| Engage, Participate and Connect |
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Engage
Take the Lead: Become a GRK Speaker!
While your regular PhD program excellently trains your analytical and scientific thinking, serving as a GRK Speaker is your fast track to broad personal development. Managing your research is one thing—leading a community is where your professional profile truly stands out.
Why stepping up as a speaker is a massive win for you:
- Master Essential Soft Skills: Actively strengthen your capabilities in key professional areas like high-level communication, project organization, and team leadership—skills that are highly sought after in both academia and industry.
- Step Outside Your Comfort Zone: You will train your ability to cooperate and lead teams outside your narrow field of expertise, preparing you for complex, interdisciplinary environments.
- Shape the GRK Community: Your dedication directly pays off in organizing successful events that elevate the quality of doctoral education for everyone.
- Give Back & Have Fun: Serving as a spokesperson is a deeply rewarding and fun way to actively give something back to the institute and support your fellow doctoral students.
Ready to boost your CV and make a difference? Speak up and shape your graduate training group!
| 11/2025-active | Anne Herzig, Denja Vaso, Nina Brauer (Speaker Team) |
| 11/2024-11/2025 | Denja Vaso, Paul Tuemmler, Swaparjith K.S (Speaker Team) |
| 10/2023-11/2024 | Tom Rieckmann, Marvin Krupp (Speaker Team) |
| 02/2022-10/2023 | Richard Altenkirch, Annika Bergmann, Divyanshu Ranjan, Klara Raspe (Speaker Team) |
| 09/2021-02/2022 | Benjamin Liewehr (Speaker), Website Support Klara Raspe |
| 04/2021-09/2021 | Anna Julia Poser (Speaker), Co-Speaker Benjamin Liewehr |
| 03/2020-04/2021 | Anna Julia Poser (Speaker), Co-Speaker Ayla Kruse |
| 10/2019-03/2020 | Björn Kruse (Speaker), Co-Speakers Anna Julia Poser, Ayla Kruse |
| 10/2018-10/2019 | Björn Kruse (Speaker), Co-Speaker Benjamin Liewehr |
| 09/2017-10/2018 | Gilbert Grell (Speaker) |
| 02/2016-09/2017 | Melanie Mraz (Speaker), Co-Speakers Katharina Sander and Semjon Köhnke |
| 2015-02/2016 | Daniel Cebulla (Speaker), Co-Speakers Semjon Köhnke and Per-Arno Plötz |
| 2014-2015 | Daniel Cebulla (Speaker), Co-Speakers Niels-Uwe Bastian and Oliver Grünberg |
| 2012-2013 | Daniel Cebulla (Speaker), Co-Speakers Mandy Bethkenhagen and Oliver Grünberg |
| 2011-2012 | Mathias Arbeiter (Speaker), Co-Speaker Phillipp Sperling |
| 2009-2010 | Sebastian Göde (Speaker), Co-Speakers Mathias Arbeiter and Sonja Lorenzen |
Contribute to the Doctoral Seminar
Pick a slot and present your own topic! Go to Doctoral Seminar
Start GRK Projects & Initiatives
Whether you want to start a discussion group, organize a seminar, raise awareness of an important topic, or simply connect with fellow PhD researchers—we are here to support your ideas.
The Graduate Research Training Group represents the interests of PhD candidates at the Institute of Physics, helps bring people together, and provides a platform for new initiatives.
We’d love to hear from you!
Get in touch with the Speaker Team if you would like to:
- Invite a speaker to our doctoral seminar
- Help organize our annual retreat
- Ask questions about the GRK certificate
- Share new ideas or suggestions for our training program
- ...or simply need support with anything else
Get in touch with us—we look forward to hearing from you.
Contact us or use the Interference Box for anonymous contact.
Participate
Annual doctoral Retreat
Each year, we organise a two- to three-day graduate workshop. It provides a dedicated forum for scientific exchange through talks, poster sessions, discussions, and invited speakers from research fields related to the our research. Its informal atmosphere encourages active participation and open discussions, which are often more difficult at larger conferences or in the presence of senior researchers.
Soft-skills and other courses
To complement your academic research, we regularly organize professional training courses designed to expand your personal skill set and prepare you for your future career—whether in academia or industry.
Typical topics include Scientific Writing, Presentation Skills, Project Management, and Leadership Training.
Connect
Student-led groups at the Institute for Physics
There are several different groups with the common goal to increase the quality of study-experience at our institute. These groups offer several events per year and are always looking for new students to engage.
Physik-Alumni Rostock e.V. Student committee - FSR
Schauvorlesung Physik (Show Lectures) Regionalgruppe der jDPG
Connect with Peers and Alumni
LinkedIn Group
All members of the GRK are welcome to join the LinkedIn group of the Alumni Verein e.V. to keep in touch with people that graduated from the Institute for Physics.