Wood Biology and Technology: University of Göttingen

The intensive, research-oriented Ph.D. programme is taught by internationally renowned scientists. This programme is open to highly qualified people who have studied forestry, wood sciences, biology, biochemistry, microbiology, chemistry or a similar subject. Germany has a long tradition in sustainable forestry (more than 200 years) and has a leading position in woodworking machinery production.

The Ph.D. programme is a joint effort of the following science groups:

• Institute of Wood Biology and Wood Technology (Prof. Dr. Holger Militz, Prof. Dr. Frantisek Hapla)
• Institute of Forest Botany (Dep. I Forest Botany and Tree Physiology: Prof Dr Andrea Polle, Dep. II Technical Mycology: Prof. Dr. Alireza Kharazipour, Dep. III Molecular Wood Biotechnology: Prof. Dr. Ursel Kuees)
• Institute of Forest Genetics and Forest Tree Breeding (Prof. Dr. Reiner Finkeldey)
• Institute of Forest Zoology and Forest Conservation (Prof. Dr. Stefan Schütz)

The core of the programme is an independent doctoral research project in one of the participating research groups. At the end of the programme the students have to hand in either a dissertation (in German or English, or in another language if approved by the supervisors) or a cumulative dissertation consisting of two publications in internationally recognised journals with the students being the only or first author (plus two other publications plus an introduction, a summary and a list of literature).

The students have to take some courses in addition to their scientific research. By taking these courses they have to earn at least 36 credit points.

1. Laboratory courses (8 weeks within the first two years = 15 credits for the reports)
   These courses impart the necessary skills for laboratory work. They can be done in the labs of their working groups or in other university or industrial labs , or even abroad.
2. Seminars on Wood Science topics
   Some of the presentations are given by guest scientists. Additionally every Ph.D. student has to give four presentations (about 30 min. each = 9 credits cumulative). The students' presentations are evaluated by the other students according to a checklist.
3. Soft Skills courses (= cumulative 12 credits out of at least three of the listed courses and activities; see below) Accomplishment: preparing protocols and other scientific writing.

• Participation in the management of the Ph.D. programme for one semester (3-6 credits)
• One semester teaching or supervision of a Master's thesis (3 credits)
• Responsible management of a scientific project or acquisition of funding for a research project (3 credits)
• Seminar in Interdisciplinary Research Management (3 credits) (see example from July 07 - 09, 2005: Outline, detailed programme, reading)
• Presentation of research results at a scientific conference (3 credits)
• Language courses with exam (max. 6 credits). Foreigners with no or little knowledge of German should take German courses offered by the Ph.D. programme or by other organisations (e.g. Volkshochschule) to be able to communicate in German on a basic level at least as all of the courses are being taught in this laguage. Most of the students need some improvement of their knowledge in English, as it is the language of instruction. The "Mediothek "of the "Sprachlehrzentrum" offers an excellent opportunity for private training.
• Other courses if accepted by the Dean of Academic Affairs. Some courses taken by our students in the past have been:
• Communication and Change Management
• Short Introduction to Creating Websites: The Results
• Patent Law
• Scientific Writing
• Information Resources and Electronic Publishing