Universität Wien

520015 VU Mastering your PhD (2025W)

5.00 ECTS (3.00 SWS), SPL 52 - Doktoratsstudium Physik
Continuous assessment of course work
VDS-PH
Moodle

Registration/Deregistration

Note: The time of your registration within the registration period has no effect on the allocation of places (no first come, first served).

Details

max. 15 participants
Language: English

Lecturers

Classes (iCal) - next class is marked with N

Location:
ESI Schrödinger lecture hall
Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematics and Physics (ESI)
Boltzmanngasse 9
1090 Wien
https://www.esi.ac.at/

Dates:
Friday, 24 October 2025
Monday, 3 November 2025
Monday, 17 November 2025
Friday, 5 December 2025
Monday, 15 December 2025

  • Friday 24.10. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Monday 03.11. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Monday 17.11. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Friday 05.12. 09:00 - 17:00 Ort in u:find Details
  • Monday 15.12. 09:00 - 14:00 Ort in u:find Details

Information

Aims, contents and method of the course

This course is the continuation of the previous module "Kicking Off Your PhD – Skills for a Strong Start". While the first course focused on research planning and foundational communication skills, this follow-up focuses on scientific communication, peer review, and career development.

The sessions cover advanced writing and rhetoric, abstracts, the peer review process from both sides, grant writing, the thesis as a communication project, responsible use of generative AI in written communication, and career planning inside and outside academia.

Through interactive workshops, peer feedback, and reflective exercises, participants will practice producing and revising scientific texts, engage with real peer-review scenarios, and develop their own career development plan. The course emphasizes practical application, enabling students to refine their communication strategies for academic success and professional development.

COURSE SYLLABUS
1. Communication Mindset & Abstracts (24.10.2025, 09:00–17:00)
• Science as communication: audiences and models
• Rhetoric for scientists: ethos, pathos, logos
• Writing effective abstracts: clarity, structure, concision
• Workshop: writing abstracts and peer feedback

2. Writing Skills, Psychology, Peer Review & Generative AI (03.11.2025, 09:00–17:00)
• Storytelling and clarity in scientific writing
• Responsible use of generative AI in communication
• Psychology of scientific communication: biases and trust
• Peer review from the reviewer’s perspective: drafting referee reports
• Author responses: strategies for revision
• Workshop: drafting referee reports and author responses

3. Thesis & Grants as Communication Strategy (17.11.2025, 09:00–17:00)
• The thesis as a communication project
• Grants as persuasion: ethos, pathos, logos in funding texts
• Workshop: drafting a mini-grant proposal and peer feedback

4. Intellectual Property, Entrepreneurship & Career Communication (05.12.2025, 09:00–17:00)
• Intellectual property and entrepreneurship basics
• From research to innovation: opportunities and challenges
• CVs and skills mapping: tailoring for academia and industry
• Using AI to adapt CV entries
• Networking strategies and online presence
• Workshop: preparing a job application
• Panel discussion with alumni and faculty
• From 17:00 Networking with drinks/snacks

5. Career Development and Reflection (15.12.2025, 09:00–14:00)
• Models of career development
• Skills mapping exercise
• Designing your career development plan
• Workshop: career development
• Round-table reflection: insights and next steps
• Course wrap-up

Assessment and permitted materials

The course is assessed through a combination of active participation, in-class activities, and written post-course assignments.

EVALUATION CRITERIA:
- Engagement in discussions, group activities, and peer feedback
- Completion of short in-class writing and reviewing tasks (e.g., abstracts, referee reports, author responses)
- Submission of three short post-course assignments:
1. A revised (following peer feedback) abstract of an assigned topic
2. A revised (following peer feedback) mini-grant proposal
3. A personal Career Development Plan

PERMITTED MATERIALS:
Students may use textbooks, notes, personal drafts, and AI-based tools, but must critically evaluate and take full responsibility for their outputs.

Minimum requirements and assessment criteria

To successfully complete the course, students must:
• Attend all sessions and participate actively
• Contribute constructively to peer discussions and group activities
• Demonstrate the ability to apply concepts in writing, reviewing, and planning exercises
• Submit all required post-course assignments on time

Completion of Kicking Off Your PhD – Skills for a Strong Start is strongly recommended, as this follow-up builds directly on its foundations.

Assessment is based on participation, engagement, clarity and persuasiveness of written work, responsiveness to feedback, and reflection in career planning.

Examination topics

There is no formal written exam. However, students are expected to demonstrate competence in the following areas:
• Writing clear, concise, and persuasive abstracts for scientific work
• Applying rhetorical principles (ethos, pathos, logos) and communication models in written and oral contexts
• Understanding the psychology of scientific communication, including common biases in peer review
• Acting as a peer reviewer, drafting referee reports, and giving constructive feedback
• Preparing and revising a mini-grant proposal that combines clarity, feasibility, and persuasive argumentation
• Developing author responses to reviewer comments in a professional and evidence-based tone
• Recognizing the role of intellectual property and entrepreneurship in scientific careers
• Tailoring CVs and personal profiles for different career paths and critically evaluating AI-generated text
• Building networking strategies and online presence for academic and non-academic contexts
• Designing and reflecting on a Career Development Plan (short-, mid-, and long-term goals)

Reading list

- Bergman, O., Park, S., & Bagniewska, J. (2025). The Communicating Scientist: A Practical Handbook. Springer (Especially Chapters 1–9, 11–14).
- Supplementary resources (sample abstracts, grant proposals, reviewer reports, career planning templates, and materials on the ethics of AI in writing) will be provided on Moodle.

Association in the course directory

Doktorat Physik

Last modified: Tu 14.10.2025 13:28