Possible Support by the MNTF Graduate Center

The possible types of support are MNTF-GZ events, which can be organized and attended by all members of the MNTF-GZ, as well as individual funding for MNTF-GZ.

A. Events

In order to be funded by the MNTF-GZ, events must be scientific or otherwise relevant to the careers of young researchers, or must benefit intramural networking; furthermore, they should be of cross-institutional interest in MNTF. The precise content and focus of an event should be conceived by the respective organizers, with support from the MNTF-GZ available, e.g. using experience from past activities. Young researchers will receive a statement regarding the support from MNTF-GZ. Applications need to contain the following:

• Project description including preliminary program
• Preliminary breakdown of costs
• Proof of sufficient interest in the event (e.g. preliminary list of participants)

Examples:

• Interdisciplinary scientific symposia with invited speakers
• Laboratory tours or industry visits
• Scientific retreats
• MNTF-specific workshops on scientific topics and/or soft skills
• Scientific guest lectures, in particular at the colloquia of the MNTF institutes
• Cross-institute networking meetings

B. Individual funding

Individual funding includes resources for independent scientific projects, contributions to travel costs, and subscriptions to scientific software that are not provided by the chair or university. Young researchers who have received individual funding must present their results in a short presentation at a network event of the MNTF-GZ.

• Dransfeld-Calderón Award

  Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Klaus Dransfeld-Calderón retired in 1994 as Professor of Experimental Physics at the University of Konstanz and received an honorary doctorate from the University of Augsburg in 1996. Before that, he had played a key role in establishing the subject of physics at the University of Augsburg and thus in developing the faculty. This award is intended to preserve the memory of Professor Dransfeld-Calderón, who passed away in April 2024.

  The MNTF-GZ annually awards the Dransfeld-Calderón Award for innovative, independent scientific projects by young researchers. The call for applications is always made with a deadline in the first half of the year. The award is endowed with up to 5,000 €, which must be used and accounted for by the end of November of the same year. The award can also be awarded to several projects. Submitted projects must be independent of dissertations/habilitations of applicants and their topics. In contrast to the usual decision-making process, the MNTF-GZ board appoints a commission which, if necessary after obtaining external reports, decides on the winners. The award is awarded at an MNTF-GZ event. The following must be submitted with the application:

  • Project description including intended goal and provisional timetable
  • Declaration of support from the supervisor
  • Cost overview, including, if applicable, details of other financial sources
  • CV of the applicant
• Travel support

  A financial contribution to travel costs can be granted for participation in conferences, meetings, summer/winter schools, scientific courses, etc.; where possible an own scientific presentation such as a poster or lecture should be planned. The amount of possible financial support depends on the travel destination (similar to the support of young researchers by the central Graduate Center for 2026):

  • within Germany: max. 500 €
  • within Europe: max. 900 €
  • outside of Europe: max. 1.800 €
  • pure online participation: max. 700 € (reimbursement as for university travel)

  The following must be submitted with the application:

  • Conference program and justification of the relevance of the content
  • Preliminary cost breakdown
  • Statement from the supervisor or supervisor
  • Brief summary of the contribution, if possible at the conference

  The university travel application can/should in general be submitted as early as possible (with a cost center independent of the MNTF-GZ), even if the funding decision by MNTF-GZ has not yet been made.
  When filing the university travel expense report after the trip, a written approval by the MNTF-GZ board of the covered partial costs should be included and clearly explained.

• Scientific software tools

  The MNTF-GZ can issue individual or institutional licenses for scientific software tools, or co-finance them. The support is capped at a maximum of 300 € per person per year. For successful applications, MNTF-GZ approval letters will be issued to be attached to invoice payments. The following must be submitted with the application:

  • Name and short description of the program
  • Justification of the scientific relevance and the proposed license model
  • Statement regarding the extent to which the chair/institute/others will cover proportionate costs
  • Important: the payment of the invoice must be done through the electronic invoice system of the university (not by reimbursement)
  • Update 08/2026: AI assistants or LLM access can no longer be funded by MNTF-GZ;
    note that university members have licensed access to
    • Microsoft Copilot, see also Knowledge Base KI and Usage Instructions
    • Academic Cloud Chat AI (with various models) - use Federated Login / University of Augsburg
• Support for direct costs connected to applications for reductions of teaching duties

  Scientific personnel who are applying to MNTF for teaching reductions according to Richtlinie zur Gewährung von Lehrverpflichtungsermäßigungen (intranet) stellen, can also apply at MNTF-GZ for direct costs (including travel) up to 850 €, which are subject to the teaching reduction being granted by MNTF (first time for SS 2027; note the deadlines). This type of teaching reduction is intended for Postdocs with teaching duties.

Bylaws of the MNTF Graduate Center

The MNTF Graduate Center (MNTF-GZ) provides financial and logistical support for the implementation of scientific and non-scientific activities organized by doctoral students and postdocs. These activities aim to promote additional professional skills that go beyond the mandatory academic program.

Supported activities include events for young researchers as well as financial support for individuals at the MNTF. The organized events can have a scientific focus, promote additional soft skills or serve to build networks. The individual support concerns specific scientific projects, travel expenses, and scientific software.

Members of the MNTF-GZ comprise all doctoral students registered at MNTF, as well as postdocs who are (not permanently) employed at MNTF and postdocs on scientific scholarships stationed at MNTF. The members of the MNTF-GZ meet once a year in a general assembly, which should ideally take place in January of each year, and elect six young researchers to the MNTF-GZ board for a term of one year, including at least one doctoral candidate and at least one postdoc, furthermore each of the MNTF institutes must be represented by at least one person. The MNTF-GZ board also includes a board spokesperson. This person should be permanently employed at the MNTF and is proposed jointly by the MNTF-GZ board and the members of MNTF-Fakultätsrat representing the group of scientific employees. He or she is appointed by the MNTF research dean for a term of one year. The young researchers on the MNTF-GZ board elect a deputy spokesperson from among them.

The members of the MNTF-GZ can submit applications for funding projects as described in the concept. The MNTF-GZ board decides at least twice a year on the approval of applications by a simple majority. At least four board members must be involved in these decisions.

All additional qualifications offered by the MNTF-GZ are optional and not part of doctoral or habilitation programs. Separate membership is not required. If there are opoen spots in MNTF-GZ events, young researchers from other faculties are invited to take part in the activities. The MNTF-GZ also provides information about similar events in other faculties.