Doctoral scholarships for outstanding young researchers

The Graduate School “Human Development in Landscapes” at Kiel University, Germany (www.gshdl.de) offers a unique research environment positioned at the interface of the Humanities, Natural, and Social Sciences.

Research at the Graduate School addresses interactions between physical and social landscapes and examines how landscapes serve as a dynamic arena that catalyzes human activity in space and time. In particular, the Graduate School focuses on the role of environment, social relationships, material culture, subsistence, population dynamics, and human perceptions in promoting change in ancient societies and landscapes. The Graduate School addresses this interaction at multiple timescales and seeks scholars who are developing novel ways to approach some of the most pressing questions and challenges encountered in our time and the ancient world. Some of these challenges include, but certainly are not limited to, the emergence of social differentiation, mobility in societies, the spread of disease, the impact of new technologies on societies, and ideologies/ human perceptions of and responses to environmental, climate, and social change. The Graduate School actively encourages applicants from diverse disciplinary backgrounds and welcomes the development of extensive theoretical frameworks to support the empirical/applied work.

The Graduate School has been granted funding by the German Excellence Initiative.

Consequently, we invite applications for:

4 scholarships

to start on January 1, 2016. The initial scholarships are for two years with the potential to be extended to a third year. The scholarships are 1450€ per month. All scholarship holders can apply for research funds from the Graduate School.

We are seeking highly qualified and highly motivated doctoral fellows to conduct high-quality interdisciplinary research. Eligible candidates must hold an outstanding university degree (MA, MSc or equivalent) in a field relevant to the multidisciplinary theme of “Human Development in Landscapes”. The graduate program is jointly offered by academics of Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, and Social and Life Sciences. The Graduate School, therefore, fosters the formation of interdisciplinary PhD teams. The scholarships are affiliated with the Johanna Mestorf Academy at Kiel University (www.johanna-mestorf-academy.uni-kiel.de).

Innovative research ideas are supported by the extensive infrastructure and graduate centre present at Kiel University. Supervision will be provided at an interfaculty level.
Candidates are invited to submit proposals for PhD research projects addressing one or more of the following general themes of the Graduate School: “Society and Reflection”, “Social Space and Landscapes”, “Adaptation and Innovation”. The applications should fit to the foci of the Clusters.

Before submitting their application, candidates are strongly encouraged to contact potential supervisors and international partners of the GS to find out whether their proposed project fits into the research foci of the Graduate School. The result of this investigation should be mentioned in the application.

Applications in English, including an outline of the proposed PhD research project (maximum 8 pages), curriculum vitae, copies of credentials, proof of English proficiency, and two letters of reference must be submitted until October 1, 2015 (date of post stamp) to the coordinator of the Graduate School, Professor Johannes Müller, as hardcopy and as a single PDF.

Applications should be sent as hardcopy and PDF to:
Prof. Dr. Johannes Müller
Johanna Mestorf Academy at Kiel University / GSHDL
Leibnizstr. 3
D-24118 Kiel
application@gshdl.uni-kiel.de

Inquiries regarding this call for applications should be addressed to:
PD Dr Mara Weinelt,
Scientific Coordinator, Graduate School “Human Development in Landscapes”
office@gshdl.uni-kiel.de

Announcement as PDF