Overview of the PhD Program
Copyright: CASA, Riediger
CASA Graduate School (CGS)
The CASA Graduate School is a central component of the early career development of all CASA doctoral researchers. It offers a training programme at the highest international level. For groundbreaking research successes, special attention is paid to training in interdisciplinary research and the development of scientific independence. This is ensured by an appropriate qualification program with different modules.
Two-Advisor Concept
All CASA doctoral researchers are accompanied by two supervisors. The second supervisor typically represents a field that is relevant for the dissertation research, yet complementary to that of the main advisor.
Cross-Disciplinary Project
In order to firmly anchor interdisciplinary research in CASA, each PhD student will work for at least six weeks in the research group of another CASA Principal Investigator. During this time, the doctoral student will work on an interdisciplinary research problem relevant to the dissertation and integrate the expertise of the CASA Principal Investigator.
CASA Retreat
The Retreat is a 2,5-day event in which all doctoral students, postdoctoral students and PIs from CASA are involved. The early career researchers present the current state of their research, the PIs discuss the results and provide suggestions for future working methods.
PhD Lecture
The PIs will develop a number of new, CASA-specific courses. The focus will be on topics in emerging research areas relevant to CASA. The courses are open to master students in order to get enthusiastic young scientists interested in CASA topics and to qualify them accordingly at an early stage. CASA will offer courses on topics that are only rarely taught, which will help to establish internationally leading M.Sc. and PhD programs.
Past and future PhD Lectures:
- Winter Term 2019/20: Eike Kiltz, Post-Quantum Cryptography
- Summer Term 2020: Amir Moradi, Physical Attacks and Countermeasures
- Winter Term 2020/21: Angela Sasse, Human Aspects of Cryptography Adoption
- Summer Term 2021: Nils Fleischhacker, Zero-Knowledge Proof Systems
- Winter Term 2021/22: Lizzie Coles-Kemp, Technological Security From the Perspectives of Philosophy and the Social Sciences (by SecHuman)
- Summer Term 2022:
- Kevin Borgolte, Program Analysis
- Michael Walter, Quantum Information and Computation
- Winter Term 2022/23: Michael Walter & Giulio Malavolta, Quantum Cryptography
- Winter Term 2023/24:
- Michael Walter, Quantum Information and Computation & Seminar Quantum Cryptography
- Catalin Hritcu: Foundations of Programming Languages, Verification, and Security
- Angela Sasse: Lecture Empirical Security Research
- Summer Term 2024:
- Michael Walter: Advanced Quantum Information and Computation
- Christof Beierle: Finite Fields: Theory and Algorithms
- Karo Marky: Digital Sovereignty
- Roberto Blanco, Clara Schneidewind, Catalin Hritcu: Functional Programming
- Angela Sasse: Human Aspects of Cryptography & Empirical Security Research
- Lucas Davi: Security in Cryptocurrencies and Blockchain Technology
- Winter Term 2024/25:
- Angela Sasse: Human Aspects of Cryptography & Empirical Security Research
- Michael Walter: Lecture Quantum Information and Computation & Seminar Quantum Information and Computation: Quantum Complexity Theory
- Clara Schneidewind & Catalin Hritcu: Proofs are Programs
- Kevin Borgolte: Software Security 1
CGS Colloquium
The CASA Graduate School Seminar will have an innovative format. The doctoral researchers will use an important overview paper from their field as a basis for their presentation. In addition to interdisciplinary training, other key goals of the seminar will be to prepare the young researchers for academic discussions and sensitize them to pedagogical aspects.
Copyright: CASA, Fabian Riediger
Copyright: CASA, Fabian Riediger
Copyright: CASA, Fabian Riediger
Workshops
CASA doctoral researchers have the opportunity to participate in a wide number of different workshops as part of the training program. They do not only learn new techniques and methods, the focus is also on conveying central, interdisciplinary key qualifications for young researchers for the entry, research and closing phase of the dissertation.
Overview of the Workshops:
Science Communication / Summer Term 2025
Kristin Raabe / In-person course
Course content:
- Provide a toolbox to prepare for any type of communication
- Getting to know different communication strategies
- Develope their own communication strategy
- Understanding how to present scientific work to a non academic audience
Leadership Lab for Docs and Postdocs – Models and Skills / Winter Term 24/25
Sabine Müller / In-person course
Course Content:
- Reflecting leadership roles and models
- Enhancing the ability to give and take feedback
- Organizing teams successfully
Presentation Skills / Summer Term 2024
Ingo Knopf / Nawik / In-person course
Course content:
- The core message – Getting your main point accross
- Target groups – Reaching the audience
- Increasing attention – Effective beginning and endings
- One minute madness – Practical exercise with visualisations
- Storytelling – telling science in an exciting way
- Convincing not persuading – classical rhetoric
- Appearance, facial expressions and gestures – Being present
Calm and Collected in Science / Summer Term 2023
Anna Klein / In-person course
Course content:
- Providing a toolbox for coping with stress
- Recognising stress and its biology
- Understanding your own stress reactions
- Recognising and using your own strengths
- Getting to know and trying out stress management strategies
- Reflection on the special challenges of the pandemic
Everyday Sexism and Sexualized Violence – Effects and How to Deal With It / Winter Term 22/23
Sophie Irmey / In-person course / Organized by EOD
Course content:
- Entry point into reflective engagement with sexism and sexualized violence
- Meaning of our gender in our work
- How we can act in a self-empowering way?
- Actively strengthening our own perspective and our networks
- Dealing critically with powerful structures
- Focus on exchange, clarification of questions and the development of empowering strategies for action
Time and Self Management for Your PhD Thesis / Summer Term 2022
Eva Reichmann / Live course via Zoom
Course content:
- Basic methods for realistic planning - as a basis for success
- Methods for the different phases and tasks of a dissertation - and for other tasks that doctoral students have to deal with individually
- Milestone plan for the dissertation - and detailed planning for the next 6 months
- Setting priorities and other standard methods of time management.
- Self-motivation through goal setting: What comes next - and how can I use this for my motivation or determination?
- How do I deal with challenges that arise from remote work?
Video workshops: Video seminar –Hands on!; Video Workshop by FarbFilmFreun.de / Summer Term 2022
FarbFilmFreun.de / In-person course
Course content:
- Storytelling – including: Dramaturgy and ideas for implementation
- Camera work and sound – among other things: What is needed for the creation?
- What do I have to pay attention to when recording images/sound?
- Editing – among others: What possibilities do simple editing programs offer me? How do I achieve an appealing result?
Speed & Deep Reading / Summer Term 2022
Jonas Ritter and Markus Orschler / Live course via Zoom
Course content:
- More focused and rapid reading – both on display and paper
- Better processing of scientific texts
- Memorizing essentials through improved reading tactics
- Quicker locating of important content
- Remaining relaxed and stress-free even with large amounts of text
Hand Drawn: Visualizing Research / Summer Term 2021
Meike Klinck / Live course via Zoom
Course Content:
- Drawing poster formats yourself
- Use comic-style hand drawings to address the audience, inform them and convince them of their own topic
- Teaching the basics of visualisation and graphic recording
- Theory of drawing and practical exercises
- Creation of individual visualisations
Creating Scientific Posters Effectively / Summer Term 2021
Meike Klinck / Live course via Zoom
Course content:
- Posters as a communication tool in research
- Reduction, preparation and structuring of research content
- Visual design of a scientific poster
- Development of your own content and visual concept
- Concrete implementation and design of your individual poster
- Practical check: short and self-presentation on the poster
Science Pitch / Summer Term 2021
Dr. Stephen Wagner / Live course via Zoom
Course content:
- Presenting specialist knowledge and research projects to the point
- From small talk to big talk: building personal online connections
- Storytelling for scientists: tailoring objectives to the target group
Career Planning - A Profile Analysis / Summer Term 2021
Heike Schubert / Live course via Zoom
Course content:
- Biography work
- Developing your own competences & values
- Reflection on own professional goals and next steps based on individual reflection and exchange
Prevention of Sexual Harassment / Winter Term 20/21
Antje Meister / In-person course / Organized by EOD
Course content:
- Forms of sexual harassment
- Prevention and de-escalation strategies
- Recognizing and naming harassment
- Options for behavior and action
- Communicating the legal background
- Identifying offers of help
Online Performance Practical Tips / Summer Term 2020
Maria Wolf / Live course via Zoom / Organized in Cooperation with EOD
Course content:
- Practical exercises for a professional appearance from the home office
- How can I concentrate better?
The Art of Self-Presenting for Female Scientists / Summer Term 2020
Dr. Saskia Schottelius / In-person course / Organized by EOD
Course content:
- Essential speech communication techniques for academics
- Effective self-presenting - Showing your strengths confidently and authentically
- Providing insights into the use of positive language and the practise of successful self-expression.
- Developing strategies to make a lasting and positive impact on contact persons and audiences
Confident and Calm in a Crisis / Summer Term 2020
Maria Wolf / In-person course / Organized in Cooperation with EOD
Course content:
- Behavioral patterns and dealing with stressful situations
- Developing alternative strategies
- Practical exercises
Copyright: CASA, Mareen Meyer
Outgoing/Incoming CGS Visits
Visits abroad of the PhD candidates guarantee constant external impulses for CASA research. in addition the PhD students gradually expand their international network.
Summer Schools
The Summer Schools open up new fields of research for CASA doctoral students. Leading scientists from cutting-edge research are invited as speakers
RUB RS School
The RUB Research School Program offers interdisciplinary courses and workshops that are generally tailored to the needs of doctoral students. The courses offered range from general continuing education courses to courses specifically designed for CASA PhD candidates.
Contact
Johanna Luttermann
CASA Graduate School
(0)234-32-29230
Johanna.Luttermann(at)rub.de
