5 questions to: Dr. Benjamin Brast, Graduate Center of TU Dortmund University

Translation of the German interview:

Dear Dr. Brast, you are part of the Graduate Center at TU Dortmund University and support doctoral candidates and students who are interested in doing a doctorate. This means that you work in the exciting field of supporting academic careers. There are certainly many questions to be answered when it comes to starting a career in academia.

Question 1: Let's start with the question of how students interested in doing a doctorate can find out more about the topic?

The Graduate Center offers many opportunities to learn more about starting and undertaking a doctorate to students interested in this path. These opportunities include events such as DocDay or the Spring Academy ("Frühjahrsacademie"). Those interested in a doctorate can of course also arrange an individual consultation with us.

When it comes to more subject-related questions, the best contacts are at department level - these can be professors, academics with a doctorate, coordinators of doctoral studies or doctoral candidates themselves.

Question 2: And if someone is still unsure? What advice can you give prospective doctoral candidates regarding the decision-making process?

In my opinion, you should ask yourself two questions in particular:

Firstly, why do I want to do a doctorate? Because a high level of motivation is essential to tackle such a long-term and challenging project like a doctorate. Good sources of motivation are enjoying research, the desire to answer an important research question or a concrete career goal such as a professorship.

Secondly, you should ask yourself whether you enjoyed your Bachelor's and Master's theses. If you didn't feel frustrated during your Master's thesis, but had fun, you are well prepared for a doctorate.

Question 3: The Graduate Center also provides support during the doctorate. What specific services do you and your colleagues offer?

The Graduate Center wants to support doctoral candidates in their day-to-day work and help them prepare for the next phase of their career. In our workshops, doctoral candidates can develop their interdisciplinary skills, improve their time management or acquire presentation skills for conferences, for example. We also offer many formats in which doctoral candidates can exchange ideas and network with other doctoral candidates or experienced researchers. And in general, doctoral candidates can come to our consultations with any topic - whether they have a simple administrative question, are looking for a scholarship for a stay abroad or need support in a crisis situation.

Question 4: And what is the career certificate?

Our career certificates structure and bundle interdisciplinary qualifications so that doctoral candidates can prepare themselves for their future career by participating. The "Academia & Research" certificate focuses on skills that are essential for an academic career. However, we also know that most people leave research after their doctorate. That's why we offer a "Management & Leadership" certificate, with which participants can prepare for careers in business or science management.

Question 5: Dr. Brast, you did a doctorate yourself and certainly experienced ups and downs during your doctorate. What advice would you have wished for back then, or what advice would you like to give to current doctoral candidates?

A doctorate is a challenging, multi-year project. It is easy to underestimate the complexity at the beginning and then there is a risk of getting lost in too many projects at the same time. That's why I think it's important to think about the doctorate in terms of the end result, to divide it into small work units and to approach it pragmatically. A workshop on project and time management at the beginning of my doctorate would certainly have helped me at the time.

Thank you very much for the interview!

If you would like to find out more about the Graduate Center and its contact persons and events, you can find all information on the following website: https://graduiertenzentrum.tu-dortmund.de/en/