Thesis Committee
During their Ph. D. studies students are accompanied by a thesis committee that is responsible for the supervision and success of their research. Each thesis committee consists of the student’s immediate research advisor (often junior IMPRS faculty such as assistant or junior professors, and postdocs), the head of the department in which the students do most of their research, a senior faculty member (full professor) of the IMPRS from a different department, and if suitable, an external international scientist. Students and faculty may suggest members of the thesis committee. The committee meets at least four times with the student. Students submit a written thesis proposal to the committee within their first year of Ph. D. research that is discussed in detail with the committee and presented orally in the MPI Internal seminar. Students are encouraged to establish reading seminars with their committee, in which literature relevant to the student's thesis is read and discussed.Thesis and Defence Regulations
Students must carry out most of the research for their thesis within the IMPRS, but will have the option of working in a foreign laboratory for up to 6 months. Students from abroad are encouraged to cooperate and visit with an institute from their home country.Students have the choice of writing and defending their thesis in English or German according to the regulations of either the University of Bremen or the Jacobs University Bremen. The Ph. D. thesis is written cumulatively, with at least 3 publications being submitted to an internationally recognized journal along with a general introduction and discussion of the results.