The transition from Master to PhD studies
A personal perspective collected over 5 years
in the structured
in the structured
FWF Doctoral Program
Complex Quantum Systems (CoQuS)
Markus Arndt
U i i f ViUniversity of Vienna Head: Quantum Nanophysics
S k FWF C Q S Speaker: FWF CoQuS
The transition from Master to PhD studies
Internationalization of master studies
Internationalization of master studies
How to select PhD students?
How to select PhD students?
How to support PhD students in their carreer?
How to support PhD students in their carreer?
How to attract international PhD students
to Austria?
to Austria?
Att t th M t t d t
Att t th M t t d t
Attract them as Master students:
Early integration facilitates immersion into PhD
Attract them as Master students:
Early integration facilitates immersion into PhD
Consider language as a key factor:
English should be compulsory for master lectures! Consider language as a key factor:
English should be compulsory for master lectures! Raise awareness:
International rankings distort reality Raise awareness:
International rankings distort reality Adapt Bologna system:
Consider Bachelor → PhD system (e.g. USA) Adapt Bologna system:
Consider Bachelor → PhD system (e.g. USA)yy ( g( g ))
Consider tuition fees and qualitative admission rules:
Higher personal effort and public prestige for studies that cost Consider tuition fees and qualitative admission rules:
Higher personal effort and public prestige for studies that cost Higher personal effort and public prestige for studies that cost Higher personal effort and public prestige for studies that cost
CoQuS and the US physics system
US System CoQuS
Start after bachelor usually after mastery
Admission selection at all stages Uni: no qualitative selection FWF programs: selective
Master: Courses 2 years Master: 1 year course + 1y lab
Training Master: Courses → 2 years
PhD: Research → 3-7 years
Master: 1 year course + 1y lab Doctorate: 3-4 years „lab“
Secondments Rare Almost obligatoryg y
Language classes
Not needed within a
united nation Rather commonly taken
Success Completion before 30 years
several high-level publications
Completion before 30 years several high-level publications
What is the
doctoral program
doctoral program
CoQuS Mission Statement
CoQuS is a PhD program on Complex Quantum Systems in Vienna We recruit students
We recruit students
solely based on academic achievements & scientific qualifications. CoQuS aims at
CoQuS aims at
leading gifted students to scientific success and maturity. CoQuS realizes this
CoQuS realizes this
by training on the job, in competitive research projects. CoQuS supports this effort by
How do we select
PhD students
PhD students
Pre-selection and invitation is based on …
Curriculum vitae: incl. prizes, awards, distinctions List of publications posters and talks
List of publications, posters and talks
Academic records (school certificates, pre-diploma, diploma)
Motivation letter
Letters of recommendation (2 x) Language: English
Final selection and acceptance is based on …
PPT presentation: previous work, 15 min
F bl k b d t ti bj t ( i d b C Q S) 15 i
Free black-board presentation: new subject (assigned by CoQuS), 15 min Interview: with 2-3 CoQuS faculty members
Informal discussions
Ranking: by all faculty members at the end of the day
Selection rules
which remain often
which remain often
Hard criteria for choosing a PhD student
Top marks throughout all stages of his/her career
you can rely on intelligence and dilligence.
But: this is not by itself an indication of independence or curiosity.
Involvement in high level research (publications) Involvement in high-level research (publications)
he/she knows the scientific work and a particular research field But: even excellent papers may occasionally have modest
But: even excellent papers may occasionally have modest students as first authors.
Reference letters
Enthusiastic letters from research leaders → employ immediately d l d l l d ff
Soft criteria for choosing a PhD student
If a student gets bright eyes when you talk about science If a student gets bright eyes when you talk about science
You can rely on strong interest in science
Interest is a precondition but not a guarantee for success Interest is a precondition but not a guarantee for success
Corollary: If a candidate gets sleepy during your conversation
He/she may be bored → you may be tempted to drop it
It may also mean he/she is jet-lagged : → invite a second time
If you feel your „talking the same language“
This is important for a successful future collaboration But don‘t mix „appeal“ with „brillance“
Soft criteria for being hesitant
A candidate is unable to explain ideas?
How will this influence your cooperation?
Language training for a brillant student ? → give it a chance
A bright candidate cannot present to an audience?
Accept her/him to a PhD program
Encourage to participate in obligatory soft-skill training
A student presents with brilliant rhetoric A student presents with brilliant rhetoric
Important criteria for choosing a PhD student
Don‘t generalize!
Look at each specific case!
Students may have highly specialized and invaluabel talents for
research even their overal range of competences is somewhat more research even their overal range of competences is somewhat more restricted than in others.
A research team benefits from different students having complementary skills.
Don‘t try to copy any model.
Application statistics
89 applicants89 applicants fromfrom 30 nations30 nations withwith 12% female12% female applicantsapplicants
35 students invited to a hearing in Vienna
23 of them held a non Austrian Master/Diploma degree
23 of them held a non-Austrian Master/Diploma degree
International incoming students
How to evaluate the quality of students from foreign countries with a How to evaluate the quality of students from foreign countries with a different cultural background and no direct cooperations
Are national / international rankings sufficientg Personal recommendations by … ?
How to distinguish ? „Taught Master“ „Research Master“
How we
train
PhD students
PhD students
PhD training in a
competitive research environment
competitive research environment
CoQuS Research is involved inCoQuS Research is involved in
Various Austrian Special Research Programs (SFBs) Many EU and ESF Projects
Many EU and ESF Projects
Reputation and infrastructure through ERC Ad d G t 1
ERC Advanced Grant 1x ERC STARTING Grants 2x FWF Wittgenstein Prize 2x FWF Wittgenstein Prize 2x FWF START Prize 4x
EURYI Award 1x U wa d
Win-Win-Situation for both CoQuS Faculty and Students
Faculty could never achieve this without the students Students could never achieve this without the faculty
Diversity of Quantum Systems
in CoQuS
• Photonic quantum information & communication (Zeilinger)
• Molecular quantum optics (Arndt)
• Semiconductor nanostructures (Unterrainer)
• Circuit QED (Schmiedmayer)
• Ultra-cold atoms (Schmiedmayer & Zeilinger)
• Theory of quantum computation and communication (Brukner)
N l t l k (S h i t d)
• Nuclear quantum clocks (Schumm, associated)
• Opto-mechanical quantum systems (Aspelmeyer)
• Quantum physics and biology (Vaziri associated)
• Quantum physics and biology (Vaziri, associated)
• Quantum theory of many body quantum systems (Verstraete)
Formal CoQuS Activities
Specialized Quantum Teaching (continuously) Specialized Quantum Teaching (continuously)
shared among University of Vienna and TU Vienna + international visiting professors
CoQuS Colloquium (weekly) CoQuS Colloquium (weekly)
> 30 international visitors per year, from all continents
+ 1 Student presentation
(filmed & commented by CoQuS staff)
CoQuS Summer School (annually) CoQuS Retreat (annually 2-3 days)
CoQuS Activities:
Summer schools
• 4 - 6 international speakers per school
• 1 week duration, with 30 lecture hours (2 Semester hours)
• Open to local students
• Often with invitations to international research schools
CoQuS Students spend typically
1-3 months abroad during secondments to
1-3 months abroad during secondments to …
The USA: Europe: Asia:
The USA: • Caltech, Pasadena • Cornell University • Harvard University Europe: • ENS, Paris • ETH Zürich • Weizman Institute Asia: • NUS Singapore • Univ. Osaka Harvard University
• Los Alamos Nat. Labs • MIT, Cambridge
• NIST, Gaithersburg
Weizman Institute • MPI PKS, Dresden • NBI, Copenhagen
• Lab Phys. Théor., Orsay
Australia:
• Queensland, Brisbane
, g
• Princeton University • Stanford University
• Univ. of California Berkeley
y , y • LENS, Florence • University, Belfast • Universität Düsseldorf Africa: • KwaZulu-Natal, Durban Canada:
• Perimeter Institute Waterloo
• University of Gdansk • Universität Innsbruck • Universität Stuttgart
• University of Toronto • TU Denmark
• TU München • ILL Grenoble
Are secondments the holy grail ?
Advantage:E b ddi i i i l h C ll b i
Embedding in international research groups → Collaborations Formation of an individual broader world view
Reduction of the Austrian Cross Border Threshold“ Reduction of the „Austrian Cross-Border Threshold“
Disadvantage:g
Loss of dedicated research time in a competitive field Funding is limited and a PhD is shortg
Conclusion:
Value has to be decided for each case.
Short stays (4 weeks) could be obligatory if financed
Soft skill training
Frequently requested Frequently requested
Language classes (for local work and secondments)
German, Chinese, Japanese, French, Spanish, even Latin …, , p , , p , Only occasionally chosen by the students
English Academic Writing Presentation training
Research funding & projects Scientific organization
Sc e c o ga a o
Motivation and team building
Vocal training for presentations in front of large audiences Vocal training for presentations in front of large audiences
Advantages of a
structured
structured
Benefits for the Faculty
Enlarged pool of applicants:International visibility, call & applications
Joint quality control: Selection & monitoring
→ raises reputation of the program among students
International contacts through secondments
• Students return with inspiration & motivationStudents return with inspiration & motivation
• Collaborations & joint papers with external groups
Added value of CoQuS for our students
Fully paid PhD fellowships
Recognition as members of a ‘select’- team
S d l i i f h i h i
Secondment to almost any top-university of their choice
Generous support for conference attendance Generous support for conference attendance
Effectively unlimited soft skill opportunities (already through Uni)
Summary
Research leaders have a great responsibility in
selecting and advising master and PhD candidates.g g
The selection rules cannot be strictly formalized.
A good portion cannot be formalized but rather requires personal care
i l
involvement
gut feeling & experience
