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. Bettina Frohnapfel Phone: +49 721 608-42368 E-mail: ▶ bettina.frohnapfel∂kit.edu ▶ further information
Function:	Head of the Insitute of Fluid Mechanics (ISTM)
Area of Expertise:	Fluid Mechanics
At KIT since:	2012
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	15 completed dissertations, currently 10 doctoral researchers
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	"Several years of mentoring experience have taught me how to support doctoral researchers in seeking effective dialogue with their supervisor especially when they feel stuck in a situation of conflict. I would like to make use of this experience by being an Ombudsperson."

Prof. Stefan Hinz Phone: +49 721 608-42314 E-Mail: ▶ stefan hinz∂kit edu ▶ further information
Function:	Head of the Institute for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (IPF) and Head of the graduate school GRACE (Graduate School for Climate and Environment)
Area of Expertise:	Sensor technology and automatic image analysis/AI methods in engineering and environmental sciences
At KIT since:	2008
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	“In my scientific career I have supervised more than 30 doctoral researchers from the engineering and environmental sciences. I consider supervision to be one of our main tasks and also one of our main pleasures in science, as we make a special contribution to the development of our young scientists and our society. In addition, I have a special connection to structured doctoral programs, as since 2010 I have headed the GRACE graduate school with over 100 doctoral researchers and have been able to help shape its offerings for doctoral researchers together with a committed team at the forefront.”
My motivation to be an Ombudsperson for doctoral researchers and supervisors:	“The doctoral researchers of today are the scientific future of tomorrow. Successful doctoral supervision - also in the sense of challenging and supporting - must therefore be a matter of course for us. This is not always easy with such pronounced characters as are to be found in science in particular. As an ombudsperson, I would therefore like to contribute as a balancing influence.”

Dr. Birgid Langer Phone: +49 721 608 47218 E-mail: ▶ birgid langer∂kit edu ▶ further information
Function:	Academic Senior Councillor Head of Department
Area of Expertise:	Chemical biology/biochemistry in the Institutes IOC (UB) and IBG-2 (GFB)
At KIT since:	1991
Experience in supporting doctoral researchers or connection to doctoral researchers:	"Yes. In my role as Head of Department I am mainly responsible for the creation of special 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."