PhD Career Day at University of Salzburg

On 29 November 2013 the first PhD Career day at the University of Salzburg was organized by the three FWF-funded Doctoral College’s “ICA”, “Imaging the mind” and “GIScience”.

More than 130 Doctoral candidates from the University of Salzburg used the opportunity to talk to leading scientists from Academia and industry and to representatives from funding authorities. Mission-critical questions for PhDs were discussed such as:

·         - What should a candidate observe during working on his / her PhD?

·        -  How to find a Postdoc position

·        -  What can be done after PhD is finished

Several prestigious speakers gave keynotes and answered such questions. 

Dr. Zinner – head of the Center for Doctoral Studies at the University of Vienna - gave insights about the Doctoral journey in terms of three different perspectives (student’s, supervisor’s and institution’s perspective). Dr. Golin from the scientific company in Hamburg gave an overview of figures and facts about the market in Europe and in particular in Germany. 

Dr. Zavarsky (Fulbright commission) and Dr. Grabner (FWF Austrian Science Fund) provided useful information in regards to individual scholarship programmes for PostDocs.

How to be successful after finishing the PhD was highlighted by representatives from the industry and clinical research (ASCINA, Ever Neuro Pharma, PMU). As a role-model, an University of Salzburg alumnus and currently Postdoc at the University of California presented her international experiences and her visions. She will return to Salzburg next year after various staging posts in Academia and Industry – the University of Salzburg seems to become more attractive internationally!