Bauhaus-Universität Weimar: Doctoral Council

An update of the Thuringian Higher Education Act of May 2018 recognises doctoral candidates as members of the universities, so that we are now entitled and justified to represent our higher education policy interests in an appropriate and organised manner to the university bodies and committees.

In March 2020 the first statutes of the doctoral council of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar were adopted. The first elected doctoral candidate's representation worked its way into the many topics of 2021-2023 and established the Pro.Doc in a wide variety of committees at the university. We repeatedly brought the interests of the doctoral candidates' community into important discussions.

We warmly invite you to join the Moodle course "Promovierendenschaft | PhD student body" to inform you about all important results of board and committee meetings, but also to enable an easy exchange. There you will also find a list of who represents the PhD student body in the respective committees. To do so, send us an enquiry in Moodle or write us an e-mail to receive the access data. If you have any problems or are not yet registered in Moodle, please send us an email to doctoral-council@uni-weimar.de

If you want to actively support the interests of doctoral candidates or if you want to get in touch with us to discuss your concerns or worries, please contact the members or write to:
doctoral-council@uni-weimar.de

The new Pro.Doc has been elected!

The election for the PhD Council 2023 took place at Bauhaus University Weimar at the beginning of March. The official election results are published and in the next weeks the different offices in the Pro.Doc will be assigned.

The Pro.Doc members 2023-2025

Ruweida Aljabali - Speaker

»I am a doctoral candidate at the Chair of Urban Studies and Social Research. My doctoral thesis investigates the components and dynamics of “Exile Communities” and their impact on refugee camp development. I specifically focus on Gaza refugee camp in Jordan, housing stateless refugees. As an ethnic-minority academic, I aspire to celebrate diversity and exchange. Thus, I have been voluntarily coordinating the Doctoral Group at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, where we present our work and invite experts to offer impulses on academic life/career. I also volunteered at Caritas and AWO for a couple of years.

May aims for the Doctoral Council:

By becoming a doctoral representative, I aim to increase dialogue between the different university faculties, share my experiences/learnings as an early-stage researcher, and to stand up for the PhD community.«

Margarita Garcia - Deputy Speaker

»My research intersects environmental & border conflicts: to develop transdisciplinary methodologies acknowledging history via performance art to envision alternatives. Work includes Re/flecting the Border, (Kunstform, NGBK 2019), Intersectional Tea House, (Rahmen FTA; Festival TransAmériques, Montreal, 2021) Walking to Buchenwald/Montjuic (ETC Barcelona, 2022) & Cooking Conflicts (Documenta IV).

I believe I am uniquely qualified as an „Alter Hase“ (Bauhaus, 2010); head of Weimar‘s Beschwerdestelle & an elected Ausländerbeirat councilor that can bring PhD concerns directly to the city. If elected I would represent doctoral needs for all faculties at the state level. Things we need include more PhD funding/positions in all faculties, increased international research/publications, & equal opportunities for all qualified PhDs regardless of background.«

Profile: Margarita Garcia, b. Chicago, USA is an artist, PhD student and occasional lecturer in Frei-Kunst at the Bauhaus University Weimar, where she also leads the city’s antidiscrimination office. Her artistic focus encompasses issues of ecology, diversity and feminism as well as concrete political responses to the contemporary chaos generated by the challenges of the anthropocene and the multiple crises facing everyone and everything on this planet.

Marcel Helmrich

»Each of us makes a small contribution to the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar through our research. In the past two years, we have been able to participate for the first time in many important decisions and discussions within the university – which also affect us – and make our needs heard.

After two years as speaker of the Doctoral Council, and participation in numerous committees and working groups inside and outside the university, I am standing for election once again in order to be able to continue to contribute to projects that have been started and to pass on the knowledge that has been accumulated in two years to the next generation of the Doctoral Council.«

Marcel, PhD candidate at Fak B/civil engineering
research topic: Structural condition assessment of ageing infrastructure

Mahsa Mirboland

»Hey! I am a Research Assistant and Doctoral Candidate at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, since 2018. I have worked on various research projects with topics ranging from SHM & BIM, to mixed reality apps and virtual labs, but I have been focusing on digital twins for infrastructure in my dissertation.«

My aims for the PhD council:

»I am amazed by (and thankful for) the initiative of Pro.Doc and what they have achieved within the last 2 years. I think Doctoral Candidates must be more integrated in the decision-making policies of the Uni. Also, I find it vital to have representatives of other nationalities in our Uni councils. I wish to communicate the perspective of PhD students and their interests more robustly so that they get better support during their research period. Cheers!«

Ann-Kathrin Müller

»Our doctoral council Pro.Doc has existed for 2 years now. Since then I have participated in university committees as an elected member and was able to get to know the university structures "from the inside". That showed me how important it is to give our concerns a voice. Concrete goals are, for example, to improve the working conditions of doctoral students and postdocs, to help shape the doctoral framework regulation and to further develop networking with other Central German doctoral student representatives.

My doctoral thesis examines image-text relationships using drawings and texts. The practice-based artistic research promotes the gain in knowledge of visual signifiers not only through their description, but also through the experience of artistic processes.«

Pedro Romero

»I am a Civil Engineer and I have a Master's Degree in Management Engineering. For many years I have worked for some universities in my country (Colombia). I have participated in research projects and published papers on issues related to the quality of urban life. Because of this, today I am here at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar developing my doctoral research at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism.

May aims for the Doctoral Council:

As a Doctoral Candidate and a foreigner in Germany, I can understand many of the challenging situations that we have to face as young researchers. I want to be a voice of the doctoral candidates in front of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, to support the researchers and transmit our doubts, needs and new ideas to the institution. My purpose is to serve and help build an optimal environment for the success of doctoral candidates in the development of their research project. I have always shown great interest in serving my colleagues. My main motivation is to be a guide for other doctoral candidates during their journey through their research. Through a clear and open dialogue, be a spokesperson for the ideas that young researchers have to contribute to the University. I believe that together we can build a great support network and in this way guarantee the academic success of all.

Personally, this experience would mean a way to know how the decision-making groups of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar work, additionally to better understand the German work culture.«

Maximilian Rünker

»I work interdisciplinary at two faculties: on the one hand at the Research Training Group Media Anthropology, on the other hand at the Chair of Transport System Planning. My dissertation deals with the lusophone (i.e. Portuguese-speaking) discourse of anthropophagy, which I describe as a theory of mobility from modern times to the present.

Why am I running for the Doctoral Council?Having already been involved in the first two years of the Pro.Doc, I would like to continue my participation and act as a kind of bridge: between the two faculties where I work, as well as between the current and the future Doctoral Council. The discussion in committees and boards can also only succeed through such forms of mediation, which I would like to continue to contribute to.What are my goals for the work in the doctoral student representation?International mobility and exchange are finally possible again after difficult years. Such formats - especially in presence - are of enormous added value for any kind of research. I would like to get involved in reviving the intercultural profile of the Baudhaus-Universität Weimar with concrete events and programmes.«

Sneha Singh

»Hello, my name is Sneha Singh, and I am researching about the evolution and projection of feminine agency in Indian cinema, specifically in domestic spaces. The intent of my research is to identify the dissemination of cinema as a medium in such spaces and pave way for possible mitigation potentials for the gender neutral spaces.

That being spelled out, my intention to run for PhD council also stems from this motivation. I have always believed that balance in hierarchical structure requires continuous work and it can only be brought by active participation of those who are involved in it. I have observed, appreciated and admired the work of PhD council in the past years and I believe that this work should be carried out with our active participation in the upcoming agendas of the council. Further, possibilities of new ideas, new agendas in the favour of the PhD students of our university, with contributing to the work of council, is my conviction.

My goals for the work in the doctoral council are twofold. First, I wish to contribute towards the current working agendas of the council, offer my ideas or opinions and work towards these agendas as required. Second, is to put in an effort to connect Doctoral Candidates across all faculties, voice their ideas and opinions and channel it through both the council and if required, the various organisations of the university. Further, I feel that such a collective work will also acquaint me with the multifaceted and diverse community of doctoral students that our university has.«

Deputy Member - Rico Graupner

»I am Rico Graupner and I am doing my doctorate at the Faculty of Art and Design at BUW. My research topic "Insect controlled Composition" refers to the investigation and application of new artistic strategies and methods to enhance acoustic environments and soundscapes.

Why am I running for the Doctoral Council?

I am running for the Doctoral Council because I believe I can be a valuable voice for the needs and interests of doctoral candidates. Furthermore, as an active member of the academic community, I feel it is my responsibility to advocate for my colleagues and provide them with strong representation.

What are my goals for the work in the Doctoral Council?

My goals for working in the Doctoral Council include improving the working conditions for doctoral candidates, promoting exchange and cooperation between doctoral candidates, and reliably representing their interests in political decision-making processes. In addition, I would also like to help ensure that doctoral candidates are supported in their careers and have the necessary resources to conduct successful research.«

Deputy Member - Marjolein Mulder

»My name is Marjolein Mulder, I am from the Netherlands and I am doing my doctoral research in the structured PhD program "Art and Design" with a focus on design. My PhD project deals with gender-informed dynamics between designers, users, and seating furniture.

Through my candidacy for the PhD Council I hope to get to know the different realities, wishes and needs of our doctoral candidates and to represent them within the Bauhaus University as well as in front of external PhD councils.

In particular, the specific hurdles and needs of international doctoral candidates and doctoral candidates with family responsibilities are of concern to me. I would like to bring these into the foreground and develop workable solutions for them.«

Deputy Member - Marko Seidemann

»I studied civil engineering at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar and am researching the topic of targeted carbonation of recycled aggregates. The aim is to improve the material properties of the recycled aggregates and to achieve permanent CO2 storage in the recyclates. Since 2021, I have been active as an alternate member of the Doctoral Council.

What can I do for you and what are my goals?

In the previous period, we established a solid foundation for the Doctoral Council and there were many cross-faculty thematic discussions. My goal is to further anchor the interests of doctoral candidates in university policy. In doing so, there should be no interdisciplinary boundaries. The Doctoral Council should ambitiously expand its right to have a say in the university's bodies and committees and continue to make active use of it.«

Deputy Member - Pappal Suneja

»I am a Doctoral Candidate at the Chair of Theory & History of Modern Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. My research topic is "Modern Indian Architecture and the Emergence of a Post-Independence Discourse: The Case of Design (1957-1988)". In my ongoing research I am analysing the Design periodical in the context of “Historicisation,” integrated into design research with emphasis on the reflecting mirrors of changing discourses related to Art, Architecture, and Design.

My aims for the Doctoral Council:

I am running for the Doctoral Council to explore the integrated participation of researchers from all backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities. My Goal is to focus on setting up an inclusive community of Ph.D. Scholars. It shall act as a platform to ideate, discuss, analyse, and find holistic solutions for a trouble-free academic journey following an interdisciplinary approach.«

Presentation of all members 2021-2023

Marcel Helmrich - 2021-2023

»Dear PhD candidates,

Each of us makes a small contribution to the overall image of the Baudhaus-Universität Weimar through our research. Until now, we have had little influence on important decisions, including those that affect us. With the Doctoral Council, we now have the opportunity to make our needs heard. I would like to be your contact and representative, to stand up for your wishes and suggestions and therefore hope for your vote.«

Marcel, PhD candidate at Fak B/civil engineering
research topic: Structural condition assessment of ageing infrastructure

Viola Ahrensfeld - Deputy Speaker 2021-2023

»Since 2018, I have represented the doctoral student body of the university and I would like to bring my experience into the new doctoral council, continue to support the doctoral candidates, explore new concepts and possibilities together with them, how we as doctoral students can position ourselves well in everyday academic and social life, and keep an eye on university politics as future graduates of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. My doctorate is based at the Faculty of Art and Design in the structured Ph.D. program.«

Kirsten Angermann - 2021-2023

»My doctoral biography is long: I held a scholarship firstly and have then been an external doctoral candidate with a full-time job away from the university before I got my current position as research assistant. Now, I’m in the final stages of my work on postmodern architecture in the GDR.

A couple of years ago, togehter with other doctoral candidates, I have campaigned for our status group to be given opportunities for participation, regardless of employment at the university. I am very pleased that this is finally a fact in „Thüringer Hochschulgesetz“ and I am running for the doctoral council to represent the specific interests of doctoral candidates, drawing from my experience stated above.«

Michael Braun - 2021-2023

»I studied product design and worked in the development of consumer and investment goods in design offices in Dresden and Munich. Since 2018, I have been working in teaching and research as a research assistant at the Chair for Theory and History of Design at the Faculty of Art and Design at the Bauhaus Universität Weimar and in parallel researching potentials of digital craftsmanship in product design as part of my doctorate in the Ph.D. programme Art and Design. Being a help and support to the doctoral student body and at the same time representing the interests of the doctoral student body moved me to run for the doctoral council.«

Aryan Khosravani - 2021-2023

»PhD is not only about the form, but also the Function…

I am Aryan Khosravani and doing my Ph.D. research at chair for computational architecture (InfAr). My research focuses mainly on analyzing how architecture will affect people’s visual attention. A part of my research is conducted in Gellink und Schwämmlein Architekten in Stuttgart, which is specialized in designing exhibitions for customers like Mercedes-Benz AMG.

During my studies I came to the point that being just at University somehow isolates researchers from industry. So, my main motivation is to familiarize the international Ph.D. candidates with their future horizon in industry by different events.

Curious? Visit: www.amd-lab.de«

Ann-Kathrin Müller - 2021-2023

»The Doctoral Council is the crucial instrument for giving our diverse doctoral community a united voice inside and outside the university. The field of practice-based research is still forming, so it is particularly important to make our voices heard in order to freely shape our research.

In my Masters at Edinburgh College of Art, as a spokesperson for the Illustration class, I learnt how essential it is to represent the concerns of students to the other levels of the university. I conduct research in the Faculty of Art & Design on the transmission of meaning between text, image and idea.«

Maximilian Rünker - 2021-2023

Doing a doctorate is a step towards professionalisation - clearly. We gain our first teaching experience, achieve research results, get to know academic self-administration. But doing a doctorate also means reading, debating, pondering, doubting, confirming, having and finding exchanges, daring to experiment and getting to know the unexpected. I would like to make sure that everyday university life leaves room to pursue these concerns. Despite, with and after the pandemic.

A brief introduction: My name is Maximilian Rünker, I work and research at the Research Training Group Media Anthropology. I also work at the Chair of Transport System Planning.

Victor Vîlceanu - 2021-2023

Profile

»I am a doctoral candidate at the Chair of Modeling and Simulation of Structures, Faculty of Civil Engineering. My research topic is about liquid dampers on structures, concentrating on research to absorb the vibrations for wind-sensitive structures (e.g. skyscrapers, long bridges, telecommunication towers).
Currently, I am a representative of International PhD Network, an entity which works as a connection between the PhD candidates and the institutions of the university.

Motivation

I come from Romania, I have studied in different countries across Europe, I organized activities involving students coming from different cultures. Belonging to a network, exchanging ideas, and having leisure venues together, it enhances the social skills and foster the connection among researchers across other disciplines. I believe it is essential to be connected to what other peers are doing in order to get an understanding and evaluation of what could be done in the benefit and interests of the doctoral candidates of all the faculties.

Objectives

One of the main reasons is to contribute to the network and PhD community for the doctoral candidates interest. I am keen on progressing and making use of all the experience that I have accumulated as a member representative, in order to bring the issues upfront, to find a solution and to create a workable environment for the PhD candidates.«

Deputy Member - Marko Seidemann - 2021-2023

»I studied civil engineering at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, worked as a planner and construction manager after my studies, and subsequently as a research assistant at the Chair of Construction Materials.

Thesis topic: "Targeted carbonation of recycled aggregates for the simultaneous use of crushed concrete and improvement of material properties as a contribution to CO2 reduction".

Since April 2019, I have been active in the BRS as a deputy in the doctoral candidates' representative committee.

Why me? What are my goals?

In the two insightful years as a doctoral representative, there were many cross-faculty topic discussions, where I would like to continue to be active, with the goal: to strengthen networking among doctoral candidates, to represent interests across disciplines in university policy, to further expand the existing networking of the BRS.«

Deputy Member - Hella Treuner 2021-2023

»Hella Treuner holds a degree in automotive design and has worked successfully as a designer for the international automotive industry. Further developing her qualifications, Hella Treuner completed a Management Master/ Master of Business Administration in International Marketing and worked as an international and European product manager in project management and concept development for future products. Hella Treuner's achievements to date have been honoured with various design awards and recognised through a selection of publications. Today, Hella Treuner works as a project manager and job coach for a private educational institution. She is also a doctoral candidate and lecturer in civil engineering with a focus on the "Future of Mobility" at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Why am I running: To advance the wishes and needs of the doctoral candidates at Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

What are my aims: To ensure the success of doctoral candidates and postgraduates at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.«