International Max Planck Research School The Life Course: Evolutionary and Ontogenetic Dynamics (LIFE)
The graduate program LIFE is an international collaboration between three Berlin institutions (Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Humboldt University, and Free University Berlin), two US institutions (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; University of Virginia, Charlottesville), and the University of Zurich. The University of Zurich is currently involved with 9 faculty (5 full professors, 4 assistant professors) and 7 doctoral students. 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.
As a collaborative Research School, LIFE offers doctoral 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 Zurich site is now announcing three additional fellowships funded by the Jacobs Foundation, targeting international post-diploma or post-master's graduate students who intend to pursue a doctorate in psychology. At the Zurich site, there is a close collaboration between the Department of Psychology and the Center of Gerontology, offering also access to imaging technology.
3 Doctoral Fellowships (2 years, with two 6-month extensions possible)
Depending upon the main research interest of the applicants, the advertised fellowships will be hosted at one of the following chairs at the Department of Psychology, University of Zurich:
-Applied Psychology: Life-Management (Prof. A. M. Freund; Dr. B. S. Wiese) -Cognitive and Developmental Psychology (Prof. F. Wilkening; Dr. E. Bertin) -Gerontopsychology and the Center of Gerontology (Prof. M. Martin; Dr. D. Zimprich) -Neuropsychology (Prof. L. Jäncke) -Psychopathology and Clinical Intervention (Prof. A. Maercker; Dr. S. Forstmeier)
The fellowships will commence in April 2009. Working languages are English and German. Students admitted to LIFE will receive a stipend funded by the Jacobs Foundation that is paid equivalent to a doctoral position at the University of Zurich.
Requirements: Applicants should hold, or anticipate receiving very soon as shown in supporting documents, a master's degree, diploma or equivalent in psychology, intend to pursue an academic career, have a strong interest in lifespan psychology, and have strong research interests and skills.
Deadline: December 23, 2008 (receipt of your entire materials)
Application: Email the following materials in one pdf-file to LIFE@psychologie.uzh.ch: -A Letter of Motivation (one page, Font 12, single space) detailing your motivation to join LIFE and how you see yourself fit into the program. Please note that this announcement is for fellowships at the Zurich site (see faculty listed above). -Two letters of recommendation -Your Curriculum Vitae, including your academic training and professional experience -Scans of official certificates of degrees of all colleges/universities you attended A sample of your writing(copy of your thesis or another publication or preprint)
