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Complex Molecular Systems graduate program

General information

Graduate Program in Complex Molecular Systems

  • MSc program
  • PhD program

Science is changing. We see it all around us – today’s breakthrough studies happen at and across the boundaries of tradition disciplines and involve multidisciplinary teams, techniques, and insights. Modern science is increasingly less about individual objects (molecules, computers or people), but instead focuses on the fact that the functioning of such objects must be understood within their context – a context that is shaped by the complex environment that interactions among large assemblies create. Biological molecules evolve as actors in complex biochemical pathways that rule the living world, computers collectively make up the internet, and large interacting collectives of humans organize themselves into complex social and other network like structures that guide anything from the spreading of diseases to crowd behavior and the erratic evolution of the financial markets.

What are these rules, interactions and patterns? What are their origins, and how do they structure our world across the vastly different length- and time scales we encounter? How may we characterize the collective behavior that they result in? These are the questions that Science must address, today and tomorrow. They are the questions of Complexity, and they are the questions that the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (the ICMS) was created for.

To operate successfully in this field, a new breed of scientists is needed. Of course, they’ll be smart, critical and curious. Of course, they’ll have a strong background in one particular academic discipline. But to tackle the real questions, they’ll need to be able to function effectively in interdisciplinary settings and that requires a shared understanding of the foundations of Complexity – relations between micro and macro in different disciplines, an intimate familiarity with the possibilities and limitations in each of the scientific fields involved.

The Institute for Complex Molecular Systems seeks to force major breakthroughs by facilitating interdisciplinary research, and by training the next generation of young students and scientists to be prepared for tomorrow’s scientific world. A strong disciplinary foundation is complemented with the ability and knowledge to work in interdisciplinary teams on topics in Complexity. We do not favor one field over the other, nor do we place special emphasis on theory or experiment. They are all sides of the same coin - this combination of specialists in experiment and theory is quite unique.
How can you contribute? We’ll need the best of the best in all scientific disciplines. No matter if you are a chemists or a nanotechnologist, a mathematician or a biologist, a structural engineer or a physicist.

Fundamental and applied science operating side-by-side with the shared goal of understanding and creating complex functional objects – this is our dream. What sort of functional objects? We’re working towards an artificial cell, we’re synthesizing biomaterials that cannot be distinguished from human tissue, and we’re developing the next generation of catalysts for renewable energy, but there’s so much more: New technologies through molecular complexity.

In this brochure you can read about the contents, research profile, organization, selection criteria and application procedure for the Graduate Program Complex Molecular Systems. Contact us if you need more information of if you are interested to join!

Graduate Program Complex Molecular Systems
The Graduate Program Complex Molecular Systems offers outstanding MSc and PhD students a challenging and coherent interdisciplinary program aiming at a career in research, in combination with a strong focused background in one of the TU/e departments. The program is built on the strengths of ICMS and the related departments, and offers an interdisciplinary training with special attention for developing academic skills. We combine the strengths of our departmental educational system with the challenges out of interdisciplinarity. MSc and PhD students are part of the highly recognized research groups of ICMS staff members, which will reinforce their training as independent scientists heading for a career in academics. Admission to the MSc or PhD program is based on a selection procedure. For every successful MSc student within the program a PhD position is available. PhD students within this program will have a large degree of freedom in choosing their research topic and supervisor. 
All participants of this program will also follow a specialized MSc or PhD program in one of the TU/e departments. The Complex Molecular Systems Graduate Program was selected by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) to be one of the ten participants of the NWO Graduate Program 2010 and was awarded with a grant of 800,000 euro.

Research profile of the Institute
The Complex Molecular Systems Graduate Program is part of the Institute for Complex Molecular Systems (ICMS) of the TU/e. This interdisciplinary institute for research and education in the area of molecular complexity formally started April 1, 2008. The institute aims to create complex, functional objects based on novel engineering tools and state-of-the-art modeling. ICMS brings excellent researchers from different areas and departments together to promote cross-fertilization of ideas across departments and across disciplines.
ICMS will force widely recognized scientific breakthroughs in the engineering of complex molecular systems. We focus on applications in the area of sustainability, energy efficiency, soft biomaterials and functional materials. The combination of expertise in chemistry and biology, engineering, and theory and physics is unique in the Netherlands and guarantees fundamental understanding as well as application in functional systems.

The Master program
The Master program is based on the interdisciplinary approach with a strong disciplinary foundation of the challenges ahead of us and this interdisciplinarity is reflected in the education program in multiple ways. In addition to the disciplinary course load of the MSc degree program, the Complex Molecular Systems MSc program offers supplementary courses to help you place complexity problems in their multidisciplinary context. The MSc Complex Molecular Systems program is an additional program and consists of a study load of 30 cp (credit points according to ECTS):

  • 15 cp Courses in fundamentals of complexity (see website for a list of courses)
  • 10 cp Rotation: A research project which involves several complementary research groups. The rotation gives insight in the chain: theory – modeling – synthesis – engineering
  • 5 cp  Scientific skills

    In addition to the 30 cp study program students need to perform their undergraduate project with one of the staff members of ICMS (see website for an overview of ICMS staff members). Students will have an active role within the ICMS community; it is expected that you participate in meetings and workshops, attend lectures, and have close contact with all (senior) scientists & staff. Successful participation to the MSc program results in access to the Complex Molecular Systems PhD program.  It is a unique feature that you will follow part of the PhD training during your MSc program. This will lead to a shorter PhD program.
    Each student will follow an MSc degree program in one of the highly recognized TU/e departments, on which you will build the interdisciplinary understanding.

    Participating departments are:
  • Department of Applied Physics (e.g. theory of soft matter, molecular biosensors)
  • Department of Biomedical Engineering (e.g. biomaterials, tissue engineering, biomodeling and bioinformatics)
  • Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry (e.g. supramolecular chemistry, functional organic materials, heterogeneous catalysis, microfluidics)
  • Department of Mechanical Engineering (e.g. polymer technology, soft matter)
  • Department of Mathematics & Computer Science (e.g. applied analysis, probability and statistics)

The PhD program
Each student participating in the ICMS PhD program is appointed in one of the TU/e departments. To reflect the interdisciplinary nature of the program, PhD students have a second supervisor, with an expertise which is complementary to the expertise of the advisor/first supervisor. Each student will write a proposal for his/her PhD research.
The research is based on the student’s project proposal and fits one or more research groups participating within ICMS. The education is both research related and aiming at strengthening scientific skills. Participants will take part in the teaching of ICMS or its related groups and will guide BSc or MSc students. In the third year we focus at training in proposal writing (e.g. NWO, European Commission Marie Curie) to stimulate a further career in research. During the full period, intensive coaching by advisor and supervisors is provided. The duration of the PhD program is 3.5 to 4 years.

Admission requirements for the MSc program
Only highly talented students will be admitted to participate in the program. A personal interview will be part of the selection procedure. The selection will be based on:

  •  Grades in the BSc phase (minimum average 8 of 10)
  •  Demonstrated multidisciplinary interest
  •  Ambition to follow a PhD program
  •  Excellent communication skills and fluency in spoken and written English
  •  Admission to a TU/e Master degree program in one of the departments

Admission requirements for the PhD program
MSc students participating in the Graduate Program can continue within the PhD program after successful completion of the MSc Program (good grades and positive feedback of their undergraduate project supervisor). Master students from outside the Complex Molecular Systems Graduate Program can apply for a PhD position within the PhD Program by a formal application. The selection is based on:

  • The student’s PhD research proposal written at the end of the MSc Program
  •  The grades obtained in the MSc degree program, and the ICMS MSc program when being part of it (minimum average 8 of 10)
  •  Motivation
  •  Feedback from the research groups in which the student performed the undergraduate project.

Application for the MSc or PhD program
To apply for the Complex Molecular Systems Graduate Program, please send us:

  • A motivation letter
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Grades of the BSc phase (when applying for the MSc Program)
  • Grades of the MSc phase (when applying for the PhD Program)

MSc program facts
Study possibilities: This MSc program is additional to a full time MSc degree program in one of the TU/e departments

Degree:
No degree other than the Master of Science degree of the Department. ICMS will present a certificate which indicates the additional study load and relevance of the program

Language: English

Times of entry: Each year in September and February

Duration: Two years (120 + 30 = 150 cp). In combination with the PhD program a total duration of five and a half year is aimed for

Departments involved:
Department of Applied Physics
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science

PhD program facts

Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), from the Department where the formal appointment is

Language: English

Times of entry: Preference for September and February

Duration: Four years. In combination with the MSc program a total duration of five and a half year is aimed for

Evaluation moment: Go – no go decision after one year

Departments involved:
Department of Applied Physics
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Department of Mathematics & Computer Science

More information about this Graduate Program and about ICMS:
Sagitta Peters MSc - Business manager and Graduate Program Coordinator
tel. +31 (0)40 247 2482
email: s.peters@tue.nl
www.icms.tue.nl

More information about TU/e and the Master degree programs available:
Education and Student Service Center
tel. +31 (0)40 247 4747
email: io@tue.nl
www.tue.nl

 

MSc program