Help and Support

In case of conflicts

IMPRS-CMS strives to ensure students have a workplace that is both physically and emotionally safe, where they can focus on their research without having to worry about harassment or discrimination. Nevertheless, conflicts and scientific misconducts may still arise. It’s crucial to familiarise yourself with of the various resources available within the institute as well as its workplace harassment policy.

If you encounter any of such, please talk to someone you can trust instead of resigning to the situation.
If in situations where your PhD supervisor is not the right contact person, please reach out to any of the following listed contacts. All discussions will be treated with the strictest degree of confidentiality.

PhD Officer

Having been a PhD student herself, Dr. Zrinka Gattin understands firsthand the challenges, pressures, and uncertainties that can come with pursuing a doctoral degree. If you're feeling stuck, stressed, or just need someone to talk to about your PhD experience, don’t hesitate to reach out to her. She is here to support you, whether it's with academic hurdles or just navigating the ups and downs of PhD life.

PhD Representatives

The PhD Representatives advocate for the interests, needs, and concerns of PhD students. They are here as a resource for any PhD-related matters and also organize social events to bring the community together across the MPI campus.

Gender Equality Officers

The gender equality officers promote and support young scientists irrespective of gender, nationality, religion, disability, age, cultural origin and sexual identity. They are here to assist you if you need advice on the compatiblity of research and family, or support in cases of sexual harrassment.

Ombudsperson

The Ombudsperson is a neutral and confidential contact person, providing advice and mediation on issues of good research practice and in cases of suspected scientific misconduct.

IMPRS-CMS Coordination Office

If you’re unsure about a situation or who to reach out to, you can always reach out to us at the IMPRS-CMS Coordination Office.

Further Resources

Health and Well-being

If you're struggling with challenges that are impacting your mental health and well-being, please do not suffer in silence. You're not alone, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. There are several ways to improve your well-being—support is just a step away:

Anonymous Counseling Service - EMAP

If you require fast and anonymous support while facing a crisis that affects your work — whether professional, personal, or health-related — the EMAP Counseling Service (info in intranet) is available 24/7 through the Fürstenberg Institute.

Free of charge for employees, scholarship holders and their relatives
Appointments can be made at short notice , also online
Available 365 days per year / 24 hours every day
Counselling offered in person, via telephone, online and via chat
Multilingual service, available in up to 20 languages
High data protection standards, absolutely confidential and anonymous
Referral to specialists, therapists, clinics, etc. if necessary
Everything offered by a single provider: including support services in international crisis situations, e.g. Middle East crisis

Mental Health Collective of the Max Planck Society

The Mental Health Collective is an initiative from the Max Planck Phdnet targeting Mental Health. Each year in autumn, they organise an MPS-wide Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) and provide a lot of helpful information.