Ombudspersons for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors at KIT

The Ombudspersons act as contact persons in cases of conflicts or disputes between doctoral researchers and supervisors during the doctoral research phase.

Doctoral researchers and supervisors are free to initiate contact with any Ombudsperson at any point. They can decide for themselves whom they wish to address irrespective of their research background. As independent persons of trust, the Ombudspersons offer advice and recommendations and will seek to mediate between disputing parties. The Ombudspersons are bound to confidentiality.

Please consult the German-language ▶ Statute on appointing Ombudspersons for Doctoral Researchers and Supervisors at KIT from March 4, 2015 (German only) for more information on the Ombudspersons and the process of their appointment.

An overview of further advisory offices and contact points for doctoral researchers and postdocs can be found ▶ here.

The KIT Ombudspersons are

Prof. Jasmin Aghassi-Hagmann Phone: +49 721 608-28318 E-mail: ▶ jasmin aghassi ∂does-not-exist.kit edu ▶ further information
Function:	Research Unit Chair, Institute of Nanotechnology (INT)
Area of Expertise:	Electronic Devices and Systems, Printed Electronics
At KIT since:	2013
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	"In addition to supervising my own numerous doctoral researchers, I have gained a lot of experience in advising young scientists on their doctoral path as scientific coordinator of the graduate school MERAGEM (Offenburg University of Applied Sciences/KIT). Furthermore, I am involved in various committees to ensure quality in the doctoral phase via the 3DMM2O Cluster of Excellence, but also bilaterally through cooperative doctoral procedures with other universities in Germany and abroad, such as the University of Heidelberg, ETH Zurich, the University of Bolzano and others."
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	"Every period of qualification and development should be a happy one. This is particularly true of the doctoral phase, which inevitably involves major challenges of both an intellectual and personal nature. These need to be mastered, and in some cases, experienced advice provided at the right time can offer a great deal of support."

Dr. Birgid Langer Phone: +49 721 608 47218 E-mail: ▶ birgid langer∂kit edu ▶ further information
Function:	Academic Director Deputy Head of Institute IGB-2
Area of Expertise:	Chemical biology/biochemistry in the institutes IOC (UA) and IBG-2 (GFA)
At KIT since:	1991
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	"As Academic Director I am above all responsible for the creation of framework conditions (financing, further education besides research, ...)"
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	"For me, it is important that both parties (doctoral researcher and supervisor) clarify what they are in for (subject and conditions!!!) during the doctoral research phase. My job is to support compliance with this agreement or lead to an agreement in the case of modification requests."

PD Markus Neher Phone: +49 721 608-42682 E-mail: ▶ markus.neher∂kit.edu ▶ further information
Function:	Akademischer Oberrat
Area of Expertise:	Applied and Numerical Mathematics
At KIT since:	1988
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	Repeated support of doctoral research projects
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	"I would like to mediate between doctoral researchers and supervisors in case of conflicts or tough situations and support both sides in realising the doctoral research project successfully."

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Prof. Marcus Popplow Phone: +49 721 608-43496 E-Mail: ▶ marcus popplow ∂does-not-exist.kit edu ▶ further information
Function:	Head of Department of History at Institute of Technology Futures (ITZ)
Area of Expertise:	History
At KIT since:	2016
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	Supervision of about twelve doctoral projects as primary or secondary supervisor
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	"Doctorates are a challenge in terms of the subject, organizationally, and personally. It is hardly surprising that conflicts can arise in the course of the doctorate. In such situations, it makes sense to offer mediation from outside. I am happy to take on this role."