Published on October 24, 2024

With the motto “Risking Creativity,” the Institute for Advanced Study of the Technical University of Munich (TUM-IAS) serves as a flagship institute for top-level international research at TUM, and has supported to drive the university’s development into one of Germany’s top academic institutions under the auspices of its strategy, “TUM. The Entrepreneurial University”.

TUM-IAS awards Fellowships to distinguished researchers and gives them the necessary time and financial support to explore new venues, to develop novel research areas and to establish intensive international collaborations. To attract scholarly talent from around the globe TUM-IAS invites nominations for the prestigious

Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship

Target Group

One Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship will be awarded to an outstanding researcher from industry who would like to expand their connection to a TUM research group. Proposals related to the field of sustainability are encouraged and very welcomed. It is not possible to apply for the Fellowship on one's own, but a nomination must be made by a TUM professor who acts as a host and close collaboration partner at TUM. At the time of nomination, nominees should expect to remain employed at their company for the duration of their Fellowship. The proposal is to be submitted jointly by the nominee and the planned TUM host. Applications are invited from all areas of the TUM research portfolio. To increase international collaboration, TUM-IAS especially welcomes applications from companies from outside Germany.

Objective

The Fellowship lasts three years, part of which is expected to be spent at TUM in order to develop an intensive collaboration with the hosting TUM research group. Throughout the affiliation period, the Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellow may offer special courses and lectures in their field of expertise to enhance the connection between the university and industry.

Funding

The Fellow receives a research fund (up to €20,000) for travel, accommodation and research-related costs (e.g. organizing a workshop), the overall amount of which depending on the length of their actual stay at TUM. In addition, the Fellow receives support for one doctoral candidate at TUM (TV-L E 13 position (max. 75%) for three years).

Conditions

TUM-IAS expects the company of the Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellow to support the connection of their researcher to academia by continuing to pay their salary.

Tandem Nomination

It is possible to nominate a Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship candidate as part of a “tandem package” together with a Hans Fischer (Senior) Fellowship or Dieter Schwarz Fellowship candidate. However, this is not mandatory – it is also possible to only nominate one candidate for a Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship. For more information on tandem nominations, please see the TUM-IAS Nomination Guidelines.

How to apply

Please submit the following application documents:

• a cover page (available for download),
• a nomination letter (1-2 pages) by a TUM professor (host), including a description of the facilities provided for the Fellow by the TUM host institute as well as a confirmation from the host that he/she expects to hold a professorship at TUM for the duration of the Fellowship (if not, please indicate an additional host who would then take over),
• a nomination letter (1-2 pages) by the dean of the hosting school or another member of the TUM Extended Board of Management (EHP) or TUM-IAS Board of Trustees,
• a CV (no more than 5 pages),
• a list of publications (please highlight your 3-5 most important publications of the past five years),
• a statement of purpose (no more than 5-10 pages) jointly signed by the nominee and the hosting professor, describing the content of the joint research, its innovative potential and the concrete implementation plans. The statement of purpose should also include the following elements:
  • an abstract,
  • a budget plan,
  • a time plan regarding the nominee’s projected periods of stay at TUM,
  • an identification of possible additional (interdisciplinary) collaboration partners both within TUM-IAS and within TUM as well as a short explanation as to why this collaboration would be beneficial for the outlined research project,
  • an outline for an international, ideally interdisciplinary workshop/colloquium, to be organized during the active Fellowship period,
• a list of 4-6 international peer-reviewers without any conflict of interest (definition: please see here), – if applicable, also a list of persons who should be excluded from reviewing the proposal.

In terms of collaboration with China, we ask you to follow the recommendations of the TUM China Wiki.

For more details, please see the TUM-IAS Nomination Guidelines.

TUM-IAS explicitly encourages nominations of and applications from women as well as from all others who would bring additional diversity dimensions to the university’s research and teaching strategies.

More information on TUM-IAS and the Rudolf Diesel Industry Fellowship is available on the TUM-IAS homepage: www.ias.tum.de

Questions can be directed to applications@ias.tum.de.