MAPEX Early Career Researcher Workshops

16th ECR Workshop

"Science meets Industry"

The MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes hosted the "Science meets Industry" workshop on December 7, 2023. The workshop took place in the LION building on the campus of the University of Bremen and was open to MAPEX doctoral and postdoctoral researchers.

    Do I want to work in industry after my doctorate?

The workshop offered the opportunity to get in touch with alumni of the University of Bremen who transferred from research to industry after their doctorate. In presentations and moderated discussions, participants were able to get to know the individual career paths of the invited guests. Between the sessions, there was an opportunity to exchange ideas with the guests and other early career researchers.

Dr. Deepanjalee Dutta made the start. The biomaterials scientist presented her research and gave visitors an insight into her career. At the University of Bremen, she recently conducted research into an antibacterial alloy for potential bone implants and ceramic-based wound dressings. She will be moving into industry in the new year.

Dr. Diana Ebersberger then presented the services offered by the Bremen Early Career Reearcher Development (BYRD) at the University of Bremen. The invited alumni Dr.-Ing Heike Sonnenberg from ArianeGroup GmbH and Dr. Felipe Macul Perez from Bayer AG complimented the BYRD's offer and agreed that it had given them excellent impulses on their way from academia to industry.

    "If you want it, then try it"

This was followed by a discussion with Sonnenberg and Perez. Dr. Hanna Lührs, Science Manager at MAPEX, moderated the discussion and asked the two MAPEX alumni questions about their experiences. "If you want it, then try it," Sonnenberg summarized her answer to the question of whether it makes sense for researchers to enter the private sector.

After a presentation of the MAPEX qualification program, Dr. Enis Bicer, program coordinator at MAPEX, moderated another discussion with Dr. Laura Luhede and Dr. Marzellus große Holthaus. After completing her PhD with a focus on materials science, Luhede started as a product and marketing manager at Hitachi Zosen INOVA, whose core business is the recovery of valuable resources from waste. Since completing his doctorate, Holthaus has been working for the Bremen-based family business BEGO Implant Systems, where he has been Technical Managing Director for four years. Both presented their careers and answered questions from the workshop participants.

Finally, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rainer Fechte-Heinen, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Leibniz Institute for Materials-Oriented Technologies (IWT) in Bremen, presented his professional path. It led him from research to working at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG and back into research at the IWT.

Detailed programme

15th ECR Workshop

"Building bridges across faculties and institutes"

MAPEX and the MAPEX Doctoral Qualification Programme organised the 15^th ECR Workshop on June 8 2023, under the motto 'Building bridges across faculties and institutes'. The focus was to provide Early Career Researchers an opportunity to come into contact with ECR peers from across the STEM fields.

Three interesting ECI talks by Dr. Paul Benjamin Klar, Dr.-Ing. Ingmar Bösing and Dr.-Ing. Anastasiya Tönjes showed the importance and variety of different approaches to materials research. This has only been exceeded and surpassed by two inspiring MAPEX PI talks by Prof. Dr. Gordon Callsen and Prof. Dr. Andreas Rademacher, demonstrating deep insights into their scientific work and their career trajectory to a proffessorship at the University of Bremen.

ECRs submitted their academic projects by presenting scientific posters and discussing their work with collegues ECR peer from different disciplines at the workshop.

In addition we had the opportunity to learn more about the various possibilities of open access publishing, provided and promoted by the State- and University Library Bremen (SuUB) as also about the different and comprehensive services offered by the Data Science Center.

Detailed programme

14th ECR Workshop

"Science meets Industry"

MAPEX and the MAPEX Doctoral Qualification Program organized the 14th ^ECR Workshop, which was held in February 2023 under the motto 'Science meets Industry'. The focus of the workshop was to provide Early Career Researchers an opportunity to come into contact with graduates who are now successful in their careers in industry and business. A particular highlight of the workshop was the focus on the aspect of spin-offs from the academic research.

In two interesting and impressive career talks two experienced scientists gave a very personal view on their professional development. Dr. Mar Fernández-Méndez introduced her innovative project and idea of ​​​​aquafarming the open ocean with the aim to reduce pressures on coastal natural ecosystems and their biodiversity and also contributing to reduce Carbon Dioxide at scale. As co-founder of "Seafields", she shared her personal challenges and necessities of being an academic researcher and a company founder at the same time.

Prof. Dr. Jan-Henning Dirks from Hochschule Bremen - City University of Applied Sciences gave an insightful talk about his personal career trajectory, highlighting his professional and personal experience in the private sector as well as in academic research. He explained why it was exactly the right decision for him to return to academia after a short time in industry, which eventually led to a professorship. He presented his scientific interesting work on the biomechanical properties of the cuticle exoskeleton.

Two panel sessions gave an opportunity for direct discussion and exchange with the invited panellists. In the panel discussion “moving from academia to industry”, Dr. Valentin Baric (ArcelorMittal Bremen) and Dr.-Ing. Mirko Christ (OHB System AG) gave insights into their individual career paths. They have successfully started a career in industry after being a scientist in the MAPEX community. The focus of the discussion was on important skills and competences necessary in their current professional work as well as on the differences in the daily work routine between the academic and the private sector.

“Starting a company from academia” was the second panel in which Dr. Marin Holi (TOPAS Industrial Mathematics) and Dr. Andreas Grund (GCP-Service International Ltd. & Co. KG) shared their unique perspectives and expertise on starting a business from academia. What does it take to turn ideas into a successful business model? How to deal with possible setbacks along the way? These were only some of the questions the participants discussed with our guests. In this context, Jeroen Langejan introduced BRIDGE's broad range of services as a central contact point for start-up support for members of Bremen's universities.

Finally, the workshop featured two presentations on scientific and applied work by Early Career Investigators at MAPEX. Dr. Tim Radel from BIAS gave an overview of different laser procedures for surface modification, including laser polishing and laser-induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS). Dr. Manuel Alonso-Orts from the Institute of Solid State Physics presented his scientific work on Gallium Oxide. His goal is to overcome technical challenges related to the UWBG system by developing and applying novel fabrication methods and designs for visible and near-UV optical cavities based on epitaxial Ga ₂ O ₃ .

Detailed programme

MAPEX-CF Workshop 2022

"Functional Oxides: Synthesis, Analysis, and Characterization"

Promoted by the MAPEX-CF investigation areas Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction, this workshop connected researchers working with 'Functional Oxides' and provided different perspectives ranging from synthesis and characterization to the applications of such materials.Around 30 participants from diverse research areas ranging from Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering joined the event on June 9 and 10, 2022 at the campus of the University of Bremen and also online.

During the two days of the event, a multidisciplinary audience was able to follow invited talks from experts from Germany and abroad showcasing cutting-edge research done with oxides. Hot topics such as synthesis of nanoparticle oxides, thin-film and single-crystal growth, structure-property relationships, and advanced characterization techniques were covered and valuable discussions took place.

The event was closed with guided laboratory tours, where the participants could see firsthand the instrumentation available at MAPEX-CF within the investigation areas Spectroscopy, X-ray Diffraction, and Electron Microscopy.

Workshop's website 

MAPEX Methods Workshop 2022

"Fluid Dynamics "

The fourth MAPEX Method workshop was focused on Fluid Dynamics and addressed both experimental and numerical techniques . After being delayed twice , it finally took place on May 12th 2022. The event was fully booked and the audience was filled with around 40 ( PhD ) students , post docs and MAPEX members that participated in lively discussions . Prof. Marc Avila , director of the ZARM and co-speaker of MAPEX , started the morning with a comprehensive lecture on computational fluid dynamics , followed by three talks that focused molecular and particle diffusion , reactive flows , and multiphase flows . The afternoon sessions focused on experimental methods and started with a lecture by Prof. Andreas Fischer, director of the BIMAQ , giving an overview of experimental techniques to investigate fluid flows . This was followed by three talks that discussed rheology , flow visualization , and microfluidics . The event was accompanied by eight posters from PhD and master students . The day was brought to an end withBeers and pretzels and stimulating discussions .

Details programs

MAPEX-CF Workshop & User Meeting 2021

"3D Materials Analytics"

Developed within the investigation area 3D Materials Analytics of the MAPEX-CF , this meeting aimed to connect researchers active or interested in the fields of x-ray microscopy and x-ray computed tomography. From engineering to biology , geology , and materials science , the one-day workshop and user meeting hosted around 30 participants from various research areas in a fully virtual environment .

Early career researchers were given the opportunity to present their work and also follow an outstanding introductory lecture about 3D X-ray microscopy and X-ray microtomography given by Dr. Wolf-Achim Kahl, displaying the know-how that MAPEX and MAPEX-CF can offer to the science community . The event was complemented by round-table discussions , which instigated the knowledge exchange between the participants further strengthening the commitment of the MAPEX and MAPEX-CF to connect researchers and bridge the gaps between scientific fields .

Workshop flyer 

Detailed programme

9th MAPEX Early Career Researchers Workshop

This workshop is dedicated to early career researchers (PhD and MSc candidates, postdocs) from the University of Bremen and surrounding institutions looking for career opportunities beyond academia. Don't hesitate to register if you want to …

• meet alumni of the University of Bremen now working in industry;
• get in touch with scientists and industry partners working on cooperation projects;
• know how to protect your inventions and apply for a patent;  know how to become a patent attorney as a scientist;
• meet other early career researchers from the field of materials science,
• get to know Tim Stauch, newly appointed Professor for Theoretical Chemistry.

During the 9th MAPEX Early Career Researcher workshop you will have the chance to …

• get in touch with peers, build up your own network of experts;
• learn from others, think outside the box;
• open doors to other experts – become aware of the huge potential for mutual support that you can access on the short way;
• develop ideas for cooperative research projects.

Detailed Programme

8th MAPEX Early Career Researchers Workshop

“Building Bridges” across faculties and institutes

With multidisciplinary contributions from early career researchers , the 8th MAPEX Early Career Researchers Workshop aimed at flattening the existing borders between faculties and institutes even further . ​Taking place in Bremen, the one-day workshop hosted more than 40 guests from almost all parts of the MAPEX research landscape that encompasses the investigation of materials with numerous theoretical and applied methods as well as process- and production-oriented technologies.Takingplace in Bremen, the one-day workshop hosted more than 40 guests from almost all parts of the MAPEX research landscape that encompasses the investigation of materials with numerous theoretical and applied methods as well as process- and production-oriented technologies .

Early career researchers were given the opportunity to present their work to the audience in condensed flashlight-talks before explaining it in further detail during several extensive poster sessions. The program was complemented by a supportive session about different funding possibilities for scientific projects and an introduction to the do's and don'ts of open-access publishing provided by the State Library. Many prolific discussions arose in the coffee breaks and it is to expect that new scientific collaborations have resulted from this workshop.

Finally , an impressive plenary lecture on advances in gear manufacturing held by Prof. Bernhard Karpuschewski concluded the workshop leaving no doubt about the high importance of materials science for today`s and tomorrows world.

Detailed programs

7th MAPEX Early Career Researchers Workshop

"Science meets industry cooperation Projects and career path in(to) the industry"

MAPEX was the host of previous graduates from the University of Bremen for the 7^th MAPEX Early Career Research workshop. These graduates are now members of industry and presented details of their current employment focusing on roles in their employment, current research, current projects, and new and emerging technologies driven by science and technology. These presentations revealed that graduates of MAPEX members are working worldwide and have become leading experts in areas such as metallurgy, corrosion, numerical analysis and simulations, metal printing, advanced cosmetics, extreme high precision machining and tooling.Apart from learning about these areas of their employment, the audience was entertained by fascinating stories involving personal career progression and how to achieve this success. Many stories discussed how the community here at the University of Bremen was their introduction to their current and previous positions. The more than 50 participants actively listened and asked many questions regarding research, employment, and life after leaving university. Please refer to the link below for the detailed programme as this details the list of presenters as their current affiliations.During the break time, detailed discussions with the presenters took place. Participants took great advantage of the time to ask further insight into professional and personal life beyond university life. Exchanges of business cards and ideas could be heard in all parts of the break room.In addition to the focus of this workshop, Charlotte Simmat and Wiltrud Hoffmann from the Bremen Business StartUp and Job Entry, presented the support services of the universities transfer unit such as BRIDGE and the job-oriented Mentoring-Programme “Fokus Berufseinstieg”. These paths detailed the possibilities of bringing current scientific research to industry via patenting and start-up possibilities (BRIDGE). Further enquiries can be made at the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Unit, University of Bremen.

Deteiled programme

MAPEX Methods Workshop III

"Mechanical Materials Testing"

Mechanical Materials Testing Thethird edition of MAPEX Methods Workshop took place on 13th of February , 2019, having "mechanical characterization techniques " as its main focus . Around 40 PhD students , postdocs and MAPEX members gathered to discuss about the testing capacities available at the University of Bremen. The workshop starts with a brief lecture from Prof. Brigitte Clausen on the basics of mechanical testing . Afterwards , nine speakers gave the audience an overview of the available methods , ranging from mechanical tests with in-situ microstructural monitoring , micro / nano-scale tests and specific characterization techniques for metals , fibers , composites , adhesive joints , as well as multilayer structures like computer boards . This time, the workshop also counted with the presence of an external speaker , Dr. Henry Ovri from Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht, who reported about the nano mechanical test facilities of his institute . In general , the workshop was a great opportunity for researchers to exchange experiences and learn about

different mechanical test techniques , which may lead to future collaborations .

MAPEX Methods Workshop II

"Computational Materials Science"

The “simulation toolbox at the University of Bremen” was in the focus of the second MAPEX methods Workshop taking place on 17 May 2018. More than 40 experimental and computational scientists, master students as well as professors, met in the TAB building in order to get an overview about “Computational Materials Science in Bremen across multiple time and length scales”, as introduced by MAPEX speaker Lucio Colombi Ciacchi. The following eight speakers provided a comprehensive overview about their different fields of expertise, ranging from the simulation of electrons in 2D materials, electrons and atoms at interfaces over the structural prediction of biomolecules to the simulation of fluid processes and the calculation of crystal plasticity. Lively discussions during the lunch and coffee breaks demonstrated the huge potential for new ideas and collaborations.

Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science  

Detailed Programme

6th MAPEX Early Career Researchers Workshop

"Building bridges across the boarders defined by the faculties and institutes."

More than 40 young scientists from four faculties of the university met during the sixth edition of the MAPEX Early Career Researcher Workshop on 25 April 2018. The flashlight and keynote presentations provided a good basis for a lively interdisciplinary exchange between postdocs, PhD candidates, and master students during the poster sessions. Colleagues from the research services unit and the Bremen Early Career Researcher Development (BYRD) answered numerous questions regarding funding schemes for postdocs as well as the support of early-career researchers at the University of Bremen. With his plenary lecture on “Semiconductor nanostructures - smart probes for biological systems” Martin Eickhoff closed the official programme of the workshop. After a day full of scientific insights, some participants enjoyed a visit of the "Hafenrummel", testing their luck and skill on a course of fairground attractions of the 1950ies.

Detailed Programme