»UA Ruhr » Research Academy Ruhr » Program » Research Explorer Ruhr

Research Explorer Ruhr

Explore your Postdoc Opportunities in the Ruhr Area

Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) is a program for international early postdoctoral researchers (to-be) interested in exploring the research landscape of the University Alliance Ruhr.

Benefit from workshops on postdoc funding schemes and research career options in Germany! Networking events and excursions will help you become acquainted with the thriving Ruhr Area as a potential place to work and live.

When? 16 June 2024 (arrival) to 30 June 2024 (departure)

Who? Doctoral researchers in the final stage of their PhD & early postdoctoral researchers (<1 year after receiving their doctoral degree)

More information about the 2024 application and schedule will follow here on time!

Call for applications (2023)

Apply now for a spot in this year's Research Explorer Ruhr! Join in to work out research compatibility with a professor of your choice and explore possibilities to come back for a longer postdoc stay with your own funding. The deadline for applications is 28 February 2023. You can download the call for applications (PDF) here.

How to apply?

There are two possibilities for you:

1) Apply to a professor’s profile
Here you will find the profiles of the participating professors. This list is constantly updated. You can conveniently apply directly at the end of each profile:

Fill in the application form you can find at the end of each host’s profile and send it with your academic CV as well as a publication list to research-explorer@rs.rub.de by 28 February 2023.

2) Unsolicited application
We also accept unsolicited applications. In case you would like to work with a researcher at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, or the University of Duisburg-Essen who has not uploaded a profile, please fill in the application form (PDF) and send it with your academic CV and a publication list to research-explorer@rs.rub.de by 28 February 2023 so that we can get in touch with the respective professor.
Important: do NOT send any kind of application to a professor directly.
Also important: we will not look for a potential host for you, this is your task.

Helpful Information

Information for Guests

International doctoral researchers, who have already submitted their doctoral thesis, and early international postdoctoral researchers, who have recently finished their PhD, are invited to apply for a spot in Research Explorer 2023. If you are thinking of doing a postdoc in the Ruhr Area, but are not sure if it is the right fit for you, Research Explorer Ruhr is the right program.

Our professors offer to host one guest at their institute. During this time, you can work out cooperation opportunities, research compatibility and possibilities to come back as a postdoc with your own funding.

Research Academy Ruhr funds your stay (travel, visa, accommodation) and will offer a program of workshops on funding options and cultural activities to round off the experience.

A preliminary schedule will be published here in good time.

Information for Hosts

Research Explorer Ruhr gives you the opportunity to invite interesting international early postdoctoral researchers (to-be) to a two-week stay at your university. Research Academy Ruhr will cover travel and accommodation costs.

In addition to an introduction to the German research system, the accompanying program will also include a workshop to successfully raise funds for a postdoctoral position. If these guests wish to return as postdocs, the candidates themselves are responsible for obtaining the appropriate funds and scholarships.

All organizational questions and planning with the guests are handled by Research Academy Ruhr so that you can concentrate on joint research questions or projects. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Jörn Benzinger.

Contact for organizational questions

Dr. Jörn Benzinger
RUB Research School
Ruhr-Universität Bochum
Universitätsstr. 150, FNO 01/133
44801 Bochum
Phone: +49 (0)234 32-27124
E-Mail: research-explorer@rs.rub.de

For scientific questions please contact the professors directly.

Success Stories

Hossein visited RUB as part of the Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) class of 2019 and successfully applied for a two-year Humboldt fellowship consequently. He is currently staying with Prof. Dr. Ingo Steinbach at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Advanced Materials Simulation (ICAMS). His comments on our program:

»RER provides a great international atmosphere with a mixture of science, culture, friendship, and fun. I especially liked the hospitality of RUB. Aside from winning an Alexander von Humboldt fellowship, I was able to launch interesting collaborations in my field. By the way, it depends on the attendee how much they take advantage of RER!«

Dr. Hossein Jafarzadeh, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2019

Susana was part of our Research Explorer Ruhr cohort of 2018 and stayed with Prof. Dr. Estrid Sørensen at the chair of Cultural Psychology and Anthropology of Knowledge. Susana was offered a postdoctoral position thereafter. Her comments on our program:

»The Research Explorer Ruhr was a great experience. I met amazing people from Germany and all over the world. I found a great group in Bochum, where I began my postdoc career and learned about European academia. The research and teaching experience I got when I later came to Bochum was key in getting the permanent position I have now in the Netherlands.«

Dr. Susana Carmona Castillo, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018

Dieter was a fellow of RER 2018. He successfully applied for a DAAD Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2020 and additionally visited Bochum as a Research Assistant in 2021. He has been working with Prof. Dr. Stefan Berger's team at the Institute for Social Movements and has handed in an application for a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Fellowship. His comments on our program:

»Attending the Research Explorer Ruhr (RER) in July 2018 enabled me to deepen my research collaboration with Prof. Stefan Berger, Director of the Institute for Social Movements. This collaboration eventually resulted in the successful application for a DAAD-Postdoc Research Fellowship. The RER was a crucial step in my successful grant application process for the application writing workshops and the exchange with international scholars from diverse academic and regional backgrounds improved my skills that are necessary for writing successful grant applications.«

Dr. Dieter Reinisch, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018

Tomohiro visited RUB as part of the RER class of 2018 and successfully applied for a Humboldt fellowship consequently. He decided to stay one year with Prof. Dr. Gerhard Röhrle at the Faculty of Mathematics. His comments on our program:

»Through the Research Explorer program, I met the host and collaborators for my Humboldt fellowship. Knowing the research environment such as people, facilities, (and good restaurants) definitely helps when you apply for a Humboldt fellowship!«

Dr. Tomohiro Uchiyama, Research Explorer Ruhr Fellow 2018

Impressions

About Research Academy Ruhr

Research Academy Ruhr (RAR) is the cross-university platform of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund University, and the University of Duisburg-Essen for promoting early career researchers in the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr).

News & Events

Stay up to date: Subscribe here for our latest news.
Event Calendar
Connect with us on