STIBET Personal Accounts

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Camila Raota

I came to Germany as a visiting researcher to develop part of my Brazilian PhD, with the initial idea of staying 6 months. When I arrived at the Institute for Advanced Membrane Technology (IAMT) – KIT, I realized that I could improve my research project even further if I extended my stay to one year.
The DAAD-STIBET scholarship gave me this opportunity.

With this 6-month scholarship, I improved my technical skills and straightened ties with my colleagues and other researchers in my field. Besides that, I had a unique opportunity for my career: to present my research project at the Falling Walls Lab (an interdisciplinary pitch competition), representing KIT. I was awarded the first position, so I will be one of the German delegates in the international final.
I had memorable moments of my life here. I would like to express my gratitude to the DAAD-STIBET program, KIT, and the International Scholars and Welcome Office (especially Oliver Kaas) for this amazing opportunity!

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Ngei Katumo

"I am privileged to have received the DAAD-STIBET research assistant grant for 5 months this year (2021) at the Institute of Microstructure Technology, IMT. During the research period, I learned more about spectral upconversion and the possible applications in plastic recycling. This experience has widened my knowledge base in the field of material science spectroscopy and its amazing potential applications in the fields of anti-counterfeiting and plastic recycling which are directly helpful in my doctoral and future research.

In addition, the financial support helped me navigate the challenges brought by COVID 19 pandemic. I would like to extend my gratitude to the KIT International Scholars and Welcome Office and the DAAD for providing me and other international doctoral candidates with this amazing opportunity."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Carlos Zuleta Salmon

"I would like to deeply thank the DAAD-STIBET program, the International Scholar & Welcome Office (IScO), and the Institute of Water and River Basin Management (IWG) for all the help and support during the last year. The scholarship allowed me to focus and complete my Doctoral studies at KIT; without it, it would not have been possible to complete my Ph.D. successfully during COVID-19 crisis in 2020 – 2021. Special thanks to Mr. Oliver Kaas for all the help and work he puts in to make things easier for us.

Thank you very much for making a difference in supporting researchers to accomplish their work in the last phase of their research."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Juan Carlos Almachi Nacimba

"My experience with the DAAD scholarship was one of the best things that happened to me in 2020. At the beginning of the pandemic, my sponsor stopped funding scholarship holders because they had to prioritize other strategic sectors such as public health, so my family and I had a hard time. Immediately the different organizations of the German government launched aid programs and I had the opportunity to be part of the DAAD-STIBET program. During the funding time I focused on my doctoral work and consequently published my results in a high impact journal.

My family and I are very grateful to the International Scholar & Welcome Office (IScO), the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), and The Institute for Neutron Physics and Reactor Technology (INR) for the opportunity to be part of the program."

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Vinay Kumar

"I highly acknowledge DAAD STIBET for granting me this internship to explore new materials in the field of material science. I extend my gratitude to Prof. Bryce S. Richards and Dr. Ian Howard for their valuable support in the conception of the idea to undertake this research assistantship. To thank Mr. Oliver Kaas for the timely support he provided whenever issues arose during the internship. I am also thankful to Dr. Kei Lee and Ngei Katumo for providing me the phosphor materials to conduct my experiments. Finally, I thank my family in India for being with me from 8000 km away; their virtual appearance in Karlsruhe and constant support always motivate me whenever I am down. At last but supremely, I thank the Almighty God for the success during this period."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Islam Khattab

"The DAAD STIBET grant came to me in a very hard time, during COVID-19 crisis, when I still needed further five months to finish crucial experiments and to submit my dissertation in the field of Plant-pathogen crosstalk, Botanical Institute, KIT. Thanks to this scholarship, I found time to publish the first paper of my Ph.D. in a good-ranked journal, New Phytologist (IF=8,5), before my defense. Also, I had enough time to proceed further studies to find out to a new level of Plant-pathogen crosstalk, so called ‘Plant surrender signal’ which triggers the disease outbreak in infected vineyards. Plus a small contract from KIT, DAAD STIBET grant helped me to focus only on my research and not to worry about the living cost for me and my family in this crucial time before my defense. Due to this support, I was able to defend my PhD successfully with Summa Cum Laude.

I give my sincere gratitude to the International Scholars and Welcome Office at KIT and DAAD STIPET program to help me focus on finishing my Ph.D. without any stress regarding the financial issues."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Farnaz Mahdavian

"I received the DAAD-STIBET scholarship for the last year of my PhD research.  This coincided with the first year of corona pandemic. I had various ongoing research,  some of which involved data collection and joint collaboration, but due to pandemic I faced challenges finalizing my work. The graduation support scholarship provided me with the support I needed to find an alternative solution and finalize my doctoral research. I even managed to publish two additional journal articles in the last year of my research which would not have be possible without this support.

I would like to thank DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship sincerely for supporting researchers to accomplish their work in the last phase of their research."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Alberto Caldas-Álvarez

"The DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support has allowed me to complete my Doctoral studies at KIT. After three years of intense work in the domain of weather extremes and Climate Change the graduation support helped me bridge the gap between my doctoral contract and my new post-doc Position. Without the DAAD-STIBET support it would have been much more complicated preparing my doctoral examination which I finished with success.

With the PhD completion comes a new phase in my career to study atmospheric phenomena that have a large impact to communities, especially under Climate Change. My most sincere gratitude to the International Scholars and Welcome Office (IScO) and the DAAD."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship, Soni Lama

"It was a fundamental help to receive the DAAD-STIBET Graduation Support Scholarship for six months for my doctoral research at KIT in the area of plant diversity and nutrient cycling. The program helped me in the most important phase of my doctoral research work. It would not have been possible to manage the financial barrier during this phase without this support. I’m really grateful for having this privilege.

My sincere thanks to the International Scholars and Welcome Office at KIT and DAAD for the support."

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Mahsa Bagheri:

"As an international PhD student, I received the STIBET-DAAD Research Assistantship this year. The Research Assistantship allowed me to work at the Institute of Architectural History, where I pursue my PhD, for six months. It also provided me with the opportunity to get in touch with other researchers at the institute, learn about their activities and have fruitful discussions with them. This was a great opportunity to increase my contact network, as the nature of my work is focused on individual research, hence limiting my opportunities to meet other researchers.

I would like to thank the KIT International Scholars and Welcome Office and the DAAD for providing such programs for me and other international PhDs."

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Vitor Vlnieska

"I was granted with the Research Assistantship from the DAAD STIBET Program for Doctoral Candidates to support my PhD project at the Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) at KIT. During five months I was able to learn and get experience in the Clean-room facilities, applying and performing the electrodeposition techniques, an important step on the fabrication process of gratings technology. This experience was just possible with the support from the International Scholars & Welcome Office (IScO) of KIT and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), which provided me with the opportunity provided the financial resources to keep me on this project.

The DAAD-STIBET Program is a great opportunity mainly to doctoral candidates that come from abroad and desire to have more experience in a specific field of research. I am very thankful and I appreciate the chance to improve my knowledge by this program." 

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Reetu Elza Joseph

"I was privileged to receive the DAAD STIBET Research Assistantship for 5 months in this year. The intellectual and financial benefits I received from the scholarship have contributed much as I am currently pursuing my doctoral studies at KIT. I got a wonderful opportunity to learn more about certain aspects of the research done in our group at the Institute of Microstructure Technology (IMT) and gained priceless experience while executing the project. I am happier with the fact that my work will benefit both present and future researchers interested in TTA upconversion.

I would especially like to thank the KIT International Scholars & Welcome Office and the DAAD STIBET programme for this amazing opportunity."

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Guojun Zhang:

"I received the Research assistant- Scholarship of the DAAD-STIBET-program last year when I continued to pursue my Ph.D at the Research center for School sports and the physical education of children and young adults (FoSS), KIT. Now I finished some parts of my promotion projects. I am so appreciated this Scholarship that not only supported me to continue to work my project but also helped me to export the knowledge and culture specially in the field of nutrition and sport to the Chinese immigration community in Germany to help them access to the healthy life style.

Finally, I would like to extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to the International Scholars and Welcome Office of KIT and the DAAD for giving me the opportunity to get this Scholarship!"

DAAD-STIBET Contact Scholarship, Hanna Zhdanova:

"I received the Contact-Scholarship, STIBET- DAAD, after finishing my master studies at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kiev (KNU Shevchenko).
During my master thesis only a part of the project was carried out, since further studies could not be continued due to the lack of necessary equipment in the Ukraine. The resources of the DAAD enabled me not only to work another ten months on my project at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), but I also had the opportunity to find a suitable scholarship for another two years. Thanks to the International Scholars and Welcome Office and this DAAD scholarship, I am now able to complete my doctorate at KIT. This is very important to me, especially in a time in which the unstable situation in my home country complicates the advancement of Science. I hope that my present and future results will be useful for both sides - KIT and KNU Shevchenko. It exists already a long-standing collaboration between the research group in Kiev and my host group in Karlsruhe, and I'm all the more pleased to be a link in this scientific friendship.

Many thanks to the International Scholars and Welcome Office and the DAAD for supporting me!"

DAAD-STIBET Research Assistantship, Bernadett Bösze:

Thanks to the DAAD-STIBET program I completed a five-month-assistantship in the
Centre for Organismal Studies in Heidelberg. The scholarship provided me a unique chance to work in a first class laboratory of genetic engineering. As a graduate student in a developmental biology laboratory,
learning new, innovative techniques and following up with the recent cutting edge
technology have a great importance.
This fellowship helped me to closely work with and learn from great experts in the field of genetic engineering. This incredible opportunity not only allowed me to expand my knowledge in molecular biology, but I have also gained insight into different applications of genetic engineering on complex biological phenomena. It
also contributed to the enhancement of my interdisciplinary skills and to the development of my interpersonal effectiveness. This generous support of the DAAD-STIBET program will certainly contribute to the
successful completion of my research project.
Nevertheless, I would like to thank the International Scholars and Welcome Office at KIT
for their support and many thanks to DAAD for funding my project.

DAAD-STIBET Graduation support scholarship, Mahdi Moghadasian:

"I received the ´Graduation support´ during the last year of my PhD research work in the area of logistics and supply chain management at KIT. I am very grateful for being awarded this financial support because it helped me progress my work within the most important phase of doctoral research. Otherwise, I couldn’t finance myself sufficiently. It also accelerated the submission of my work.

I think this is a great opportunity, especially for foreign doctoral students, to concentrate on their dissertation without having any stress regarding their financial status.

I would like to appreciate the support of DAAD and the International Scholars and Welcome Office at KIT."

DAAD-STIBET Graduation support scholarship, Mino Woo:

"I received a scholarship from the DAAD STIBET program for five months, after my contract of PhD work is finished. For writing my PhD dissertation, I could get an extension of my contract with reduced salary for the same periods, but it could not be covered the whole living expenses for my family. With STIBET scholarship program, I was successfully completing the writing of most parts of my PhD study. I am very thankful for the scholarship, which allows me to concentrate me on my actual work, my PhD thesis. My wife and two of my children could also enjoy living together with me in Germany. If I wouldn’t have received the DAAD STIBET pre-graduation scholarship, I would have had to leave Germany.

Finally, I would like to thank the International Scholars and Welcome Office and DAAD for the scholarship." 

DAAD-STIBET Graduation support scholarship, Murtaza Ali Khan:

"I received the five-month DAAD-STIBET pre-graduation-scholarship during my last year of PhD at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). This scholarship helped me to finish my PhD thesis. My PhD title “Nanometric surface probing through Ultra cold atoms” is based on the research of cold and ultra-cold atoms that made a number of important contributions to improve our understanding of fundamental physics, quantum information, quantum interferometry and many other related fields. Furthermore light-matter interaction is a basic tool in physics research and gaining importance in applications in today’s world. I combined the available techniques to precisely control, both - light fields and cold atoms - in order to study the new phenomena when the two of them step into close interaction. My experimental effort is a joint venture project between the European Laboratory for Non-Linear Spectroscopy (LENS), Florence and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Karlsruhe, and thrives to bring together experiences in cold atom physics and photonics.

I would really like to thank and express my appreciation to the International Scholars and Welcome Office of KIT and the DAAD for giving me the opportunity to get this scholarship and finish my doctorate studies." 

Project contact person: Oliver Kaas