stars, and galaxies to cosmology. Access to the world's largest telescopes and a stimulating scientific environment provide the students with the ideal conditions for their PhD research.
Application deadline: November 1, 2024
Institute of the month
Indian Council for Social Science Research
Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) was established in the year of 1969 by the Government of India to promote research in social sciences in the country. ICSSR provides grants for projects, fellowships, international collaboration, organizing seminar/conference, capacity building, survey, publications etc. to promote research in social sciences in India. The documentation center of ICSSR, National Social Science Documentation Centre (NASSDOC), provides library and information support services to researchers in social sciences. ICSSR has developed ICSSR Data Service to serve as a national data service for promoting powerful research environment through sharing and reuse of data among social science community in India. They coordinate research activities and encourage activities for interdisciplinary research. It advises the Government on all matters pertaining to social science research and take such measures generally from time to time to promote social science research and its utilization. It provides financial assistance Indian social scientists, who have been invited to contribute and present a paper at conferences abroad.
Great women in science
Marcella Rietschel
Marcella Rietschel's work is deeply interdisciplinary, blending genetics, haplotype studies, psychiatry, and neuroscience. Her research explores complex relationships between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genes, alleles, and psychiatric disorders, particularly focusing on major depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Key contributions include genome-wide association studies (GWAS), where she identifies genetic risk loci for psychiatric conditions. Her most cited works from recent years (2018-2022) delve into genetic architecture and psychiatric disorders, with notable studies on bipolar disorder and the genetic overlap across various psychiatric diseases.
Her research integrates numerous fields such as genetics, gene studies, psychiatry, and pathology, contributing to understanding how genetics influences psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder. Through her multidisciplinary approach, Rietschel connects genetic associations with phenotypic traits and cognitive processes related to psychiatric disorders.
Did you know?
Currently, there are 49,483 Indian students in Germany, making them the largest cohort of international students in the country.