[visionlist] Berlin School of Mind and Brain: Deadline for Applications January 15th 2010

[Patrick Wilken]

DEADLINE FOR DOCTORAL APPLICATIONS: JANUARY 15TH 2010

Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Humboldt-Universitaet zu Berlin

Web: www.mind-and-brain.de
Email: admissions at mind-and-brain.de

The Berlin School of Mind and Brain is an international research school,
located in the vibrant heart of Berlin. Founded in 2006 as part of
Germany's Excellence Initiative, it offers a unique three-year
interdisciplinary doctoral program in English in the mind/brain
sciences.

Research within the School focuses on the interface between the
humanities and the neurosciences. Of particular interest are research
areas that fall on the borders between the mind sciences (e.g.,
philosophy, linguistics, behavioral and cognitive science, economics),
and the brain sciences (e.g., neurophysiology, computational
neuroscience, neurology, and neurobiology). Major topics of research
within the program include: 'conscious and unconscious perception',
'decision-making', 'language', 'brain plasticity and lifespan ontogeny',
'mental disorders and brain dysfunction', and the 'philosophy of mind'.
However, research is not limited to these areas, and students are
strongly encouraged to develop and work at their own initiative on any
projects that are relevant to interdisciplinary questions relating to
mind and brain.

The School is situated in the center of Berlin, on the grounds of the
Charité, the largest medical campus in Europe. The city itself is a
major center for culture, politics, media, and science and is globally
recognized for its rich art-scene, museums, internationally renowned
festivals, and a pleasant and highly affordable standard of living. Each
year the School accepts ten to fifteen doctoral candidates into its
program. Here are some excellent reasons why students might wish to be
considered for one of these highly sought after positions at the Berlin
School of Mind and Brain:

Excellence in Training and Research

The School has a faculty comprised of 60 distinguished researchers,
including four Max Planck directors, which cover the gamut of research
in the mind and brain sciences.

Research within the School is strongly embedded in the basic and
clinical research conducted within the region allowing for strong
synergistic research initiatives and opportunities. Hosted by the
Humboldt University, the School's research program includes scientists
from the Free University, the Technical University, the Bernstein Center
for Computational Neuroscience, the Max Planck Institute for Human
Development (Berlin), the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and
Brain Sciences (Leipzig), and the nearby universities of Potsdam and
Magdeburg.

Students acquire a strong foundation for interdisciplinary work by
attending eight one-week classes during the first half of their doctoral
program, which cover all fields relevant for mind/brain-related
research, and allow students to explore research methods and topics that
they have not been previously exposed to. Each doctoral candidate is
assigned two professorial advisors – one from the brain sciences, one
from the mind sciences – in order to maximize the interdisciplinary
impact of their work.

Students meet with leading international researchers via the School's
Distinguished Lecture Series, interactions with its senior visiting
faculty, as well as by attending international workshops and meetings.
As part of the School's commitment to maximizing students' research
opportunities, the School also encourages and provides assistance for
students to spend time studying and conducting research abroad during
the course of their doctoral candidacy.

Extensive practical services to international doctoral candidates are
available, including assistance with visa applications, matriculation,
health insurance, local authorities, scientific soft skill courses, and
language classes.

Finally, there are good financial reasons for studying at the Berlin
School of Mind and Brain:

There are no tuition fees associated with the program.

Administrative fees are very low. Administrative fees for attending the
Humboldt University come to only approximately 250 euros per semester.

The School offers generous scholarships to the best applicants. Students
who were not successful in winning one of the school's own scholarships
will receive support in obtaining alternative sources of funding (e.g. a
research post within a university department or with one of the School's
research groups, or help in finding alternative funding sources for a
scholarship).

Recent progress in the neurosciences has opened up new and exciting
avenues for research that raise challenging conceptual and ethical
questions calling for an interdisciplinary approach. The Berlin School
of Mind and Brain offers a unique research and training environment for
doctoral candidates to work at this exciting interface between the
sciences and the humanities.

For further information please contact:

Patrick Wilken
Berlin School of Mind and Brain
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Web: www.mind-and-brain.de
Email: admissions at mind-and-brain.de