One-Track Specialists Don’t Get Far – CiM-IMPRS Graduate School Trains International Top Researchers

Cells-in-Motion Podcast | Episode 11

The term “CiM” in CiM-IMPRS stands for the Cells-in-Motion Cluster of Excellence, which is part of the University of Münster, while “IMPRS” stands for the International Max Planck Research School. It’s unusual for a university and the Max Planck Society to team up for a joint endeavour, so the CiM-IMPRS Graduate School is something genuinely new. The programme focuses on modern imaging techniques and methods that make tiny organic processes visible.

Since 2010, the CiM-IMPRS Graduate School had provided young researchers from all around the globe with positions and three-year scholarships. In addition, it offers an extra programme which helps teach the doctoral students how to organise, present and market their work. It is through this programme that students must also step out of their comfort zones and get to know other faculties—a crucial component of graduate students’ education, according to Martin Wild, the CiM-IMPRS coordinator. In this programme, graduate students must realise a huge project that falls outside of their normal research work: they must autonomously organise an international symposium.

Photos

As usual, the CiM-IMPRS Graduate School Meeting is organised by the graduate students alone. This time, cell biologists Sargon Yigit and Mitchell Duffy pulled strings as coordinators.
As usual, the CiM-IMPRS Graduate School Meeting is organised by the graduate students alone. This time, cell biologists Sargon Yigit and Mitchell Duffy pulled strings as coordinators.
© Peter Grewer
  • In the auditorium of the Max Planck Institute, the graduate students listen to scientists from all around the world. The lectures are in English – for natural and life sciences are international territory.
    © Peter Grewer
  • Because of a railway strike, the graduate students had to organise a shuttle service for the speakers so that everybody arrived in time.
    © Peter Grewer
  • At the poster session, the young researchers present their own work to experienced scientists. Neurobiologists Nils Otto has no problem presenting his approaches clearly and confidently.
    © Peter Grewer
  • As coordinator of CiM-IMPRS, Prof. Martin Wild always has an open ear for the graduate students…
    © Peter Grewer
  • … says biochemist Reshma Vidyadharan. She works at the Organic Chemistry Institute of the University of Münster. To attend the CiM-IMPRS Graduate School, she moved to Germany all the way from India.
    © Frank Schlegel