The International Max Planck Research School ³The Life Course: Evolutionary and Ontogenetic Dynamics (LIFE)² is an international collaboration between three Berlin institutions (Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Humboldt University, and Free University), and two US institutions (the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and the University of Virginia, Charlottesville). The goal of the Research School is the study of developmental changes in human behavior over evolutionary and ontogenetic time. LIFE takes an integrative and interdisciplinary approach to understanding human development in a changing world, connecting evolutionary, ontogenetic, historical, and institutional perspectives. The focus is on the evolution and interaction of individual and institutional (societal) development.
The target groups of the Research School are international post-diploma or post-master's graduate students who intend to pursue a doctorate in one of the relevant disciplines (evolutionary biology, psychology, educational science, developmental neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, life course sociology). As a collaborative Research School, LIFE offers students unique training in the dynamics of human behavior on different time scales and includes opportunities for research abroad at a cooperating institution. The training program involves seminars, a series of academies, and collaborative supervision of research training. Detailed information, including the roster of faculty at the various institutions, can be found at www.imprs-life.mpg.de.
The advertised 35 doctoral fellowships (2 years, with two 6-month extensions possible) will all be located at the three collaborating institutions in Berlin, Germany. Depending on participants¹ schedules, the Research School will commence in April or October 2008. Working language is English. For the Berlin participants, the doctoral degree shall be granted by Humboldt University or Free University. Students admitted to LIFE will receive a monthly stipend of ca. 1,100 EUR.
Requirements: Applicants should hold, or anticipate receiving very soon as shown in supporting documents, a master's degree, diploma or equivalent in one of the relevant fields. The Research School welcomes participation by women, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, or disability.
Deadline: November 30, 2007. Decisions about admissions are scheduled for February 2008.
See www.imprs-life.mpg.de for details about the application procedure and the online application form.
If you have further questions, please contact Dr. Imke Kruse, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Lentzeallee 94, 14195 Berlin/Germany, Phone: +49-(0)30-82406-588, imprs@mpib-berlin.mpg.de
