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Apply to ISTA!
The Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) has opened applications for its prestigious PhD scholarship program. Starting in Fall 2024, ISTA will provide full funding to exceptional students pursuing a PhD degree at the institute.
Structure of ISTA PhD Program
1. Overview of ISTA PhD Program
The ISTA doctoral program aims to develop well-rounded researchers equipped to approach scientific questions from diverse lenses and collaborate across disciplines. Students undergo specialized training in research and coursework and receive close guidance from an interdisciplinary faculty.
2. Eligibility and Selection
Candidates with broad research interests aligned with those of the institute's faculty qualify for the PhD program. Thesis advisers are selected after the first year based on rotations across groups.
3. First Year Foundation
In their initial year, students complete preparatory coursework to establish an academic base along with rotations across three research groups to identify the best fit for specialized research.
4. Qualifying Examination and Thesis Research
Upon finding a supervisor and passing a qualifying examination, candidates deeply involve in doctoral research and attend seminars and conferences to enrich perspective. Research groups are small to enable close mentorship by the thesis committee.
5. Program Duration
PhD candidates typically finish within 4.5-6 years with those in theoretical domains generally faster than experimental researchers. The program design allows flexibility to complete earlier or request a timed extension when warranted by the research project.
6. Funding and Employment
Doctoral students sign 5-year employment contracts with ISTA and receive full funding support contingent upon making reasonable progress. This enables them to focus exclusively on their academic and research pursuits.
The structure facilitates comprehensive preparation to shape PhD graduates as skilled scientists ready to collaborate across boundaries.
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ISTA at a Glance: Why ISTA?
1. Shared Graduate School Experience
A defining feature of the ISTA PhD program is the collaborative graduate school experience it offers. The institute aims to develop scientists with an open perspective, equipped to conduct pioneering, curiosity-fueled research.
The program provides opportunities for students to build a solid base during the initial exploratory phase. At this stage, participants can familiarize themselves with a range of critical scientific methods and challenges. This equips them to delve further into intensive research in the second part of their doctoral studies. The approach allows young researchers to establish a firm grounding while retaining the flexibility to follow their scientific interests.
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The emphasis is on nurturing well-rounded academics rather than those confined to narrow specializations. By interacting in an interdisciplinary environment, PhD candidates can expand their thinking and make connections across diverse fields. This lays the groundwork to undertake cutting-edge scholarship guided by their own curiosity.
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2. Funding
Providing financial assistance to doctoral and internship students is a top concern at the institute. ISTA employs all PhD scholars, compensating them with salaries and benefits comparable to global standards. Interns also receive monthly stipends along with health insurance.
As part of its commitment to enable outstanding academics, ISTA does not levy tuition fees for its PhD programs or internships. Students are thus able to focus on their research and professional growth without being encumbered by the financial burden of higher education. The institute also removes possible barriers to entry by not requiring application charges.
The policy of funded places aims to make ISTA's dynamic environment accessible to meritorious candidates regardless of their financial backgrounds. Along with world-class resources and supervision, the PhD experience thus comes with the assurance of economic support and security. Students can immerse themselves fully in scholarship at one of Europe's fastest rising research centers.
More about funding (Click Funding)
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3. Interdisciplinarity
A key emphasis of ISTA's graduate program is providing comprehensive, modern training with an interdisciplinary focus. Students pursue doctoral studies across seven broad tracks: Biology, Chemistry & Materials, Computer Science, Data Science & Scientific Computing, Mathematics, Neuroscience, and Physics.
What makes the PhD curriculum unique is its inherent flexibility to cater to diverse academic and research goals. Candidates join the program with varying levels of clarity regarding their precise area of specialization. While some come in looking to explore, others have a defined vision of their future direction. Irrespective of their starting point, ISTA allows shaping individualized educational and research paths.
The interdisciplinary environment means that even with a clear dissertation topic, students can benefit from interaction and collaboration across different groups. The institute facilitates the exchange of ideas across disciplines through shared coursework, labs, and seminars. Researchers are thus able to approach problems with perspectives and techniques drawn from multiple domains.
By supporting both targeted research and exploratory academic pursuits, the program helps candidates realize their potential. The flexibility built into the curriculum allows each student to craft a PhD tailored to their own scholarly interests within ISTA’s interdisciplinary ecosystem.
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4. Cutting - Edge Research
ISTA enables cutting-edge research by allowing students to work closely with exceptional faculty within intimate research groups and providing access to world-class facilities.
In 2019, ISTA was ranked 3rd globally on the Nature Index that measures research output scaled for institute size. It was also among the Top 30 young institutions on the Nature Index Rising Stars list in 2018 and featured in Nature Index for its achievements. Further details can be accessed via ISTA's Nature Index research profile.
In 2018, ISTA had the highest success rate globally (48%) in securing prestigious European Research Council grants, surpassing stalwarts including Weizmann Institute, ETH Zurich, Cambridge, Oxford and Max Planck Society. The faculty has also received distinguished honors like the Erwin Schrödinger Prize, Ludwig Boltzmann Award and Carus Medal.
The institute's database - ISTA Research Explorer - provides a comprehensive list of research publications authored by students. This offers a glimpse into the productivity enabled by ISTA's ecosystems.
Presently with 69 active research groups, ISTA is expanding its PhD adviser strength and aims to have 90 groups by 2026. This will enhance opportunities for students to pursue exciting research across diverse areas by collaborating with leading scientists.
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5. Entry with a Bachelor's or Master's Degree
ISTA invites scholars with diverse academic profiles and experiences that can enrich its interdisciplinary environment. Applicants are welcome to apply holding or expecting either Bachelor's or Master's degrees in relevant areas.
The institute values the spectrum of knowledge and perspectives students with backgrounds in fields like biology, neuroscience, mathematics, computer science, physics and chemistry can introduce. Irrespective of whether candidates have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, ISTA provides opportunities to apply their talents within its scientific ecosystem.
By bringing together scholars schooled in different subjects and skill sets, ISTA facilitates collaboration and exchange of ideas that drive impactful research. Students stand to gain from each other's specialized strengths while also expanding their own thinking. The diversity thereby fuels the interdisciplinarity that characterizes both the institute's curriculum and lines of scientific inquiry.
Therefore, ISTA encourages applications from qualified candidates with four-year college degrees or Master's qualifications in associated disciplines. Their skills and experiences can synergize with and contribute to the vibrant doctoral community.
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6. International English-Speaking Environment
ISTA fosters a diverse, international environment for research and learning with English as the working language. Students at the institute hail from over 50 different countries, while the faculty and staff overall represent 72 nationalities.
The diversity extends beyond demographics to encompass the spectrum of academic disciplines pursued at ISTA. Through shared spaces, coursework and peer interaction, students get introduced to subjects and approaches beyond their core areas of research.
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Communication occurs completely in English across the institute's interdisciplinary matrix. This includes graduate courses, seminars, collaborations within research groups as well as informal student discussions. The common language platform helps integrate perspectives, knowledge and methods across different fields.
The multinational community provides opportunities to connect with varied cultures and ways of thinking. Students can understand diverse viewpoints and leverage them to advance their scholarship. The international population pursuing a wide array of studies in a collaborative English-speaking setting distinguishes the ISTA graduate experience.
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7. State-of-the-Art Facilities
Irrespective of their domain, students at ISTA gain access to cutting-edge infrastructure to execute globally competitive research. The institute offers state-of-the-art core facilities pertaining to diverse areas of study.
Researchers in biology-related disciplines can utilize advanced bioimaging services and electron microscopy suites to further their work. Those pursuing chemistry, physics and materials science leverage capabilities like nanofabrication and crystallography. Scholars in computationally intensive fields take advantage of high performance computing clusters to run simulations and ML models.
The centralized scientific services enable students to incorporate sophisticated instruments and techniques in their PhD projects without need for capital purchases within individual groups. Ready access to versatile, elite-grade equipment thereby empowers young researchers to raise their scholarship to international standards. Students get the resources to not just keep up, but drive advancements at the global frontiers of science and technology.
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Stand out with a Compelling
Statement of Purpose
The SOP offers the golden chance to influence your PhD application in your own words. Craft it thoughtfully to convey why you are a promising researcher for ISTA.
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Remember: The SOP is the one document in the application, you have full control of. Therefore craft it carefully and customize it to the program you are applying to.
Beyond academics, share experiences demonstrating qualities that will empower research excellence – curiosity, rigor, resilience or resourcefulness. Were past projects Springboards to unlock deeper questions? Did challenges encountered spark new skills?
Showcase motivations guiding your research aspirations. What mysteries of nature or technology do you feel passionate to uncover? How will potential ISTA specializations align with your vision to push frontiers of knowledge?
Address choices of preferred research groups and rotations. Of ISTA’s pioneering labs, which most resonate with your interests? Is there an interdisciplinary trajectory you wish to explore? Reasoned options signal serious intent more than laundry lists.
The SOP spotlight falls on you. Use it to reveal how an ISTA PhD can catalyze you to scientific breakthroughs and global impact.
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