FIAS Scientific Report 2011 - Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies ...

Helmholtz Graduate School for Hadron and Ion Research
and
Helmholtz Research School for Quark Matter Studies
by Henner Büsching and Gerhard Burau
The Helmholtz Graduate School for Hadron and Ion Research (HGS-HIRe for FAIR) − a joint
endeavor of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum and the universities at Darmstadt, Frankfurt, Giessen,
Heidelberg and Mainz together with FIAS − looks back on a successful third year of operation.
Established to provide a common platform for structured doctoral education in the scientific fields of
hadron and ion research, HGS-HIRe is attracting an increasing number of participating students who
perform their research projects in these fields at the partner institutions. More than 270 doctoral
students are participating in the program of HGS-HIRe by the end of 2011. Nearly 30% of the
participants have an international background, 19 participants of HGS-HIRe graduated in 2011.
The increasing number of participants in 2011 allowed for a consequent strengthening of the
education program. In addition the Helmholtz Research School for Quark Matter Studies (H-QM) is
more and more integrated in the structure of HGS-HIRe. H-QM is a joint project of the GSI
Helmholtzzentrum, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt and FIAS to specially support a selected group of
outstanding students performing research in the field of theoretical and experimental heavy-ion
physics. Both, H-QM and HGS-HIRe are supported by the Initiative and Networking Fund of the
Helmholtz Association.
Within the education program of HGS-HIRe and H-QM, numerous events on various topics, which
addressed both, scientific and transferable skills, have been organized in 2011: five lecture weeks,
three power weeks − one of them held at FIAS, and a total of ten seminars on transferable skills. With
the latter HGS-HIRe is breaking new ground and has developed, together with experienced trainers
from the UK, an integrated series of three courses focusing on various transferable skills, combining
different aspects of professional and personal development. Additionally, the HGS-HIRe Perspectives
events were introduced to facilitate the career planning of the students after finishing the PhD. Offered
in 2011 on a regular basis, these events have been established as integral part of the program.
Last but not least three special events have been organized by HGS-HIRe in 2011:
The first joint Helmholtz-Rosatom School took place in Hirschegg (Austria) in February 2011.
Participants of HGS-HIRe and fellows of the FAIR Russia Research Centre in Moscow came together
to discuss and learn about various aspects of the new FAIR accelerator complex.
During the summer months of 2011 HGS-HIRe and GSI organized an international Summer Student
Program which is offered to undergraduate students in physics or related natural science disciplines.
41 students from 14 countries, mostly from Europe but also from GSI/FAIR partner countries in Asia
and South America took part in this year's program.
The second HGS-HIRe Graduate Days were held in Königstein/Taunus in October. Nearly 200
participants and members of HGS-HIRe joined this central event. Over the course of two days
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