Activities of the Collaborative Research Center
TRR 174 is organizing a variety of regular joint events like lab visits, retreats, workshops, seminars, and conferences, thus, bringing together early-career researchers and principal investigators of the consortium. These activities greatly contribute to intensify scientific collaborations between the groups and, thus, create even stronger synergies. Due to the comprehensive program, the doctoral researchers are best prepared for a future career in e.g. academia, industry or administration:
In lab visits, the members of TRR 174 visit the laboratories and members of the research groups at the other location, to learn about the technologies and expertise available there, and discuss their projects.
During short (1-day or 2-day) retreats, the members of TRR 174 have the opportunity to present the current state of their projects and intensify their interactions. At long (3.5-day) retreats, all projects conducted within TRR 174 are discussed in detail to exchange ideas and initiate additional collaborations. Collaborative projects are presented by each of the interacting partners to show the different contributions and provide stimulating examples for successful cooperative efforts. Moreover, social activities promoted close contacts between all TRR 174 members, including PIs, postdocs and doctoral researchers.
Ample opportunity for interactions is also provided by the training and gender-equality activities that TRR 174 offers to all doctoral researchers and postdocs working in the consortium, complementing the comprehensive support structures provided by the local graduate schools and universities. Professional success not only depends on scientific achievements but also on critical thinking, presentation skills, efficient communication with colleagues and society at large, writing, organizational, planning and leadership skills, as well as inclusivity and assertiveness. Also, acquisition of external funding is important in case a career in academia is planned. To help acquire these skills, the doctoral researchers are encouraged to attend workshops in transferable skills such as leadership skills, project management, grant writing, scientific presentation, assertive communication & behavior or gender & diversity awareness.
Regular interactions are also fostered by the monthly TRR 174 Progress Seminar that is organized in addition to the intensive seminar programs of the graduate schools and institutions in Marburg and Munich and provides early-career researchers working on TRR 174 projects with a platform to discuss their results with all members of the consortium. This internal event is complemented by the TRR 174 Seminar Series, a joint event of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and TRR 174, which is open to the public and features monthly talks by invited guest scientists (see header “Seminars” for upcoming seminars). In both cases, the presentations are shared through online conference tools to enable a participation of all TRR 174 members.
Another important integrating factor are the international conferences organized and supported by TRR 174.
Finally, a quarterly newsletter has been established, which is distributed to all members and published on the TRR 174 website.
For an overview and brief description of the offered events, please see the respective subitem of this header.
In lab visits, the members of TRR 174 visit the laboratories and members of the research groups at the other location, to learn about the technologies and expertise available there, and discuss their projects.
During short (1-day or 2-day) retreats, the members of TRR 174 have the opportunity to present the current state of their projects and intensify their interactions. At long (3.5-day) retreats, all projects conducted within TRR 174 are discussed in detail to exchange ideas and initiate additional collaborations. Collaborative projects are presented by each of the interacting partners to show the different contributions and provide stimulating examples for successful cooperative efforts. Moreover, social activities promoted close contacts between all TRR 174 members, including PIs, postdocs and doctoral researchers.
Ample opportunity for interactions is also provided by the training and gender-equality activities that TRR 174 offers to all doctoral researchers and postdocs working in the consortium, complementing the comprehensive support structures provided by the local graduate schools and universities. Professional success not only depends on scientific achievements but also on critical thinking, presentation skills, efficient communication with colleagues and society at large, writing, organizational, planning and leadership skills, as well as inclusivity and assertiveness. Also, acquisition of external funding is important in case a career in academia is planned. To help acquire these skills, the doctoral researchers are encouraged to attend workshops in transferable skills such as leadership skills, project management, grant writing, scientific presentation, assertive communication & behavior or gender & diversity awareness.
Regular interactions are also fostered by the monthly TRR 174 Progress Seminar that is organized in addition to the intensive seminar programs of the graduate schools and institutions in Marburg and Munich and provides early-career researchers working on TRR 174 projects with a platform to discuss their results with all members of the consortium. This internal event is complemented by the TRR 174 Seminar Series, a joint event of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology and TRR 174, which is open to the public and features monthly talks by invited guest scientists (see header “Seminars” for upcoming seminars). In both cases, the presentations are shared through online conference tools to enable a participation of all TRR 174 members.
Another important integrating factor are the international conferences organized and supported by TRR 174.
Finally, a quarterly newsletter has been established, which is distributed to all members and published on the TRR 174 website.
For an overview and brief description of the offered events, please see the respective subitem of this header.