phd in zurich university

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Faculty of Law

• Doctorate Faculty of Law (PVO09)

Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics

• Doctorate Business and Economics (A, PVO13)
• Doctorate Business and Economics (B, PVO13)
• Doctorate Business and Economics (C, PVO13)
• Doctorate Informatics (PVO08)
• Doctorate Neuroeconomics (PVO10)

Faculty of Medicine

• Doctorate Faculty of Medicine
• Doctorate Medical Sciences

Vetsuisse-Faculty

• Doctorate Veterinary Medicine
• Doctorate Veterinary Medicine with Focus in Natural Sciences
• PhD of Veterinary Medicine

Faculty of Arts

• Doctorate Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

Faculty of Science

• Doctorate Faculty of Science
• Joint Doctorate at the Faculty of Science of the UZH and the ETH Zurich

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Graduate Campus

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, guide: how to phd, this section provides those interested in pursuing a doctorate with an overview:.

Food for thought for beginning PhD candidates

• Collection of links to relevant topics for PhD candidates
• Preparation and procedure at UZH (following)

Table of contents

Find a supervisor, admission to doctoral studies, requirements for admission and procedures, content and requirements, individual phd and phd programs, procedures at uzh faculties, employment and funding, for international students and scholars.

First of all, get in contact with a UZH professor who is willing and able to supervise your doctoral project. If you are interested in participating in a PhD program, you should first of all carefully read through the application procedures for the program in question. Doctoral programs at UZH

The doctorate is comprised of a PhD thesis as well as coursework. It serves as a qualification for an academic career or other demanding professions.

As a general rule, a Master's degree or an equivalent degree from an accredited university is the prerequisite for admission to the doctorate. Certain criteria regarding content as well as formal conditions (e.g. grade-point average, qualification phases) are also considered when processing applications.

Admission to Doctoral Studies

The requirements for admission and the admission procedures are set out in the ordinance for obtaining a doctoral degree at the faculty in question. Some faculties also offer a  fast-track  doctoral program, a program for particularly talented students in which the Master's degree and PhD are integrated in a single program of study. The individual programs define their PhD programs' admission procedures – which, as a rule, are highly competitive.

Please note that PhD candidates must be matriculated at the University for the duration of their doctorate, i.e. until they have been conferred the final degree. 

Application and admission Application period

Writing a PhD thesis – independent and original academic work – forms the core part of the doctorate. The thesis can take the form of a monograph or consist of several publications on a single subject which have been published in scientific journals (a cumulative PhD thesis). You can find more information about the formal requirements in the doctoral program regulations for your subject area. As a general rule, however, the thesis should be of such scope and content that it can be completed within three years.

The required coursework serves to enhance subject-specific skills, but also goes toward developing transferable skills. All coursework will be recorded in your final transcript of records and Academic Record. Coursework requirements can be fulfilled by attending courses in your subject area, by visiting classes from the main pool of courses in transferable skills (transferable skills and university-level teaching), or, in some cases by attending courses at another institution. Alongside the required coursework (including transferable skills), it is highly recommended that PhD candidates develop their teaching skills. Transferable skills courses University-level teaching  

In many disciplines at UZH there are two types of doctoral programs offered: the individual doctorate and the structured doctoral programs . Moreover there are also interdisciplinary and inter-university schools or programs, partly financed by third-party funds. Doctoral Programs

Because the various faculties at UZH are thematically and structurally so diverse, each faculty is in charge of designing its own PhD program.

Be sure to read about the specific requirements at the faculty in question.

Various types of academic employment opportunities at UZH are open to junior scholars. During doctoral study, you can find employment as a «PhD candidate» or an «academic assistant»; postdocs receive positions as «postdocs» or «senior research and teaching assistants». These junior academic positions are an integral part of the procedure when pursuing an academic career. Junior academic positions are by nature temporary and are funded either by the university department in question or by a third party. Junior academic positions give young scholars the opportunity to achieve their next professional goal and to further qualify themselves for a career in academia. The main requirement for earning the necessary academic qualifications is performing individual research, but junior researchers are also given the opportunity to qualify themselves for teaching roles. In 2003 the guidelines for specifications at UZH faculties for employees holding junior academic positions were issued to define the rights and duties of UZH employees in junior academic positions. These were revised in fall 2023 and a new employment model was defined, which will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Employees with the status of a junior academic receive individual specifications which refer explicitly to their job description.

This UZH platform provides neccesary information from visits & exchange at the UZH to Visa, entry and residece permit. UZH for International Students and Scholars FAQ for International Students and Scholars

Weiterführende Informationen

Successful phd.

Food for thought for beginning PhD candidates

Collection of links to relevant topics

Mobility, Continuing education and courses, Career & Networking, Scientific integrity and Counseling

Best Practice for Doctoral Education

The guideline shows ways and possibilities to strengthen the quality, attractivity and internationalization of the doctorate at UZH.

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• For Students

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Main navigation, admission to doctoral studies.

The University of Zurich offers numerous  doctoral degree programs . 

Besides meeting the formal admission requirements , prospective doctoral students must fulfill the relevant academic admission requirements to be admitted to doctoral studies. Whether or not these requirements are met is decided as part of a defined admission procedure . 

Admission constitutes the right to matriculate in the doctoral studies in question at the University of Zurich. Doctoral students must remain matriculated for the full duration of their doctoral studies.

Formal Admission Requirements

Master’s degree diploma from a state-accredited university .

Credits for any transferred coursework must also have been acquired at a state-accredited university.

The diploma itself is state-accredited.

The diploma grants entitlement to pursue doctoral studies at a state-accredited university in the relevant country.

The Master’s degree diploma does not necessarily have to be available at the time of application. If you are admitted, it may be submitted at a later date (by 30 September at the latest for admissions for the Fall Semester, by 15 March at the latest for admissions for the Spring Semester). 

Depending on the doctoral studies in question, admission is also possible with a degree from a university of applied sciences or university of teacher education in a  signatory state to the Lisbon Recognition Convention . Further information can be found on the  website of the faculty concerned .

Academic Admission Requirements

The prospective doctoral student has the academic knowledge and skills required to pursue the doctoral studies in question. Additional requirements and/or conditions (generally in the form of Master’s modules) may be attached to admission in certain cases. Conditions must be met in a preparatory phase within the framework of doctoral studies. No doctoral modules may be booked during this preparatory phase. Additional requirements may be fulfilled during the preparatory phase or in parallel with doctoral modules.

An instructor with the right to award a PhD (generally at the faculty concerned) agrees to be principal supervisor for the planned doctoral thesis. Depending on the doctoral studies in question, further individuals must or may take on a supervisory role, for example as co-advisors. 

Additionally for doctoral programs: The prospective doctoral student is accepted on to the doctoral program in question (following a selective acceptance procedure).

Additionally, depending on the doctoral studies: The prospective doctoral student is employed as a doctoral student, or teaching and research assistant.

Further requirements may have to be fulfilled in certain cases, such as a Master’s degree with a minimum overall grade. 

Details of the academic admission requirements for individual programs of doctoral study can be found on the website of the faculty concerned .

Admission Procedure

The admission procedure begins with the faculty or graduate school concerned. Here, you must: – secure the approval of one or (as appropriate) more supervisor(s) for your planned doctoral thesis, – in the case of doctoral programs, have been accepted on to the program, and – as appropriate, have been offered a position as a doctoral student, or teaching and research assistant. Which of these steps must be completed, and in which order, depends on the doctoral studies in question. Details in this regard can be found on the website of the faculty concerned .

You must also apply to the University of Zurich Admissions Office to pursue your chosen doctoral studies. Before you apply, please find out about the application procedure and documents to be submitted  and apply via the application portal . Please note the relevant  application deadlines . It can take up to three months to process your application. 

If all admission requirements are fulfilled, you will receive the decision on admission from the University of Zurich Admissions Office. You can then matriculate at the University of Zurich and begin your doctoral studies. 

Important Information on the Admission Procedure:

If you have been offered employment for your doctoral studies, and you are a citizen of a state that is a not a member of either the European Union or EFTA , you will need the relevant  visa to enter Switzerland . The University of Zurich will generally apply for this visa on your behalf. Please contact the faculty or graduate school concerned. The visa is issued by the Canton of Zurich Migration Office and is always subject to confirmation of matriculation being submitted within 14 days of entry. You will receive this confirmation of matriculation as soon as you have matriculated at the University of Zurich having received the decision on admission, and paid the bill for the semester fees. Your visa will only be converted into a residence and work permit after the Migration Office has received your confirmation of matriculation. If you are not able to fulfill this condition within the set deadline, you will have to leave Switzerland. 

► Do not travel to Switzerland until you have received the decision on admission from the University of Zurich Admissions Office (i.e. until you are entitled to matriculate) (see point 3 above). 

► Do not begin your doctoral studies until you have matriculated at the University of Zurich, and you hold a residence and work permit. 

To speed up the admission procedure (which may be advisable especially in the case of individuals requiring a visa ), you can submit an application to the Admissions Office (see point 2 above) before the procedure with the faculty or graduate school is complete (see point 1 above). However, the Admissions Office decision on admission (see point 3 above) cannot be issued until confirmation of supervision and, in the case of doctoral programs, the notification of acceptance on to the doctoral program in question have been received.

Students currently matriculated at Master’s level at the University of Zurich must request a change of degree program  to doctoral studies under “My Requests” in the student portal and must not submit an application . 

Weiterführende Informationen

To the online application.

• UZH Application Portal
• Information on Application Procedure

Application Deadlines

Please note the different application deadlines.

• Overview of application deadlines

Confirmation of Supervision

• Form for doctoral students at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
• Form for doctoral students at the Faculty of Science (PDF, 425 KB)
• Form for doctoral students at other faculties (PDF, 264 KB)

UZH Graduate Campus

UZH Graduate Campus supports UZH doctoral students.

• To UZH Graduate Campus
• Accommodation

If you have questions please contact the Admissions Office .

Bereichs-Navigation

Unterseiten von doctoral studies.

• Admission to Doctoral Studies – Faculties

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Faculty of Science

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programs, doctoral studies and graduate schools.

Students who complete our doctoral program are awarded the doctoral degree of Dr. sc. nat. – doctor scientiarum naturalium ). The degree requires students to conduct original, independent research and usually takes between three and four years. We offer doctoral programs that have an excellent international reputation in the following fields. Graduate Schools

• Life Science Zurich Graduate School
• Zurich Graduate School in Geography
• Zurich Graduate School in Mathematics
• Graduate School in Chemical and Molecular Sciences Zurich
• Graduate School in Physics
• Graduate School for Computational Science and Astrophysics and Cosmology

Ansprechpersonen

Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism Director:  Prof. Dr. Raymund Dutzler

Cancer Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Maries van den Broek

Chemical and Molecular Sciences Director:  Prof. Dr. Roland K.O. Sigel

Computational Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Romain Teyssier

Ecology Director:  Prof. Dr. Owen Petchey

Epidemiology and Biostatistics Director:  Prof. Dr. Milo Puhan

Evolutionary Biology Director:  Prof. Dr. Kentaro K. Shimizu

General Doctorate Director:  Prof. Dr. Ulrich Straumann

Geography/Earth System Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Ross Purves

Integrative Molecular Medicine Director:  Prof. Dr. Thierry Hennet

Mathematics Directors:  Prof. Dr. Thomas Kappeler  and Prof. Dr. Michael Struwe

Microbiology and Immunology Directors:  Prof. Dr. Leo Eberl  and Prof. Dr. Annette Oxenius

Molecular and Translational Biomedicine Director: Prof. Dr. Christian Wolfrum

Molecular Life Sciences Director:  Prof. Dr. Michael Hottiger

Neuroscience Director:  Dr. Wolfgang Knecht

Physics Director:  Prof. Dr. Andreas Schilling

Plant Sciences Director: Prof. Dr. Samuel Zeeman

Public Understanding of Science Director:  Prof. Dr. Kai Niebert

RNA Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Frédéric Allain

Science and Policy Director:  Prof. Dr. Ueli Grossniklaus

Systems Biology Director: Prof. Dr. Jörg Stelling und Prof. Dr. Uwe Sauer

Theoretical Astrophysics and Cosmology Directors:  Prof. Dr. Ben Moore  and  Prof. Dr. Lucio Mayer

Application and Admission Procedure

Important note: If you originate from a foreign country, which is not a member of the European Union it is of utmost importance, that the following procedure is followed exactly as specified below.

Chart - How to become a PhD student and what the administration offices will do for you (PDF, 97 KB) .

• Application to the Admissions Office of the University of Zurich .
• Visa application for non-EU students.
• You cannot start working on your doctoral thesis in Zurich until you have obtained a visa and a work permit.

Contacts for PhD students

If you encounter problems during your PhD studies, there are several offices at the Faculty of Science you can contact.

• Your first point of contact is always your doctoral committee or the  human ressources representative at your institute. 
• Then you should contact the director of your PhD program.
• In the last resort you can contact the Persons of Trust of the Faculty of Science .

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Life Science Zurich Graduate School

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• Biomedical Ethics and Law
• Biomedicine
• Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism
• Cancer Biology
• Clinical Science
• Drug Discovery
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Evolutionary Biology
• Integrative Molecular Medicine
• Microbiology and Immunology
• Molecular Life Sciences
• Molecular and Translational Biomedicine
• Neuroscience
• Plant Sciences
• RNA Biology
• Science and Policy
• Systems Biology

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Graduate School of Business

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The Graduate School of Business at the University of Zurich (GSB-UZH) aims to educate PhD students to become the next generation of leading researchers, teachers and practitioners. Our mission is to provide rigorous training for an academic career and to produce future leaders in business research and education. Our Structured PhD Course Program is one central pillar to that mission and provides rigorous education to prepare our students to face future challenges. Our other pillars are cutting edge research and translation of our results to practice.

Students in the Structured PhD-Course Programs specialize in one of four fields of study: Management, Organization and Strategy; Managing Human Resources and Education; Accounting, Auditing and Corporate Governance; Marketing . In addition, all PhD students take the General Program to acquire a solid theoretical and methodological basis in business administration and take courses on Generic Competencies.

As a student in our structured PhD programs you will receive a profound training in management, behavioral, and economic sciences as well as a strong foundation in quantiative and qualitative methods necessary for an academic career in your chosen field. At GSB-UZH you benefit from small classes and your are in intensive interaction with faculty members research problems that are highly relevant and of interest to the academic and business world. You will also benefit from the opportunity to interact extensively with fellow PhD-students within one of our four fields of study.

Further reading

Doctoral Programs (Study Tracks and Fields of Study) Application and Admission

Weiterführende Informationen

Useful links.

• University of Zurich
• Faculty of Business, Economics and Informatics
• Department of Business Administration
• Open positions (Department)
• Open positions (University, all)
• UZH for Doctoral Candidates
• UZH for International Students and Scholars
• Graduate Campus
• Research Funding (Grants Office)

University of Zurich Department of Business Administration Graduate School of Business Plattenstrasse 14 8032 Zurich Switzerland

• Doctoral Programs
• Application and Admission
• Student Section
• Public Thesis Defenses

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Department of Economics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd programs, table of contents, zurich graduate school of economics, marlene porsche graduate school.

PhD in Economics at the University of Zurich

The Zurich Graduate School of Economics  at the University of Zurich, ZurichGSE in short, was launched in its current format in 2009. It offers a set of courses taught (in English) by internationally renowned academic faculties at the University of Zurich and world-class research opportunities. A specific feature of the doctoral program is a close attachment between graduate students and advisors and a strong team spirit among students. The goal of the program is to produce independent young researchers who can obtain academic jobs in the best universities, central banks, and international organizations.

Overview Zurich Graduate School of Economics

PhD in Neuroeconomics at the University of Zurich

The Marlene Porsche Graduate School of Neuroeconomics was launched in 2017, enabled by a donation by the Marlene Porsche Foundation. The interdisciplinary degree program in the cutting-edge field of Neuroeconomics has a strong scientific focus, with the goal of enabling students to become independent researchers of the highest caliber. Its faculty consists of internationally renowned scholars with expertise in behavioral economics, neuroimaging, neuropharmacology, brain stimulation techniques, and computational modeling.

Overview Marlene Porsche Graduate School of Neuroeconomics

Weiterführende informationen.

Contact Graduate Schools

Graduate Campus (GRC) – for early career researchers

Global Student Experience

• Marlene Porsche GS Neuroeconomics

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Taking a doctorate at ETH Zurich is an excellent investment for your future scientific career.

With 4500 doctoral students out of a total of over 25'000 students, ETH Zurich is one of the universities in Europe which focuses most intensively on research. Doctorates make a significant, fundamental contribution to that research work. They are based on research projects that are carried out independently, with the support of a professor.

Apart from a few exceptional cases, all doctoral students at ETH Zurich are employed as scientific assistants. However, they are not only employees but also students, and they are obliged in the course of their doctoral study to continue their education, inside and outside their specialist area. Another important component of a doctorate is learning how to educate others. That is why every doctoral student plays an active part in the teaching work of their department.

At the end of their research project, the results are compiled in a thesis that is defended in an oral examination. On successful completion of their doctorate, students are awarded the title “Doctor of Sciences (Dr. sc. ETH Zurich)”.

FAQ Doctorate

Frequently asked questions about doctoral studies

• Phone phone +41 44 632 26 72
• contacts vCard Download

ETH Zurich Academic Services Rämistrasse 101 HG FO 23.4 8092 Zurich Switzerland

Appointments

Consultations by appointment only in urgent cases and preferably via Zoom. For all other matters, you can contact us by e-​mail or by telephone.

Please send documents and forms by e-​mail and doctoral theses (deposit copies) by (internal) mail or hand them in at Campus Info .

All communication during your doctorate will be sent exclusively to your ETH e-mail address. Therefore, please check your ETH e-mail inbox regularly.

Further information

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Faculty of Medicine

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, md-phd-programm, table of contents, general information, admission requirements, program structure, study guide and curriculum, interfaculty md-phd committee impk.

The MD-PhD Program enables medical students and graduates (in addition to their regular degree in medicine, dentistry, or veterinary medicine) to gain a basic natural science education which allows them to conduct regular doctoral studies at the Science Faculty of UZH, without previously attaining an MSc degree in natural science. The program serves as an entry point for medical students and graduates into the Life Science Zurich Graduate School. The role of the MD-PhD program is to select eligible candidates and to coordinate their integrated science education. The program consists of original research (doctoral thesis) as well as of curricular content (propaedeutic studies).

The MD-PhD is oriented exclusively toward Master students and graduates of degree courses in human medicine, veterinary medicine or dentistry. The MD-PhD program can be entered as MD-PhD Track I in parallel to the medical Master studies at UZH. Applicants to the Track II program must hold a Master's degree from a university in human medicine, veterinary medicine or dentistry.

The MD-PhD program is supervised by an Interfaculty steering committee (IMPK), which consists of representatives of the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Vetsuisse Faculty.

Track I: The Track I MD-PhD program is open to students who are enrolled in a medical Master program at UZH, with at least good grades during their Bachelor studies.

Track II: Students who have earned at least a Master’s degree in human medicine, veterinary medicine or dentistry. We recommend that candidates enter the program no later than five years after completing their medical degree. Admission of applicants from outside Europe is subject to the recognition of their degree by the Admission Office of UZH.

Graduates of other fields such as biology, pharmacy, or biochemistry are not admitted.

In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the regular doctoral studies at the Science Faculty, MD-PhD students are required to earn additional ECTS credit points in the framework of the MD-PhD propaedeutic studies.

Track I: The propaedeutic studies are entered in parallel to the medical Master studies at UZH. The doctoral dissertation is conducted after earning the medical Master degree.

Track II: Both propaedeutic studies and doctoral dissertation are conducted after attaining a medical Master degree (human medicine, veterinary medicine, dentistry).

The doctoral dissertation must be carried out in one of the research groups of UZH affiliated to the Life Science Zurich Graduate School. Students must endeavor independently to secure a position in a host laboratory.

The study guides for students and supervisors as well as the curriculum of the propaedeutic studies can be downloaded on the right.

3 years minimum

Dr. sc. nat.

The doctorate is conducted in the frame of one of the PhD programs of the Life Science Graduate School (MNF).

Regulations: https://www.mnf.uzh.ch/de/studium/reglemente/phd.html (in German)

Medical doctorate degrees (Dr. med., Dr. med. dent., Dr. med. vet.) are not awarded in the framework of the MD-PhD program. They have to be obtained separately from the respective faculties.

The MD-PhD program is supervised by an Interfaculty steering committee (IMPK), which consist of representatives of the Faculty of Science, the Faculty of Medicine, and the Vetsuisse Faculty.

The responsibilities of the IMPK include:

• Supervision and coordination of the MD-PhD program
• Supervision and coordination of the MSc Medical Biology program
• MD-PhD program
• Clinical Science
• Biomedical Ethics & Law
• Epidemiology and Biostatistics

Current members:

• Prof. Dr. Adriano Aguzzi (President, supervision MD-PhD)
• Prof. Dr. Nicole Joller (Vice President, supervision MSc Medical Biology)
• Prof. Dr. Felix Beuschlein
• Prof. Dr. Urs Greber
• Prof. Dr. Johannes Loffing
• Prof. Dr. Bjoern Menze
• Prof. Dr. Anne Müller
• Prof. Dr. Christian Münz
• Prof. Dr. Chantal Pauli
• Prof. Dr. Hanspeter Nägeli (Vetsuisse representative)
• Prof. Dr. Nikola Biller-Andorno (representative for Biomedical Ethics & Law)
• Prof. Dr. Milo Puhan (representative for Epidemiologie und Biostatistik)
• Prof. Dr. Beatrix Latal (representative for Clinical Science)

Artemi Bendandi, Coordinator E-mail: [email protected]

Weiterführende Informationen

Study guides

Study guide MD-PhD until 2021

Study guide MD-PhD from 2022

Information for Supervisors

Propaedeutic Studies

Application deadlines

• 15. Juni

• 15. Dezember

Confirmation of Host Laboratory

National MD-PhD Scholarship

https://www.samw.ch/en/Funding/MD-PhD-Program.html

Open MD-PhD position

PhD position at University Heart Center

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Department of Informatics

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd program, welcome note.

The Doctoral Program of Informatics is where academia and industry meet, where theories are developed and challenged in praxis, where new knowledge is created, and where scholars emerge. The Department of Informatics offers Switzerland’s best application oriented informatics and, internationally, ranks among the best institutions in its field. Application areas range from business information systems to social sciences, linguistics, natural sciences, and medicine. The Department creates joint research ventures and integrates their results in the teaching of students. In addition, internationally renowned visiting professors regularly give courses on special topics. All of us in the Department of Informatics wish you good fortune as you pursue your advanced degree, and we hope you will contact us if we can help you along the way.

Direct Links

Programs Description of our Doctoral Programs

Admission Information about the admission process

PhD: While studying All the information you need while doing your PhD (e.g. Curriculum, PhD Proposal Defense, PhD Thesis, PhD Defense, Publication)

Summer Schools Information about the current and past PhD Summer Schools

IfI Colloquium Information about the current and past IfI Colloquium Series

Team/Advisory Service Contact information

PhD Theses Archive

Here you find the PhD theses published at IfI since 1968.

Weiterführende Informationen

Best practice guideline for doctoral education at the university of zurich.

• Best Practice Guideline

Bereichs-Navigation

Unterseiten von phd.

• Admission/Registration
• PhD: While studying
• Summer Schools
• IfI Colloquium
• Team/Advisory Service
• Previous IfI Colloquia

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Department of Psychology

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd in psychology.

All important administrative information about the doctoral studies in Psychology can be found on the webpages of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences : https://www.phil.uzh.ch/en/studium/doktorat.html

• PhD according to regulations 2019 (for matriculations by fall semester 2019)
• Regulations
• Research Funding and Grants for Doctoral Students
• External links

Weiterführende Informationen

German Version

To subscribe to the mailing list, please send an e-mail to

[email protected]

Subscribe for the Postdoc- mailing list (course vacancies)

Register here

Central offers of the University of Zurich for PhD students

• Graduate Campus • Continuing Education in University Teaching and Learning  

• PhD according to regulations 2019
• Research Funding / Grants

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Department of Philosophy

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, general information.

The Department of Philosophy offers an attractive and internationally competitive Doctorate in Philosophy. The doctorate is incorporated in the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences .

Doctoral students have the opportunity to attend a range of courses. Up-to-date information can be found under the headings Master Classes and Inter-university Colloquium . You can register for the newsletter here .

Bereichs-Navigation

Unterseiten von doctorate.

• Regulations
• Master Classes
• Zurich Doctoral Workshops
• Inter-university Colloquium

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PhD Program Biomedicine

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The comprehensive study and understanding of organ function in health and disease requires multidisciplinary approaches in basic, applied and translational biomedical research. The PhD program “Biomedicine” (BioMed) is part of the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (LSZGS) and imparts knowledge, concepts and modern technologies to address complex questions in biomedical sciences on a molecular, cellular and systems level with the vision to advance clinical translation and improve patient care. BioMed offers students a strong and interactive program that combines groups from the University of Zürich (UZH), the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zürich (ETHZ) and the University Hospital Zürich (USZ). The highly international scientific environment at the institutions combines cutting-edge research with a modern teaching curriculum.

The PhD students of the PhD program in Biomedicine can not only choose from a broad selection of research topics and participate in front line science, but can also take advantage of a large number of graduate courses on various topics. Topics range from human physiology to cancer biology, stem cells, genomic medicine and laboratory techniques. They also include transferable skills like statistics, project management for research, scientific writing and career planning. The PhD program organizes an annual retreat for scientific exchange and networking among students.

The PhD students of BioMed can either register at the University of Zürich or the ETH Zürich, depending on the affiliation of their direct supervisor and her/his research group.

Students can apply to the program via Track I by May 1st and November 1st through the website of the LSZGS or via Track II (see application ). Enrollment into the program is decided by an admission committee.

• Research groups
• Current students
• Application
• Travel Grant
• Documents to download and useful links

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Department of Chemistry

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A master's degree is the prerequisite for starting a PhD. This study consists mainly of independent research work, but also additional courses, seminars and attendance at congresses. The PhD program should promote independent thinking and an extended knowledge of chemistry. The PhD study can mainly be arranged by the PhD student in discussion with the supervisor. With the PhD degree the student should be able to take over and to solve independently scientific research problems. The study ends with the award of the PhD degree (Dr. sc. nat. = PhD). The regulations for the PhD studies can be found here.

Weiterführende Informationen

Graduate School CMSZH

The Graduate School of Chemical and Molecular Sciences Zurich (CMSZH) is a melting pot of science and innovation, offering a highly competitive Ph.D. program for a comprehensive and challenging education.

• To the website of CMSZH

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Department of Sociology

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The Department of Sociology, in collaboration with sociologists at the Swiss Federal Department of Technology in Zurich (ETH Zurich), offers an attractive, internationally competitive, interuniversity doctoral program in sociology.

The doctoral program in sociology currently receives financial support from swissuniversities and is embedded in the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences .

The doctoral program in sociology gives PhD candidates broad freedom in choosing dissertation topics and courses. In addition to writing a doctoral thesis, PhD candidates are required to complete 12 ECTS credits of course work from curricular modules.

A choice of modules is offered in the following subject areas to choose from:

Standard Curriculum PhD Sociology (PDF, 78 KB)

Weiterführende Informationen

Doctoral program in Sociology - a collaboration with sociologists at ETH Zurich.

PhF Faculty's Graduate School

The Graduate School, which serves as the organizational framework for doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, hosts detailed information about the doctoral program. 

Please direct questions about the doctoral program to the social sciences doctorate coordinator:

Dr. Doreen Spörer-Wagner Doktoratskoordination  Sozialwissenschaften Tel: +41 44 634 52 12 [email protected]

Visit the UZH Graduate Campus

The Graduate Campus is a university-wide support platform for Early Career Researchers (doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers) at UZH.

Doctoral Studies:

• Methodological Training
• Module Offerings
• Admission and Study Program
• Persons Authorized
• Index of Dissertations

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Department of Political Science

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, phd in political science.

Table of contents

Contact information.

The IPZ comprises 15 professorships and research areas, covers a broad research spectrum, and thus offers a wide range of doctoral opportunities. For more information about research areas and optional doctoral topics, please visit the Research page on the IPZ website. Positions as research assistants or project positions for doctoral candidates are centrally advertised on the department’s website under the “Open Positions” section.

The doctorate in political science comprises a standard period of study of three to four years (up to a maximum of 6 years) and leads to the title of Dr. phil. (in English translation Ph.D.). It consists of the execution and writing of an independent research paper (dissertation) and curricular parts of 12 ECTS. To this end, doctoral students have access to a wide range of courses, including regular IPZ courses as well as methods courses specifically designed for doctoral students in the social sciences. An overview of all dissertations that have been successfully defended at the IPZ since 2006 can be found here.

The PhD. can be completed with a focus on Democracy Studies . For all further information regarding the doctorate, please refer to the website pages of the Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (PhF) .

Please direct your questions to the PhD Coordinator Social Sciences of the Graduate School, Dr. Doreen Spörer-Wagner.

PhD Coordinator Social Sciences

University of Zurich Graduate School Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Dr. Doreen Spörer-Wagner Affolternstrasse 56 CH-8050 Zurich

Tel:  044 63 45212 E-Mail: [email protected]

• Completed Dissertations
• Democracy Studies

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Department of Communication and Media Research

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With a doctorate from IKMZ, you demonstrate your scientific expertise in the analysis of mediated (mass and self mass) communication. It clearly shows that you can carry out independent scientific work and generate insights into the media and information society. The writing of PhD thesis is the main component. In addition, you will complete modules worth 12 ECTS credits. Details are regulated by the doctoral regulations .

Students who have a degree that is recognized by the University of Zurich (Master or equivalent) can complete a dissertation at IKMZ. It is possible to write the thesis in English. Passive German language skills are, however, highly recommended.

The Graduate School of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences is the organizational and administrative umbrella for all PhD subjects offered by the University of Zurich Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The Graduate School is there to promote junior scholars and support and advise PhD candidates and the faculty throughout a doctoral degree. It promotes young researchers and supports and advises the doctoral students or the faculty during the entire duration of a doctorate. Information on doctoral studies at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Zurich can be found on the website of the Graduate School . Your first point of contact is the PhD Coordinator Social Sciences .

Courses offered

A wide range of courses is available to doctoral students. This includes regular colloquia at the IKMZ and methods courses specifically for doctoral students in the social sciences as well as various interdisciplinary events ( interdisciplinary competencies , university didactics , language courses ).

Each year, Democracy Studies additionally offers a limited number of places for outstanding doctoral students in the social sciences with an interest in democracy studies.

Democracy Studies course offer spring 24: •     Democracy Studies Advanced Module (June 2024, registration via [email protected])

Admission and Supervision

The prerequisite for acceptance of a doctoral project is a completed master's degree with an outstanding thesis in communication studies and media research.

A further prerequisite for admission is the binding consent of two lecturers with the right to confer a doctorate who meet the requirements for the composition of the supervisory committee.

All admissions information can be found on the Graduate School website .

Professors with the right to confer dissertations at IKMZ and their research areas

Prof. Dr. Mark Eisenegger ( Public Sphere & Society )

Prof. Dr. Frank Esser ( International & Comparative Media Research )

Prof. Dr. Thomas Friemel ( Media Use & Effects )

Prof. Dr. Eszter Hargittai ( Internet Use & Society )

Prof. Dr. Otfried Jarren (emeritus, no new supervisions accepted) (Media & Politics)

Prof. Dr. Michael Latzer ( Media Change & Innovation )

Prof. Dr. Mike S. Schäfer ( Science Communication )

Prof. Dr. Gabriele Siegert ( Media Economics & Management )

Prof. Dr. Daniel Süss ( Media Socialization & Media Literacy )

Prof. Dr. Natascha Just ( Media & Internet Governance )

Prof. Dr. Nadine Strauss ( Strategic Communication & Media Management )

Weiterführende Informationen

Program coordination.

Dr. Doreen Spörer-Wagner Doctoral Studies Coordinator Social Sciences

University of Zurich Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Graduate School Affolternstrasse 56 / 8050 Zürich Room AFL F 117 +41 44 634 52 12

[email protected] Present: Tue, Wed Available: Mon-Fri

Important documents (German)

• Doktorat PhF
• Graduate Campus UZH
• Methodological Training

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Neuroscience Center Zurich

Quicklinks und sprachwechsel, main navigation, international phd program in neuroscience.

The ZNZ doctoral program, founded in 1998, offers students of different disciplines a solid foundation in the neurosciences. With over 600 alumni and an average of 300 registered students, it is the largest PhD program in the Life Science Zurich Graduate School. Our students come from a variety of backgrounds: biology, medicine, human movement science, psychology, pharmacology, biochemistry, physics and engineering. In accordance with their supervisor's affiliation, they register either at the University of Zurich or at ETH Zurich for their doctoral studies and  carry out their thesis work at one of the following institutions: University of Zurich, ETH Zurich, University Hospital, Children's Hospital, Balgrist University Hospital or the Psychiatric Clinics. 

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Doctoral Studies at ETHZ

General Information PhD at ETHZ

Doctoral Studies at UZH

General Information PhD at UZH

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Employment as a doctoral candidate or teaching / research assistant

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Below are basic principles, parameters, Q&A, and documents that provide an overview for doctoral candidates and teaching / research assistants and serve as a guideline for supervisors and recruiters when hiring. 

On August 29, 2023, the Extended Executive Board of the University approved a completely revised set of regulations on the general outline of rights and responsibilities of the faculties for teaching / research assistants and doctoral candidates (Regulations on the general outline of rights and responsibilities), which will come into effect on January 1, 2024. The regulations of rights and responsibilities include provisions on employment, in particular on the share of tasks and working hours, of holders of junior academic positions, which apply to the entire university. For postdocs and senior teaching and research assistants, the previous regulations on the outline of rights and responsibilities of the faculties for holders of junior academic positions (only available in German:  Reglement über die Rahmenpflichtenhefte der Fakultäten für die Inhaberinnen und Inhaber von Qualifikationsstelle (PDF, 130 KB)  , PDF, 130 KB) remain unchanged. The aim of the new employment model is to strengthen PhD candidates at UZH by creating clear and transparent employment conditions, especially in the area of their own research time. In order to increasingly promote research work during the qualification phase, a minimum limit for the amount of own research work (protected time) will be defined and ensured.

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Presentation Meet-Ups for early career researchers  (EN) Presentation Meet-Ups for HR Representatives  (DE)

University acts and practices at UZH

Models and parameters

Description of the new model, graphical representations and requirements

Current regulations 2023, templates new doctoral agreement and individual outline of rights and responsibilities 

Questions and Answers

General Questions, recruiting for the year 2024 and existing employment

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Main navigation, phd program in plant sciences, introduction.

The PSC PhD Program in Plant Sciences is a joint program of the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich and the University of Basel. The structured curriculum offers training in frontier topics of plant sciences, including molecular biology, ecology, evolution, environmental and agronomic sciences.

It also offers opportunities to acquire research skills and transferable skills for careers in and outside of academia. All courses are held in English. The qualification framework is detailed here .

Established in 2002, the PSC PhD Program in Plant Sciences assures coursework in the following domains:

• Fundamental and applied plant sciences
• Understanding the research environment and the scientific community
• Research management
• Communicating science
• Career development

Students enrolled in this program obtain a PhD from their home institution, either the University of Zurich, ETH Zurich or the University of Basel. Upon successful completion, they receive an additional PSC PhD Program certification and a diploma supplement . The structured PSC PhD program is fully accredited within the Life Science Zurich Graduate School (International PhD Programs in the Life Sciences) .

Registration (to the PhD Program in Plant Sciences)

Procedures and Important Documents

Course Catalogue

Terms and Conditions (for PSC PhD courses)

Dr. Luisa Last (PhD Program Coordinator, [email protected] )

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Guidelines plant sciences.

• Guidelines PS (for students enrolled 1.1.2022 or later) (PDF, 589 KB)
• Guidelines PS (for students enrolled before 1.1.2022) (PDF, 309 KB)

PhD Program in Plant Sciences – Flyer

This flyer contains general information about the PhD Program in Plant Sciences.

• Flyer (PDF, 904 KB)

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Phd programme, doing a phd at the zhaw school of engineering.

The ZHAW School of Engineering offers students with a Master’s degree the opportunity to do a doctorate in cooperation with its partner universities. While studying for your PhD, you work on applied research projects at the university of applied sciences and are supervised jointly by professors from the ZHAW and its partner university.

You thus benefit from the strengths of both types of university and, with your dissertation project, also contribute towards raising the profile of research at the School of Engineering. The School of Engineering, for its part, creates favourable conditions and prerequisites for supporting high-quality research.

As a doctoral student, you are enrolled in a regular PhD programme at a partner university and are required to go through its admission process. After completing the programme, you will receive a doctorate from the partner university in question. Most PhD networks are also open to students with a Master’s degree from a university of applied sciences. They are, however, required to complete the processes (specific to each faculty) that are necessary for admission to the partner university. In addition to formalised PhD programmes, it is also possible for individual agreements to be concluded between partner universities, doctoral students and ZHAW.

https://www.zhaw.ch/en/jobs/vacant-positions/

Formal PhD programmes with partner universities

ZHAW is part of the PhD Network Data Science . We thus participate in the University of Zurich’s PhD Programme in Data Science . A broad selection of topics is available for doctoral studies in data science and these explicitly include data-intensive areas of Industry 4.0, such as predictive maintenance, data analytics and risk management, and cloud computing.

ZHAW graduates with a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE) are also eligible for the joint doctoral programme run by ZHAW and the Università Ca' Foscari in Venice. They can complete their doctoral studies in data science over a period of four years. They spend one year in the Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics and Statistics at the University of Venice and three years at the ZHAW School of Engineering. MSE graduates from ZHAW can participate directly in the programme without having to catch up on additional ECTS from the Master’s degree programme.

Important to know

• The doctorate is always awarded by the partner university. It is therefore the regulations of the partner university that are decisive.
• In most cases, doctoral students at ZHAW School of Engineering are employed as scientific assistants; the dissertation is normally embedded in a fairly large research project (Innosuisse, SNSF, Horizon Europe).
• ZHAW School of Engineering supports dissertation projects that are related to one of its main research areas.
• The dissertation topic is agreed on directly by the doctoral student and their supervising professors from the university of applied sciences and the partner university.
• Doctoral students are expected to display a high degree of independence and discipline and to actively exchange ideas with the contact persons in the institutes and centres.

How will the ZHAW School of Engineering support me with my dissertation project?

• Financial support through PhD programmes and internal calls
• Time support, including for caregivers
• Networking within the PhD community
• Access to foreign universities and networks (e.g. Horizon Europe Doctoral Network, PhD networks)

ZHAW employees and students will find further information in the Intranet .

Interested? Then venture to take the next step

A dissertation project requires careful planning and preparation in both the professional and private environment.  We will be happy to offer you a consultation.

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18 fully funded phd programs at university of zurich, switzerland.

Are you holding Master’s degree and looking for fully funded PhD positions? University of Zurich, Switzerland invites online application for multiple funded PhD Programs / fully funded PhD positions in various research areas.

Candidates interested in fully funded PhD positions can check the details and may apply as soon as possible. Interested and eligible applicants may submit their online application for PhD programs via the University’s Online Application Portal. 

1. Fully Funded PhD Position in AI (including chat-bots and large language models) and Democracy

Summary of phd program:.

The Dynamic and Distributed Information Systems Group at the University of Zurich is looking for motivated applicants who are interested in investigating how AIs can interact with users to help large-scale participation in democratic processes. You will work the context of a new SNSF interdisciplinary project that will investigate how to use AI in direct democracy. The project includes user experiments of AI support in the context of real-world democratic processes. The project includes 8 PhD students – three of which in CS/CSCW/AI, two in political science, and two in law – as well as a post-doc and faculty members form these disciplines.

Application Deadline: Open until filled

2. fully funded phd position in bioinorganic chemistry.

Your research will span the entire area from identifying new and exciting protein sequences, cloning and recombinant protein production, purification and initial spectroscopic and spectrometric characterisation (UV, CD, AAS, ESI-MS, MALDI, etc), followed by structural studies with NMR and X-ray or functional analyses in collaboration with groups from the biological field.

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3. Fully Funded PhD Position in structural biology of Fe-S proteins

A PhD student position, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, is available in the research group headed by Prof. Susanne Kassube at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. Highly-motivated, goal-driven and team-oriented candidates with an interest in biochemistry and structural biology, particularly cryo-electron microscopy, are encouraged to apply. The selected candidate will become part of the PhD program in Biomolecular Structure and Mechanism and the Life Science Zurich Graduate School.

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4. fully funded phd position in information systems.

We are seeking highly motivated and enthusiastic individuals for a PhD position in the field of Information Systems, as part of the DIZH-funded research project “Government as a Platform: Orchestrating Stakeholders in Crisis Situations through Digital Platforms” (short description). In the project, we take advantage of digital platforms and their principles to improve the coordination and orchestration of relevant actors in the Canton of Zurich on the example of the Ukraine refugee crisis. As a PhD student, you will be supervised by Dr. Liudmila Zavolokina (Digital Society Initiative, University of Zurich) and Prof. Dr. Gerhard Schwabe (Department of Informatics, University of Zurich.

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5. fully funded phd position in plant evolutionary biology.

This position involves expert level bioinformatic work including genome assembly (long-reads, Hi-C) and genome annotation. Furthermore, the project uses comparative transcriptomics (spatial transcriptomics) including gene regulatory network analyses in a phylogenetic context, and high-throughput reverse genetic work. Therefore, this position requires advanced skills in handling, analyzing and interpreting high-throughput next-generation sequencing and RNA-seq data. Good skills in assembling vectors, carrying out genetic transformations and microscopy are also required.

6. Fully Funded PhD Position in Clinical Science Program

We are interested in pulmonary hypertension, dyspnea, exercise and hypoxia and are performing several clinical and physiological studies in this field. Our trials involve exercise testing, echocardiographies, sleep studies, near infrared spectroscopies and many more, mostly in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases, but also in healthy people living at different altitudes. We often perform field studies in different areas of the world, including Switzerland, but also Central Asia or South America. We have long-lasting collaborations with different labs and research groups.

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7. fully funded phd position in ultrafast spectroscopy and photochemistry.

The project deals with the advancement of solution-phase and surface-sensitive ultrafast spectroscopy and photochemistry techniques, surface preparation and characterization, investigation of ultrafast photoinduced phenomena with time-resolved IR and multidimensional spectroscopy methods. We are experimentally investigating the real-time molecular dynamics of the novel classes of organic molecules and aiming towards the unconventional methods of catalysis.

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8. fully funded phd position in business.

The Chair of Quantitative Business Administration focuses on the development of quantitative methods for improved decision making. From the methodological perspective our main interests are in mathematical optimization, in particular, integer programming, combinatorial optimization, bilevel optimization and optimization under uncertainty.

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9. fully funded phd position in psychology.

The research focus of the chair is on social-cognitive development in infancy and childhood. The project focuses on multilingual language development in early childhood. Previous research shows that monolingual and multilingual children differ in the repertoire and flexibility of their communicative behavior. In the planned research project, the characteristics of these differences in early childhood (0 – 6 years) as well as the underlying mechanisms will be investigated in more detail. For this purpose, behavioral methods but also eye tracking or electroencephalography (EEG) can be applied.

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10. fully funded phd position in epidemiology / digital & mobile health.

You will analyze fitness tracker and patient-reported data from ongoing studies in collaboration with our project partners, including the University Hospital Zurich, the Rehabilitation Clinic Valens, and the Swiss Multiple Sclerosis Registry. In collaboration with team members and staff from the Rehabilitation Clinic Valens you will also design and conduct your own study to evaluate an existing intervention for physical activity improvement in persons with chronic illnesses. You will further contribute to the development and maintenance of our own mobile health data collection platform, which is programmed in Python.

Application Deadline: 01.07.2023

Looking for funded scholarships programs click here, 11. fully funded phd position in immunology.

You will work on a project investigating the immune response against the skin commensal yeast Malassezia in the normal and diseased skin and identify fungal secreted products that activate and modulate the Th17 and γδT17 antifungal response. The project relies on mouse models of skin fungal commensalism and of atopic dermatitis in combination with cell culture experiments. The project will involve immunological, microbiological, genetic, transcriptomic, and biochemical approaches.

Application Deadline: 30.06.2023

12. fully funded phd position in political science.

The Department of Political Science at the University of Zurich invites applications for a PhD position in the research group of Professor Jonathan Slapin, Professor of Political Institutions and European Politics.

Your responsibilities

• Development and conduct of own PhD project in the field of comparative political institutions, broadly defined. Applicants should have a focus on parliaments, parties, legislative behavior, representation, European politics, or European integration.
• Participation in the Department’s doctoral program, which offers advanced methodological and substantive training as well as professional development.

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13. fully funded phd position in educational and family sociology.

The University Research Priority Program (URPP) “Human Reproduction Reloaded | H2R” explores the societal impacts and legal implications of human reproduction. This interdisciplinary positioned URPP brings together researchers from six faculties as well as from various disciplines from the humanities, social, medical and natural sciences. You will join a working group within this program, consisting of two senior researchers and two PhDs. We focus the on the value-related origins and the economic consequences of reproductive decisions. Both positions are located at Institute of Sociology, which is one of the leading empirically oriented institutes in Switzerland and Europe.

Application Deadline: 12.06.2023

14. fully funded phd position in automatic sign language processing.

The PhD position is part of an innovative research project titled “Fundamental linguistic tools for sign language machine translation – SIGMA” at the Digital Society Initiative and the Department for Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich. SIGMA aims to provide fundamental tools for automatically processing sign languages, with the main goal of improving a higher-level task: sign language machine translation. Improving machine translation for sign languages is relevant for Swiss and international societies. While for hearing persons translation technology is mature and usable in every-day situations, such tools do not exist for Deaf sign language users. Deaf individuals can only be full members of a digital society if translation technology is afforded to them.

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15. fully funded phd position in palliative care within doctoral progam clinical science.

You will work on research projects with focus on questions related to caregiver burden and bereavement-related distress. The death of a spouse is considered one of the most stressful and impactful life events and is associated with increased morbidity and premature mortality. This PhD project studies the impact of lifetime stress exposure and neuro-inflammatory sensitivity to psychobiological adjustment to bereavement among cancer caregivers. We aim to map profiles of individual differences in long-term adjustment to loss based on psychological and biological markers over time and to identify psychological and biological markers of individuals who are most at risk for poor health outcomes following bereavement.

Application Deadline: July 1st, 2023

16. fully funded phd position in multimodal behavioral pattern recognition using machine learning.

The PhD position is part of an innovative research project titled “Computational analysis of personal identity in interaction: Recognition and ethics – CAPIRE” at the Digital Society Initiative and Department for Computational Linguistics, University of Zurich. This interdisciplinary project aims to develop advanced computational models for person identification analysis using multimodal communication signals such as speech, gestures, and facial expressions. The research will involve analyzing large datasets of human interaction data and applying state-of-the-art machine learning methods to identify unique patterns indicative of personal identity.

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17. fully funded phd position in chemistry.

We are looking for candidates who would be interested in either of these topics. Depending on the selected focus, the PhD Student will be given an opportunity to gain experience in the design of catalysts and ligands, multistep organic synthesis, coordination chemistry (including synthesis of highly sensitive molecules), transition metal catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, and the chemistry of organic materials.

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Taking research to new places: Killam scholar trades Atlantic coast for expansive mountain ranges

Mia Samardzic - April 22, 2024

This article is part of a series profiling the inaugural Killam International Research Award recipients who traveled abroad in 2023. 

This time last year, biology PhD student Sam Walmsley was carrying out his research on an endangered population of northern bottlenose whales found in waters close to Nova Scotia — but he was far from the Atlantic coast himself.

Walmsley was one of three recipients selected for the inaugural Killam International Research Award launched in the fall of 2022, which provides rich global experiences for exceptional Killam scholars by offsetting the costs of undertaking research outside of Canada for up to three months.

The award gave Walmsley the opportunity to travel to Zurich, Switzerland from March to May of last year, where he worked with professor Dr. Adrian Jaeggi, who leads a lab investigating the evolution and ecology of human behaviour.

Understanding whale societies

Walmsley’s research aims to uncover the evolutionary origins and functions of whale societies, which share some similarities with human societies that aren’t found in any other animal groups.

“Understanding why these similarities arose despite such different physical environments will allow us to explain the evolution of these traits across species,” he says.

“Studying whales can offer a unique window into the origins of social living, meaning that we can ask questions like 'Why do some species form friendships and not others?' or 'What prompts individuals to cooperate with non-relatives?' For whales specifically, understanding how individuals interact with one another and share knowledge can become important for conservation. For example, social patterns may affect a population’s susceptibility for disease, or influence risky group movements as seen in mass stranding events.”

The Killam International Research Award exposed Walmsley to cutting-edge quantitative tools developed by researchers at the University of Zurich, serving as a lens into evolutionary history and helping to explain the origins of social complexity.

“Though originally applied to human evolution, applying this method to whales allows us to ask new questions like 'Were ancient whale species solitary, or did they rely on others?' This allowed me to expand my research beyond Nova Scotian waters to compare and model societies from whale and dolphin species all around the world.”

International immersion

The opportunity to expand his research in a major way wasn’t the only highlight of Walmsley’s trip.

“It was thrilling to immerse myself in the academic environment at the University of Zurich and the cultural environment of Zurich itself. Outside of my studies, I was able to explore the local mountains, consume many delicious cheeses, and even float down the Limmat River in an inflatable boat with my lab mates one Sunday afternoon. I am enormously grateful to professor Jaeggi and the members of his lab who made it such an interesting and enjoyable experience,” he says.

Walmsley describes being a Killam Scholar as an incredible privilege, granting him the opportunity to explore ideas with global experts in his field.

“Applying the new methods I was exposed to in Zurich to whale populations allows me to expand the scope of my thesis and situate my study of northern bottlenose whales in a wider evolutionary context,” he says. “There is a growing recognition that human impacts can disrupt the social structure of wild animals, which in turn can have consequences for the survival of the population. By monitoring and learning from these whales, I hope that we can continue to ensure their protection for years to come.”

Learn more about the Killam advantage and opportunities at Dalhousie University.

Recommended reading:  New Dal‑based Killam award opens (lab) door for tumour researcher   (from the same series)

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Breaking ice, and helicopter drops: winning photos of working scientists

Nature ’s annual photography competition attracted stunning images from around the world, including two very different shots featuring the polarstern research vessel..

By Jack Leeming

23 April 2024

This article is also available as a pdf version .

Scientists often take images from their work – whether they produce medical scans, microscopic captures, or computer screenshots of tricky pieces of code during the course of their work. By continuing our Working Scientist photography competition, we aim to celebrate and highlight the very best images created by our audience in the pursuit of research.

We received more than 200 entries this year from researchers working around the world. The winner and the four runners-up were selected by a jury of Nature staff, including three of the journal’s picture editors. All will receive a prize of £500 (US$620), in the form of Amazon vouchers or a donation to charity, as well as a year’s subscription to Nature .

This image, taken on top of the icebreaker research vessel Polarstern , shows the delicate process of retrieving an instrument called a CTD (short for conductivity, temperature, depth) that had become trapped under sea ice off the coast of northeastern Greenland.

CTDs, which are anchored to the sea floor, measure how ocean properties such as salinity and temperature vary with depth. At some point, the sea ice had closed over the top of this one, forcing the Polarstern to skirt carefully around the equipment, breaking the ice to rescue it from the freezing ocean.

Credit: Richard Jones

“You’re crashing into ice and breaking through it. So it wasn’t particularly calm sailing for the majority of the trip,” remembers Richard Jones, who took the image in September 2017 and is the winner of Nature ’s 2024 Working Scientist photography competition. His research aims to improve estimates of the rate at which ice is being lost from the world’s glacial ice sheets.

Jones, a glaciologist at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, highlights the photographic contrast between icebreaker and ice that he’d become used to in his five weeks aboard the Polarstern . “All you really see is blue and white. And sometimes that might feel pretty monotonous, but the colours from the CTD instrument and the orange of the crane contrast the scene and also complement it quite nicely.”

Here are the rest of the winning images from the competition.

Credit: Ryan Wagner

Reaching the beak

Conservation biologist Ryan Wagner snapped this photo of field biologist Sonia Vallocchia feeding a recently caught kiwikiu ( Pseudonestor xanthophrys ), in January this year. It was taken on Haleakalā volcano on the Hawaiian island of Maui. Wagner, a PhD student at Washington State University Vancouver, was on an expedition to the island as a science communicator, hoping to raise awareness of the plight of the endangered birds.

“Only 130 of these birds remain on Earth,” explains Wagner. “Their numbers have crashed due to avian malaria, which is spread by invasive mosquitoes. As climate change warms the island, mosquitoes have advanced upslope into the high-elevation refuges where native birds survive. A single mosquito bite can kill a kiwikiu.”

He hopes that ornithologists such as Vallocchia, who works for the Maui Forest Birds Recovery Project in Makawao, will help to save these birds by bringing some of them (by helicopter) to the Maui Bird Conservation Center, also in Makawao. There, they will be treated for malaria and join a captive breeding programme, he says.

Credit: Luiz L. Saldanha/Kimberly P. Castro

Library of leaves

PhD student Kim Castro took this photo of her colleague, postdoctoral researcher Luiz Leonardo Saldanha, in a herbarium that they both work in regularly. It’s shared between the University of Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich. Both Castro and Saldanha investigate the medicinal plants of the Amazon at the Department of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany at the University of Zurich, although the two have very different approaches: whereas Saldanha investigates their chemical diversity, Castro looks at how the plants are perceived by Indigenous communities in the Amazon, specializing in how the plants smell.

A herbarium, Saldanha says, is “like a library — but instead of books, there are plants here”. Saldanha posed with this particular sample ( Palicourea corymbifera , collected in 1977) because it comes from his home country, Brazil, but is used by the Indigenous Desano people in Colombia as a medicinal herb. “So it creates a commonality between South American countries,” he says.

Credit: Herton Escobar/University of São Paulo Images

Mountain drop-off

In this dramatic image, taken from below the still-spinning, deafening blades of a military helicopter, scientists shelter with their equipment having been dropped off at the top of a remote mountain in northern Amazonia, as part of a as part of a biodiversity research expedition to Serra do Imeri, an isolated mountain range that rises through the forest canopy near the border of Brazil and Venezuela, in November 2022.

“A total of 14 scientists and dozens of military support personnel took part in the expedition, which lasted for 11 days and resulted in the discovery of several new species of amphibians, reptiles, birds and plants” says the photographer, science journalist Herton Escobar, who, along with the scientists pictured in the image, work for the University of São Paulo in Brazil.

Credit: Emiliano Cimoli

Go with the floe

Emiliano Cimoli, a remote-sensing scientist at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, Australia, took the second photograph featuring the research vessel Polarstern in this year’s collection of winning images. Here, Carolin Mehlmann and Thomas Richter, mathematicians at the University of Magdeburg, Germany, are measuring the depth of snow across a giant ice floe drifting in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.

The image was taken during a two-month voyage organized by the Alfred Wegener Institute, based in Bremerhaven, Germany, in August 2023. The goal of the expedition was to evaluate interactions between the ice physics, biology, hydrography, biogeochemistry and biodiversity of the Arctic ecosystem, from the sea ice to the sea floor.

Nature 628 , 919-921 (2024)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01181-7

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