The RTG curriculum starts with a two-week introductory course that consists of scientific lectures, soft skill training modules and social events:

Sunrise Lectures

To form a common scientific ground, each day of the introductory course begins with a scientific „sunrise lecture“, presented by PIs of the RTG or selected guest speakers. These lectures introduce general concepts in the posttranslational regulation of protein localization, including the nature of posttranslational modifications, protein localization studies, and novel research methods.

Soft skill training modules

Already at the start of the PhD, our doctoral candidates are introduced to the basic principles of good scientific conduct. This module helps our students to improve their critical thinking, identify logical fallacies, and bad scientific approaches.

In addition, a module on self- and time management supports our students in organizing their PhD work in stressful times. They learn how to define both their long- and short-term goals, and thus streamline their PhD project.

The module data management consists of an introduction into digital data management and basic statistics.

Social activities

Through various social activities, our doctoral candidates come in close contact with their peers as well as with RTG-PIs and thus also with the members of their thesis advisory committees (TAC). They explore the university campus and Cologne, and get to know the different laboratories involved in the RTG.

We started our RTG reloc endeavor with 22 highly motivated PhD students in July 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic our two-week introductory course was organized as a virtual event. Next to the scientific sunrise lectures, our PhD students attended workshops on good scientific conduct, self and time management, image analysis, data management and statistics. To enable our students to get in contact with their peers despite social distancing, we organized virtual social events as virtual speed networking and online escape room adventures.