Information Flyer - Karlsruhe School of Optics & Photonics - KIT

PhD Program
The 3-year KSOP PhD program comprises the research project
leading to a PhD thesis, compulsory modules as well as optional
conference participation.
The actual research work is a central element of the PhD thesis
within one of the KSOP research areas. KSOP provides graduate
students with an optimal research environment at the Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology (KIT) to carry out first rank PhD projects in
the multi-disciplinary field of Optics & Photonics. Integrated into
the graduate school, doctoral researchers pursue their projects
autonomously.
To support their endeavor, two independent advisors and a
mentor accompany the research work of each PhD student by
meetings on a regular basis.
One of the core elements of the KSOP PhD program forms the
specific modular training, which includes units from a catalog
of technical, scientific as well as management and personal
key competence modules. Since successful careers in industry or
academia often require leadership and interdisciplinary knowledge,
emphasis is laid on management skills, which are taught
as mandatory management modules within KSOP at the HEC-
TOR School of Engineering and Management, the technology
business school of KIT.
In addition to that KSOP fosters an active international networking
amongst its students via an alumni group, social media
networks and various social events. Furthermore, the participation
at international conferences is actively supported, which enables
KSOP PhD students to connect with international peers and
leading scientists.
Research Areas
The five KSOP research areas (RA) are organized according to the
needs in education and the existing strengths of the research programs
at the KIT. All research areas are strongly interlinked and
most institutes feature research projects in more than one of the
research areas.
RA I Photonic Materials & Devices: New materials-, synthesis-,
and deposition technologies for, e.g., luminescent nanoparticles,
organic films, or photoresists. are explored. In addition, novel concepts
like plasmonics, photonic crystals, photonic metamaterials,
and transformation optics have emerged throughout the last decade,
providing completely new conceptual opportunities regarding
the design of photonic materials and devices.
RA II Advanced Spectroscopy: Modern science and technology
would be inconceivable without advanced spectroscopic methods
which can probe sample composition and properties over lengthscales
from anometric to astronomic. Spectroscopy also plays a
crucial role in helping to uncover and characterize novel quantum
and nonlinear phenomena in many fields ranging from molecular
photophysics to atmospheric chemistry.
RA III Biomedical Photonics: Advances in Optics & Photonics
have always driven progress in many areas of biology and medicine.
For example, biomedical photonic technologies are crucial for
noninvasive clinical monitoring, molecular diagnostics, or imaging
of physiological parameters in living cells, humans, and whole organisms.
In addition, new optics-based tools have been engineered
to manipulate biological systems by, e.g., laser-tweezers or lightswitchable
dyes and proteins for optogenetics.
RA IV Optical Systems: In real-world applications, optical materials,
devices and spectroscopic approaches are integrated into optical
systems. Examples are sensing and machine perception systems,
laserbased manufacturing, optical metrology for production monitoring,
and optical communications. Research and development
have led to tremendous performance improvements and have
enabled new fields of applications.
RA V Solar Energy: The direct conversion of solar radiation into
electrical energy is expected to cover a major fraction of the electricity
supply in the upcoming decades. Optics & Photonics research
can contribute in various ways to the goal of affordable future solar
electricity: Light management by means of tailored plasmonic or
dielectric structures can reduce the costs since it allows for a thickness
reduction of the solar cells. Another central aspect are novel
materials with improved photovoltaic properties.
Research Area V Research Area I
Voices of Doctoral Researchers & Alumni about KSOP:
Dr. Tolga Ergin
>
Tobias Großmann
>
Dr. Ninette Stürzl
Interdisciplinary Research
Research Area II Research Area III
Photonic
Materials & Advanced
Devices Spectroscopy
Solar
Energy
Optical
Systems
Research Area IV
Biomedical
Photonics
Interdisciplinary Research
>

KSOP Profile Key Data & Benefits
Optics & Photonics are key technologies of the 21st century.
They form, e.g., the basis for today’s optical communications,
environmental sensing, biomedical diagnostics in
the life sciences, energy efficient lighting and solar energy
harvesting. In this context the Karlsruhe School of Optics &
Photonics (KSOP) was founded in 2006 as the first graduate
school in Optics & Photonics within the German “Excellence
Initiative“ at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The
excellence status was renewed for another five years after a
successful evaluation by international experts in 2012.
The KSOP provides a multidisciplinary environment for firstclass
research and education as well as for the generation
of knowledge and innovation in Optics & Photonics. Comprising
both a MSc and a PhD program as well as Erasmus
Mundus programs, the KSOP educational concept is designed
to qualify graduates for accelerated careers at world
leading academic institutions and in high-technology industries.
KSOP PhD program facts*:
KSOP Professors: 19
KSOP Junior Research Group Leaders & Staff Scientists: 12
KSOP Doctoral Researchers: 80
KSOP Alumni: 55
Funding Partner: German Research Foundation (DFG)
Host University: Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
* Nov 2012
KSOP Graduate School
MSc Program in Optics & Photonics
(Master of Science)
PhD Program in Optics & Photonics
(Dr. rer. nat. or Dr.-Ing.)
MSc degree of
another School
• 3-years PhD Program
• Modular Training
• Supervision & Mentoring Concept
• International Networking
Target Group & Application
The application for the KSOP PhD program is ongoing without
any deadlines. There are two possible pathways to the
graduate program:
• Direct entrance with a suitable international masters/
diploma degree
• Recruitment from KSOP MSc program graduates
Due to the excellent research opportunities in Karlsruhe the
KSOP looks upon a high number of applications from other
national and international universities. The selection of the
candidates after application is based on the positive statement
of the prospective advisors and approval by the executive
board of the KSOP. PhD candidates are either financed
from KSOP scholarships or from other financial resources.
Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP)
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
Schlossplatz 19, 76131 Karlsruhe (Germany)
Phone: +49 721 608 47880
Fax: +49 721 608 47882
E-Mail: phd.info@ksop.de
Web: www.ksop.de
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Managing Director:
KSOP Coordinator:
PhD Program Manager:
Dr.-Ing. Judith Elsner
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Lemmer
Denica Angelova
International PhD Program
in Optics & Photonics
Karlsruhe school of optics & photonics
www.ksop.de
KIT - Universität des Landes Baden-Württemberg und nationales Großforschungszentrum in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft