Research Explorer Ruhr
Explore your Postdoc Opportunities in the Ruhr Area
Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) is a program for international early postdoctoral researchers (to-be) interested in exploring the research landscape of the University Alliance Ruhr.
Benefit from workshops on postdoc funding schemes and research career options in Germany! Networking events and excursions will help you become acquainted with the thriving Ruhr Area as a potential place to work and live.
When? 19 June 2022 (arrival) to 2 July 2022 (departure)
Who? Doctoral researchers in the final stage of their PhD +
early postdoctoral researchers up until one year after receiving their doctoral degree
Hosts and Application
Call for applications
Apply now for a spot in this year's Research Explorer Ruhr! Join in to work out research compatibility with a professor of your choice and explore possibilities to come back for a longer postdoc stay with your own funding. The deadline for applications is 15 March 2022.
Download: Call for applications (PDF)
How to apply
There are two possibilities for you:
1) Apply to a professor’s profile:
Here you will find the profiles of the participating professors. This list is constantly updated. You can conveniently apply directly at the end of each profile:
- Hosts Humanities, Economics, and Social Sciences
- Hosts Engineering and Computer Science
- Hosts Natural and Life Sciences
Fill in the application form you can find at the end of each host’s profile and send it with your academic CV as well as a publication list to research-explorer@rs.rub.de by 15 March 2022.
2) Unsolicited application:
We also accept unsolicited applications. In case you would like to work with a researcher at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, or the University of Duisburg-Essen who has not uploaded a profile, please fill in the application form (PDF) and send it with your academic CV and a publication list to research-explorer@rs.rub.de by 15 March 2022 so that we can get in touch with the respective professor.
Important: do NOT send any kind of application to a professor directly.
Also important: we will not look for a potential host for you, this is your task.
Helpful Information
International doctoral researchers, who have already submitted their doctoral thesis, and early international postdoctoral researchers, who have recently finished their PhD, are invited to apply for a spot in Research Explorer 2022. If you are thinking of doing a postdoc in the Ruhr Area, but are not sure if it is the right fit for you, Research Explorer Ruhr is the right program.
Next steps:
- January 2022: UA Ruhr Professors Apply
Faculty of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen hand in their research profiles, indicating their commitment to host international guests. - 7 February 2022: Call for Applications
Host profiles will be uploaded and the call is open until 15 March. - March 2022: Hosts Select Candidates
- April–June 2022: Virtual Exchanges with Hosts
Individual meetings and exchanges between our Explorers, their hosts, and research groups about potential postdoc projects and alike. In case both host and Explorer agree on writing a joint research proposal to finance a longer postdoc stay at one of our universities, we invite the candidate to explore the research environment and colleagues for a two-week stay at the University Alliance Ruhr. - 19 June to 2 July 2022: Two-week Stay at University Alliance Ruhr
Candidates will have the opportunity to get to know their hosts and research groups in person and work with them on a research proposal. The program will also include networking events and workshops on funding opportunities in Germany. Topics will be e.g.: The German research landscape, Particularities of academia, Exploiting funding opportunities, Developing a competitive proposal. A detailed workshop schedule will be available in good time.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jörn Benzinger.
Research Explorer Ruhr gives you the opportunity to invite interesting international early postdoctoral researchers (to-be) to a two-week stay at your university. Research Academy Ruhr will cover travel and accommodation costs.
In addition to an introduction to the German research system, the accompanying program will also include a workshop to successfully raise funds for a postdoctoral position. If these guests wish to return as postdocs, the candidates themselves are responsible for obtaining the appropriate funds and scholarships.
All organizational questions and planning with the guests are handled by Research Academy Ruhr so that you can concentrate on joint research questions or projects. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jörn Benzinger.
Contact
For all organizational questions please contact:
For scientific questions please contact the professors directly.
Success Stories
Hossein visited RUB as part of the Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) class of 2019 and successfully applied for a two-year Humboldt fellowship consequently. He is currently staying with Prof. Dr. Ingo Steinbach at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Advanced Materials Simulation (ICAMS). His comments on our program:
» RER provides a great international atmosphere with a mixture of science, culture, friendship, and fun. I especially liked the hospitality of RUB. Aside from winning an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship, I was able to launch interesting collaborations in my field. By the way, it depends on the attendee how much they take advantage of RER! «
Dr. Hossein Jafarzadeh, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2019
Susana was part of our Research Explorer Ruhr cohort of 2018 and stayed with Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen at the chair of Cultural Psychology and Anthropology of Knowledge. Susana was offered a postdoctoral position thereafter. Her comments on our program:
» The Research Explorer Ruhr was a great experience. I met amazing people from Germany and all over the world. I found a great group in Bochum, where I began my postdoc career and learned about European academia. The research and teaching experience I got when I later came to Bochum was key in getting the permanent position I have now in the Netherlands. «
Dr. Susana Carmona Castillo, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018
Dieter was a fellow of RER 2018. He successfully applied for a DAAD Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2020 and additionally visited Bochum as a Research Assistant in 2021. He has been working with Prof. Dr. Stefan Berger's team at the Institute for Social Movements and has handed in an application for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Fellowship. His comments on our program:
» Attending the Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) in July 2018 enabled me to deepen my research collaboration with Prof. Stefan Berger, Director of the Institute for Social Movements. This collaboration eventually resulted in the successful application for a DAAD-Postdoc Research Fellowship. The RER was a crucial step in my successful grant application process for the application writing workshops and the exchange with international scholars from diverse academic and regional backgrounds improved my skills that are necessary for writing successful grant applications. «
Dr. Dieter Reinisch, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018
Tomohiro visited RUB as part of the RER class of 2018 and successfully applied for a Humboldt fellowship consequently. He decided to stay one year with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Röhrle at the Faculty of Mathematics. His comments on our program:
» Through the Research Explorer program, I met the host and collaborators for my Humboldt fellowship. Knowing the research environment such as people, facilities, (and good restaurants) definitely helps when you apply for a Humboldt fellowship! «
Dr. Tomohiro Uchiyama, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018
What other former explorers say about Research Explorer Ruhr:
Dr. Alexandria Ruble, Explorer 2017, now Assistant Professor at Spring Hill College, USA
"Attending the Research Explorer Ruhr program was an amazing opportunity to learn about postdoc funding options in Germany, to build up a scientific network and to start a collaboration in my research project with an outstanding group at the Department of Biochemistry of Ruhr University Bochum. The program is nicely organized, with interesting seminars as well as space for discussions and experience exchange among successful young researchers."
Dr. Juliana Rizzo, Explorer 2018, now Postdoctoral Fellow at Institut Pasteur
After being an exclusive offer from Ruhr-Universität Bochum from 2015 to 2018, Research Explorer Ruhr has been open to all three universities of the University Alliance Ruhr (+University of Duisburg-Essen and TU Dortmund University) since 2019.
2019
| Guests | Hosts |
| Juliane Bazzo, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul State Eugene Lee, Korea Foundation Alejandro Llanes Mazon, INDICASAT AIP / Acharya Nagarjuna University Hemant Arya, Pondicherry University Neffer Gomez, Federal University of Parana Jiangliang Yin, Sichuan University Leticia Dobler, UFRJ - Federal University from Rio de Janeiro Ricardo S. Martínez, National University of Luján Adam Simmons, Lancaster University Mrigendra Singh Kushwaha, The Institute of Mathematical Sciences, Chennai. Pankojini Mulia, GITAM University Vedran Sulovsky, Cambridge Tom Giesbers Jacinto Páez, Diego Portales University Hossein Jafarzadeh, Sharif University of Technology Hernán Maltz, University of Buenos Aires Asmita Ghosh, CSIR New Delhi Junqi Zhang, University of New South Wales Hirshikesh Hirshikesh, IIT Madras Movaffaq Kateb, University of Iceland Ana Maria Schonhobel, University of Basque Country Thaiany Pedrozo Campos Antunes, Centro Universitário Saúde ABC Ailim Schwambach, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. Samuel Grauer, Georgia Institute of Technology |
Prof. Dr. Mihran Dabag Prof. Dr. Marion Eggert Prof. Dr. Ralf Erdmann Jun. Prof. Dr. Sulamith Frerich Prof. Dr. Lukas Gooßen Prof. Dr. Thomas Günther-Pomorski Prof. Dr. Thomas Happe Jun. Prof. Dr. Verena Krebs Prof. Dr. Deniz Kus Prof. Dr. Corinna Mieth Prof. Dr. Klaus Oschema Prof. Dr. Birgit Sandkaulen Prof. Dr. Gunter Scholtz Prof. Dr. Ingo Steinbach Jun. Prof. Dr. Yasmin Temelli Prof. Dr. Konstanze F. Winklhofer Prof. Dr. Carolin Birk Prof. Dr. Uwe Bovensiepen Prof. Dr. Michael Farle Prof. Dr. Norbert Fuhr Prof. Dr. Philipp Jugert Prof Dr. Khadijeh Mohri |
2020
| Guests | Hosts |
| Carlos Andres Ortiz Bravo, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Soumia Hamdani, Ferhat Abbas Setif-1-University Anna Perdibon, Hebrew University of Jerusalem Jason Olsen, Ulster University Paula de França, University of Campinas Olha Tikhonova, University of Lisbon Deborah Obor, Bowen University Carlos Roberto de Oliveira, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro Seilendria Ardityarama Hadiwardoyo, Universiteit Antwerpen Mohammad Al-Rashaida, University of Deusto Ratton Coppos Alice, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro Mayssa Kalach, American University of Beirut Nora Gueliane, EHESS of Paris/Sétif University Anik Gupta, CSIR Sushma Kurapati, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Zhe Zhang, Beihang University Fatemeh Mamashli, University of Teheran Bo Yi, College of Computer Science and Engineering Matthew Johnson, University of Waikato Nandana Marga Shivarama, National Institute of Technology Karnataka Surathkal Hermawan Angaa, Shinshu University Dsouza Shaima Magdalina, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India Tran Tan Nhat, Hokkaido University |
Prof. Dr. Marcus Grünewald PD Dr. habil. Rebecca Janisch Prof. Dr. Martin Radermacher Prof. Dr. Matthias Hastall Prof. Dr. Steffen Lütz Jun.-Prof. Dr. René Westerholt Prof. Dr. Manuel Wiesche Prof. Dr. Christian Wietfeld Prof. Dr. Stefan Wolf Prof. Dr. Jochen Gönsch Prof. Dr. Mike Gralla Jun.-Prof. Dr. René Westerholt Prof. Dr. Lukas Gooßen Prof. Dr. Ralf-Jürgen Dettmar Prof. Dr. Uwe Czarnetzki Prof. Dr. Dr. Jörg Tatzelt Prof. Dr. Steffen Bondorf Prof. Dr. Mihran Dabag Prof. Dr. Frank Walther Prof. Dr.-Ing. Doris Segets Prof. Dr.-Ing. Carolin Birk Prof. Dr. Gerhard Röhrle |
Impressions of Research Explorer Ruhr 2019
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© Daniel Sadrowski/Research Academy Ruhr -
© Daniel Sadrowski/Research Academy Ruhr -
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© Daniel Sadrowski/Research Academy Ruhr -
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© Simon Kresmann/Research Academy Ruhr -
© Simon Kresmann/Research Academy Ruhr -
© Simon Kresmann/Research Academy Ruhr
"The Research Explorer Ruhr Program was excellent! It gave me the opportunity to connect with mentors at the Institute of Social Movements, as well as conduct research on a new project on female political prisoners in Germany in the library of the Institute and the RUB. The unique structure of the program provided both guidance and freedom to pursue new academic endeavors in Germany. I hope to return as a postdoc and enjoy beautiful Bochum again in the near future!"