nomination guidelines for fellowships · the ias offers fellowships lasting two to three years with...

Nomination Guidelines for Fellowships

September 2009

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Opportunities at the TUM Institute for Advanced Study

Fellowships

The Technische Universität München has established its Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-

IAS) with the goal of creating fields of excellence in the “Science of Technology”. As a

complete technical university, the IAS seeks to promote research in fields ranging from

clinical technology to nano-devices, from global environmental systems to measurement

systems for nuclear particles, including all the classical fields of Engineering, many of which

are highly influenced by modern science. The TUM-IAS awards Fellowships to distinguished

researchers and gives them the necessary time and financial support to explore new venues,

to develop novel research areas and to establish intensive international collaborations.

The main program at TUM-IAS is the Fellowship program, summarized in the following

picture:

The Fellowships offered by TUM-IAS can be grouped into six categories. With these

programs, TUM-IAS seeks to attract scholarly talent on senior- and early career-level both

from inside of TUM and from around the globe, as well as researchers from industry. Details

about each type of Fellow are given in the following pages.

Focus Groups

The innovative research TUM-IAS Fellows engage in does not usually happen in a vacuum.

Fellows are typically part of research units at TUM. Those who are working on experimental

or design topics participate in the activities of TUM laboratories. They are either leading

research units or laboratories (in the case of Carl von Linde Senior Fellows) or prominent

guests in them. These collaborations are promoted via Focus Groups, which form the topical

organizational units of the TUM-IAS.

Carl von Linde Senior Fellowships for excellent TUM faculty members Carl von Linde Junior Fellowships for promising postdoctorates at TUM Hans Fischer Senior Fellowships for renowned international senior scientists Hans Fischer Junior Fellowships for outstanding early career scholars Hans Fischer Tenure Track Fellowships for outstanding scholars on a tenure track Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowships for highly qualified researchers from industry

IAS R

esearch Start-Up Support

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TUM-IAS Focus Group can be organized and led by a Carl von Linde Senior Fellow or a TUM

professor who is not an IAS Fellow. These non-fellow group leaders are called “IAS Hosts”.

Hosts are closely integrated into the IAS program without having the benefits or obligations

of a Fellow. In the same vein, most TUM-IAS Fellowships provide for collateral Ph.D.

stipends, substitute mentors and assistantships. These persons are then also normally

member of the relevant Focus Group. Focus Groups have a special status in the TUM-IAS

organization, and are described in a separate section further on in this document.

Alexander von Humboldt Awardees

Alexander von Humboldt Awardees automatically become members of the TUM-IAS. They

provide for very much appreciated new ideas and strengthening of the scientific work at

TUM. At TUM-IAS they find a natural environment where they can merge smoothly into the

scientific proceedings of our university. A Memorandum of Understanding between the

Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the TUM-IAS was signed on May 7, 2009 to

promote the integration of Humboldt Awardees in the TUM-IAS.

Further general Information for all Fellowships

The following is a summary of some general items that apply to all categories of Fellows:

• The IAS recognizes the challenges for scientists who are also parents. Flexible

funding is available to facilitate the extra needs of Fellows with children.

• Although there is no hard age limit, the IAS encourages the nomination of Fellows

less than 60 years old.

• If the plan is for a Fellowship to begin on a date other than in the following October,

the intended start date should be included in the proposal materials.

• In order to enhance successful nominations, a preliminary discussion with the IAS

office is highly recommended.

• The IAS seeks to recruit top women scientists and will provide extra funding for Start-

Up costs for the Fellow as well as for the TUM hosting professor. Female Fellows in

all categories are eligible for an additional Ph.D. stipend (or equivalent).

• All Fellows are “embedded” in the Faculty to which their Host belongs, and receive all

the benefits, accommodation and honors the respective Faculty provides to its guest

scientists.

• Fellowships are awarded by the IAS director based on consultation with experts in

the field and advice from the IAS Advisory Council.

• TUM-IAS does not normally handle IPR issues. These are typically dealt with on a

case by case basis by the Host group to which the Fellow belongs. An exception is

when direct TUM-IAS funding of instrument development is involved. In that case IPR

agreements can be handled directly by the TUM-IAS office in collaboration with TUM

ForTe.

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Responsibilities of Fellows

As TUM-IAS wants to foster an active community of scientists based on dialogue and

communication, it does expect a few direct contributions from its Fellows and Hosts. For

clarity purposes these are succinctly formulated as follows:

• Participation in the activities of the Institute including Fellow’s Lunches, the General

Assembly, IAS lectures, and the kick-off dinner.

• Acknowledgment of the (partial) support from TUM-IAS in publications, including

articles, books, posters, PowerPoint presentations, etc., that are made in the context

of an IAS Fellowship must include the following statement in either German or

English:

o “Mit Unterstützung der Technischen Universität München, Institute for

Advanced Study, gefördert durch die Exzellenzinitiative des Bundes und der

Länder.”

o “With the support of the Technische Universität München – Institute for

Advanced Study, funded by the German Excellence Initiative.”

• The IAS generates an annual report on the activities of the Institute. Active Fellows

are expected to provide text and graphic material on their research activities to be

included in the annual report.

• Including the IAS logo on posters, PowerPoint presentations, etc. when appropriate.

• Providing data for the IAS webpage including research interests, publications, and

upcoming events and workshops for their Focus or Research Group.

• Holding an inaugural lecture organized by the hosting Research or Focus Group.

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Carl von Linde Senior Fellowship

Active TUM faculty members with a distinguished track

record in research, who intend to explore innovative, high-

risk topics in their scientific research areas, if possible

within a trans-disciplinary team, are eligible to become Carl

von Linde Senior Fellows. This fellowship is named after

TUM Professor Carl von Linde (1842-1934) who invented

the air liquefaction and founded the “Linde’s

Eismaschinen” company in 1879.

The Institute awards up to five Carl von Linde Senior Fellowships each year. Fellows are

expected to participate in TUM-IAS programs and events and organize activities such as a

workshop, public talk, or speakers' series in order to contribute to the intellectual life of the

Institute and the University. Public outreach, for example, is offered through our cooperation

with the Deutsches Museum in Munich.

The IAS offers fellowships lasting two to three years with the opportunity to fully devote time

to research, completely unrestricted by teaching obligations, administrative functions or – in

the case of the Medical School – clinical obligations. The applicant should plan the duration

of the fellowship according to his/her requirements. Fellows are free to decide how much to

engage in teaching or clinical work, if at all, but their main concern should go towards the

development of their chosen research area.

Support for Carl von Linde Senior Fellows consists of a qualified substitute professorship for

a period of 2-3 years, coupled with one additional staff position (TVL-E13) for research,

likewise for up to 3 years. Additionally, 50,000 € of financial support for travel, organization of

workshops etc. are available to each Fellow. Fellows will be given a maximum degree of

freedom as to how they utilize these funds (administered by the IAS) and their time.

In addition, IAS Fellows have the opportunity to apply for flexible funding from the IAS for

research Start-Up support, e.g. large instruments or additional staff for IAS Focus

Groups (see p.11).

• The Faculty Deans of TUM, all further members of the “Erweiterte Hochschulleitung”, as

well as members of the IAS Board of Trustees may nominate candidates for IAS

Fellowships. Applications should consist of a nomination letter, a CV including a list of

major publications, a short statement of purpose including also any planned events to

enhance the Institute's intellectual environment, and a letter of agreement from the Dean

of the hosting faculty.

• Fellowships typically begin with the academic year in October and last at least two years.

The deadline for submission is November 1st for a fellowship beginning in fall of the

following year. Decisions will be mailed by March 1st. In the event that not all fellowships

have been awarded, nominations may be accepted after the November 1st deadline.

Please send nominations directly to the IAS.

• The IAS also accepts nominations more than one year in advance for the purpose of

more flexible planning.

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Carl von Linde Junior Fellowship

Young postdoctoral researchers are eligible for the Carl

von Linde Junior Fellowship on the basis of excellence,

such as an outstanding PhD thesis and a provable impact

on the scientific community. Candidates may be former

TUM graduate students or qualified young researchers who

are integrated into a Focus Group of the TUM-IAS. This

fellowship is named after TUM Professor Carl von Linde

(1842-1934) who invented the air liquefaction and founded the “Linde’s Eismaschinen”

company in 1879.

The Institute awards up to five Carl von Linde Junior Fellowships each year. Fellows are



Institute and the University. Junior Fellows are full members of TUM-IAS, which is a non-

hierarchical scholarly community. A significant time of the fellowship (one year) may be spent

abroad at research institutions of the applicant’s choice.

The IAS offers postdoctoral fellowships lasting three years with the opportunity to fully

devote one’s time to research, completely unrestricted by teaching obligations or – in the

case of the Medical School – clinical obligations. The fellowship comes with a TUM

employment contract at the TVL-E14 pay scale. Fellows may interrupt existing positions at

TUM in order to continue their appointments after the fellowship period.

Additionally, 100,000 € of financial support for travel and time abroad, organization of

workshops etc. are available to each Carl von Linde Junior Fellow. Fellows will be given a

maximum degree of freedom as to how they utilize these funds (administered by the IAS) and

their time.

Carl von Linde Junior Fellows may apply for funding for PhD stipends or equivalents (such as

an additional Post-Doc position for a limited amount of time) from the IAS-research Start-Up

fund (see p.11), enabling these outstanding young scientists to become Research Group

leaders. TUM will grant Carl von Linde Junior Fellows who have built up a Research Group

the status as PhD advisor.












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Hans Fischer Senior Fellowship

Outstanding scientists from outside of TUM who intend to

explore innovative, high-risk topics in their scientific

research areas together with a TUM Research Group are

eligible for the IAS Hans Fischer Fellowship. The nominee

and planned TUM-IAS Host should submit a joint proposal.

This fellowship is named after TUM Professor Hans Fischer

(1881-1945) who was awarded the Nobel Prize in

Chemistry in 1930 for his pioneering work on haemoglobin and related structures.

The IAS awards up to four Hans Fischer Senior Fellowships each year. Fellows are expected

to participate in TUM-IAS programs and events and organize activities such as a workshop,

public talk, or speakers' series in order to contribute to the intellectual life of the Institute and

the University.

The Hans Fischer Senior Fellowships last three years with the expectation that the Fellow will

begin his/her fellowship with a longer stay at TUM (at least two months) and return to Munich

for longer or shorter stays frequently after so that a total of at least nine months will be spent

at TUM. In this way, the IAS intends to further a lasting connection, preferably on an

international level.

Hans Fischer Senior Fellows receive a stipend of 60,000 € plus 100,000 € for travel, housing

and research related costs such as organization of workshops etc. Fellows will be given a

maximum degree of freedom as to how they utilize these funds and their time. In addition,

Hans Fischer Senior Fellows receive support for up to two PhD students (3-year stipends of

80,000 € each) who will be co-advised by the TUM host professor and the Hans Fischer

Senior Fellow (TUM-IAS may consider equivalents such as assistantships or limited post-doc

position as well, within the same financial framework). The PhD students are encouraged to

spend a significant part of their studies (about 1 year) abroad at the home institute of the

TUM-IAS Fellow.

Hans Fischer Senior Fellows may apply for flexible funding from the IAS for research Start-Up

support, e.g. large instruments or additional staff for IAS Focus Groups (see p.11).














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Hans Fischer Junior Fellowship

Outstanding young scientists from outside of TUM who

intend to explore innovative, high-risk topics in their

scientific research areas together with a TUM Research

Group are eligible for the IAS Hans Fischer Junior

Fellowship. The nominee and planned TUM-IAS Host

should submit a joint proposal. This fellowship is named

after TUM Professor Hans Fischer (1881-1945) who was

awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1930 for his pioneering work on haemoglobin and

related structures.

The IAS awards up to four Hans Fischer Junior Fellowships each year. Fellows are expected

to participate in TUM-IAS programs and events and organize activities such as a workshop,

public talk, or speakers' series in order to contribute to the intellectual life of the Institute and

the University. The Hans Fischer Junior Fellowships last three years at most with the

expectation that the Fellow will begin his/her fellowship with a longer stay at TUM (at least six

months) and return to Munich for longer or shorter stays thereafter so that a total of at least a

year will be spent at TUM. In this way, the IAS intends to further a lasting connection,

preferably on an international level.

Hans Fischer Junior Fellows receive a stipend of 30,000 € plus 80,000 € for travel, housing

and research related costs such as organization of workshops etc. Fellows will be given a

maximum degree of freedom as to how they utilize these funds and their time. In addition,

Hans Fischer Fellows receive support for one PhD student (3-year stipends of 80,000 €) who

will be co-advised by the TUM host professor and the Hans Fischer Junior Fellow (TUM-IAS

may consider equivalents such as assistantships or limited post-doc position as well, within

the same financial framework). The PhD student will be encouraged to spend a significant

part of her/his studies (about 1 year) abroad at the home institute of the TUM-IAS Fellow, if

applicable.

Hans Fischer Junior Fellows may apply for flexible funding from the IAS for research Start-Up

support, e.g. large instruments or additional staff for IAS Focus Groups (see p.11).














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Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professorship

TUM-IAS offers a special fellowship that covers the

financing of an assistant professor on a tenure-track

position for selected outstanding early career scholars.

The Host department should submit a proposal with the

guarantee that once the candidate has completed his/her

assistant professorship at TUM-IAS (typically after five

years), a tenured position will be available at the Host

department, which will be offered to the candidate following a strict peer-review in his/her

fourth year. This fellowship is named after TUM Professor Hans Fischer (1881-1945) who was

awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1930 for his pioneering work on haemoglobin and

related structures.

The IAS awards up to two Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professorships each year. Fellows are



Institute and the University. Even though the Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professorship is

meant to provide ideal conditions for research and has no teaching requirement, we invite

Fellows to offer courses and lectures. Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professors should benefit

considerably from the interaction with the distinguished senior researchers at TUM-IAS.

The Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professorship consists of a salary according to the pay scale

for assistant professors (W1) for up to five years, the funding of a research assistant (TVL-

E13) for up to five years, 15,000 € p.a. research support, plus an initial endowment from the

means of the Excellence Initiative (negotiable).


research Start-Up support, e.g. large instruments, PhD stipends, or additional staff for IAS

Focus Groups (see p.11).

• The departments of TUM file the applications for Hans Fischer Tenure Track Professors.

An application should include a detailed description of the scientific and strategic goals

of the planned professorship and the resources that the department will provide. Once

the IAS support is granted, the university conducts a regular search in accordance with

the rules of Bavaria. The IAS and the management of TUM endorse the use of

headhunting strategies for specific extraordinary. The management of TUM decides

about the initial endowment out of the Excellence Initiative funding as part of the

negotiations with the candidate.

• Applications may be submitted at any time. The IAS also accepts nominations more than

one year in advance for the purpose of more flexible planning.

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Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship

A selected group of highly qualified researchers from

industry with a strong connection to TUM Research

Groups will become Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellows of the

TUM-IAS. The fellowship includes the status as Temporary

Affiliated Professor at TUM. The selection is based on a

joint proposal by the applicant and the TUM Host

professor. This fellowship is named after Rudolf Diesel

(1858-1913) who was a TUM student with Professor Carl von Linde. In 1897 Diesel invented

the combustion principle named after him.

The IAS awards up to three Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowships each year. Throughout the

affiliation period, the Rudolf Diesel Fellows should offer special courses and lectures in their

field of expertise to enhance the connection between the University and industry. Fellows are



Institute and the University.

The fellowship duration is six months to one year, with the expectation of establishing a

lasting connection between the Host institute and the industry partner.

The IAS expects the company of the Fellow to support the connection of their researcher to

academia by continuing to pay his/her salary. The Fellow receives a 50,000 € award from the

IAS plus 20,000 € in research funds (administered by the IAS). The Rudolf Diesel Fellowship

also includes a PhD stipend or equivalent to assist the Fellows in their research at TUM.


research Start-Up support, e.g. large instruments or additional staff for IAS Focus Research

Groups (see p.11).

• Candidates for Diesel Fellowships can be nominated by the Faculty Deans of TUM and

all further members of the “Erweiterte Hochschulleitung”, as well as by members of the

IAS Board of Trustees. Applications should consist of a nomination letter including a

description of the facilities provided for the Rudolf Diesel Fellow by the Host institute of

TUM, a CV including a list of publications and a short statement of purpose including

also any planned events to enhance the Institute's intellectual environment.

• Fellowships are awarded throughout the year but ideally begin with the academic

semester. The IAS has a rolling deadline for nominations. Please send nominations

directly to the IAS.



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Research “Start-Up“ Support

The TUM-IAS grants special funding for necessary expenses, particularly at the beginning of

new research endeavors of IAS Fellows and Focus Research Groups for a limited number of

projects. Fellows may also apply for PhD stipends or equivalent (80,000 € over three years)

and additional research assistance via the Start-Up fund.

The IAS primarily supports projects with a high potential of landmark advances even if

coupled with a high risk of failure. Project proposals can be submitted from all parts of TUM.

The key criteria include the outstanding scientific performance of the applicant in the past,

especially with projects that have delivered truly unexpected results, and the perspective of a

seminal scientific breakthrough in the event of success.

The TUM-IAS has a total annual budget of 1.5 M € available for Start-Up support. The IAS

pursues a strategy of scaled funding. Projects may receive preliminary funding and based on

their initial success may receive additional funding. In this way, preparatory workshops for

larger events, conferences for a limited number of participants, exchanges of scientists, etc.

may be financed by the IAS first, with the expectation that ideas for future IAS Focus

Research Groups, larger research networks or new research agendas will result from these

actions. Precise funding needs should be discussed directly with the IAS office.

Recipients of Start-Up funds must turn in a report to the IAS detailing the results of the

funded project as well as technical documentation about the new instrument, device or

process developed. The report on development projects can e.g. be in the form of a technical

report for the equipment. Workshop reports should include conclusions and plans for the

future. These reports will also be used in Institute documentation.

Please contact the IAS directly in order to prepare proposals for research Start-Up support.

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Focus Groups

TUM-IAS Focus Groups are the basic units of organization of the Institute. They provide the

social environment where Fellows, Hosts, their students, and collaborators meet to share the

development of their topic, organize activities, and cater for mutual support. Ideally, these

teams are also diverse in terms of disciplines and gender.

• Focus Groups are headed by either a Carl von Linde Senior Fellow or a Host

Professor, who becomes a member of TUM-IAS by virtue of providing the leadership.

• Focus Groups have a coordinator, typically a Carl von Linde Junior Fellow, who

documents the activities of the group and keeps the TUM-IAS central office informed

about the groups' activities (workshops, special lectures, events, or other programs),

especially for the IAS web calendar.

• Focus Groups are gathered for a period of at least one year. They reconvene

frequently in order to advance their research projects. They also organize workshops

and seminars with the same intent.

• Focus Groups can apply for Start-Up funding, and for any kind of fellowship towards

furthering their goals (Fellow nomination have to meet the requirements of the

individual fellowship categories, but natural embedding of new Fellows in established

Focus Groups is seen positively).

• Well organized/established Focus Groups may apply for additional PhD funding,

especially for talented female PhD candidates.

• A limited amount of management funding is available to established Focus Groups.

Plans for a Focus Group should include the sustainability of the project at TUM beyond the

active fellowship period. Joint applications for Fellowships and Focus Groups are welcome. A

Focus Group can also grow organically with not all fellowships starting at the same time. The

IAS encourages the formation of Focus Groups, but individual projects are also possible.

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