Funding opportunities of TRA 4 'Individuals & Societies'

Annemarie Schimmel’s life and work has built bridges between East and West, between Islam and Christianity and has inspired researchers of religion around the globe. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, the Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship was established to give international PhD students and young scholars the opportunity for a stay at the International Center for Comparative Theology and Social Issues (CTSI) at Bonn University to pursue research in the field of Comparative Theology.

The Fellowship will support the CTSI’s goal of providing a space for exchange and bridge-building between various religious traditions.

DETECTING UNUSUAL CONSCIOUSNESS:
FROM BRAIN ORGANOIDS TO AI SYSTEMS
 
Bonn, 27–28 September 2023
  
Are some brain organoids, or sophisticated artificial intelligence (AI) systems (e.g., ChatGPT 4) conscious? In some cases, it may seem so. But how can we tell? The Center for Science and Thought (CST) at the University of Bonn and the Epileptology Clinic of Bonn invite abstracts for talks at a two-day conference. The conference will focus on unusual candidates for consciousness such as isolated hemispheres after split brain or hemispherotomy surgery, and advanced AI systems (e.g., ChatGPT). The main aim of the conference is to explore cases and investigate what kind of (traditional or innovative) demarcation criteria could be used to detect whether an entity or its local states are conscious.
  
DATE: 27-28 September, 2023

VENUE: University of Bonn (Germany)
Sept 27. IZPH philosophy building: Poppelsdorfer Allee 28
Sept 28. Life & Brain Building (University Hospital): Venusberg-Campus 1

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:
Tim BAYNE (Monash)
Jonathan BIRCH (LSE)
Marcello MASSIMINI (Milan)
Elizabeth SCHECHTER (Maryland)

The Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn is an internationally operating research university with a broad spectrum of subjects. Over 200 years of history, around 38,000 students, more than 6,000 employees and an excellent reputation both at home and abroad: the University of Bonn is one of the most important universities in Germany and has been recognized as a university of excellence.

To sharpen and further develop its scientific profile, the university has established six transdisciplinary research areas (TRAs). As novel innovation-promoting organizational structures, the TRAs direct university research toward central scientific, technological and societal issues of the future. They serve as creative and explorative platforms on which subjects and faculties connect in a topic-oriented manner and coordinate their strategic development.
The promotion of scientists at all career stages is one of the most important goals of the University of Excellence Bonn. In this context, Argelander Tenure Track Professorships specifically serve to promote excellent young scientists and enable them to work on and further develop their research questions at the interface between disciplines. In the Transdisciplinary Research Area "Individuals, Institutions and Societies" (TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies) at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn, an Argelander Professorship (W1) in Environmental Economics, Sustainability and Inequality (tenure-track to W2) is to be filled as soon as possible within the framework of the Excellence Strategy.

The TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies and the International Center for Philosophy NRW are looking for the project 'Ethics for Future' for the next possible date a
Student Assistant (SHK) or Research Assistant (WHF) (m/f/d) with a working time of 8 hours per week until 31.12.2022.

Your tasks:
- Support the scientific director of the IZPH in the planning of a third-party funded project with a focus on questions of ethics, politics, social theory and theoretical
philosophy;
- Research work, preparation of summaries, overviews, literature work, etc.;
- Image editing, creation of flyers, invitations, posters, maintenance of the web presence, etc.;
- Support in the organization, preparation/follow-up and implementation of events such as conferences, workshops, retreats (digital and presence);
- Support in administration and budget planning as well as communication with project partners in Germany and abroad;
- Collaboration in publication processes.

Your profile:
- Advanced degree in social sciences, law, cultural studies or humanities (Bachelor or Master) with very good grades and a connection to
Topics in ethics, politics, social theory and/or theoretical philosophy;
- Very good knowledge of literature research and the usual forms of citation in philosophy or the willingness to familiarize oneself with the latter in a short time;
- Enrollment at the University of Bonn;
- German language skills on a native level as well as very good written and spoken English, further language skills desirable;
- confident handling of the common MS-Office programs and ZOOM;
- confident handling of LaTeX, WordPress, Plone, HTML and/or Adobe Illustrator desirable;
- Interest in inter/transdisciplinary as well as intercultural collaboration and research;
- Independent and proactive approach, organizational skills, ability to work in a team;
- Strong written and verbal communication skills;
- Initial experience in organizing events and/or supervising projects.

We offer:
- a varied and challenging job in a team-oriented work environment with one of the largest employers in the region;
- flexible working hours and work arrangements;
- Insights into university science and project management as well as national and international inter/transdisciplinary research;
- Compensation in accordance with the applicable guidelines for the employment of student and research assistants at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn.

The TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies is looking for a Research Assistant (WHF) (m/f/d) with a working time of up to 12 hours per week initially until 31.12.2021 with the prospect of extension initially until 31.12.2022.

Within the TRA Individuals, Institutions and Societies, researchers investigate the complex relationships between individuals, institutions and societies and develop new perspectives on micro-phenomena (e.g. personality development, competencies, individualization) and macro-phenomena (e.g. world society, globalization). For example, the goal is to identify key factors that influence social cohesion, equality of opportunity, efficiency, resource protection and the development of individual capabilities in the interplay of all these factors.

Your responsibilities:
- Supporting the TRA Manager.
- Research work, preparation of summaries, overviews, etc.
- Image editing, creation of flyers, invitations, etc.
- Support in the organization, preparation/follow-up of events (analog/digital)
- Setting up and sending out the TRA 4 newsletter, maintaining the membership mailing list
- Editing and maintenance of the TRA 4 homepage (temporarily together with another assistant)

Your profile:
- completed university studies (Bachelor) in social sciences, economics, social sciences, law, culture or humanities with very good grades
- matriculation at a university
- German language skills at native speaker level as well as very good written and spoken English skills
- proficient handling of the common MS-Office programs and ZOOM
- interest in inter-/transdisciplinary as well as intercultural cooperation and research
- independent and proactive approach, organizational skills
- strong written and oral communication skills
- experience with Plone 5 and eCampus (desirable)
- initial experience in organizing events and/or supervising projects

We offer:
- a varied and challenging job in a team-oriented work environment with one of the largest employers in the region
- flexible working hours and work arrangements
- insight into university science and project management as well as national and international inter-/transdisciplinary research
- remuneration according to the applicable guidelines for the employment of student and research assistants at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn

Due to personnel law requirements, only students who have not previously been employed at the University of Bonn may apply.

TRA 4 is looking for a Research Assistant (WHK) (m/f/d) with a working time of 19 h per week in the project "Semantization in Future Discourses. Agency and Integrity in the Face of Grand Challenges".

In view of the major (world) societal challenges, the question of an appropriate perception, description and interpretation of these phenomenon complexes arises. Already their semantizations operate with concepts, categories, linguistic images and value patterns that have implications for the imaginary and real space of action for dealing with, shaping and norming this challenge. This project investigates what notions of agency and integrity are associated with particular semantizations in future scenarios. For this purpose, theological and religious studies approaches from historical, systematic, and action-oriented perspectives will be combined.

Your tasks:
- Supporting the project management in the administrative coordination of the project.
- Research of and familiarization with German and European funding programs
- Preparation and follow-up of internal meetings and workshops
- Collaboration in publication processes (proofreading, layout)

Your profile:
- a university degree in humanities or social sciences (Master) with outstanding achievements
- German language skills on native level and very good English skills in written and spoken form
- proficient handling of the common MS Office programs (especially Word, Excel) and Zoom
- interest in research and research funding topics
- Interest in inter-/transdisciplinary as well as intercultural cooperation
- Independence, reliability, organizational talent, communication and team skills
- Initial experience in organizing events and/or supporting publications (desirable)

We offer:
- a varied and challenging job with one of the largest employers in the region
- opportunities for further education and training
- flexible working hours and work arrangements in consultation with the project team
- insights into science management, inter- and national interdisciplinary research
- payment according to the guidelines of the University of Bonn

Annemarie Schimmel’s life and work has built bridges between East and West, between Islam and Christianity and has inspired researchers of religion around the globe. On the occasion of her 100th birthday, the Annemarie Schimmel Fellowship was established to give international PhD students and young scholars the opportunity for a stay at the International Center for Comparative Theology and Social Issues (CTSI) at Bonn University to pursue research in the field of Comparative Theology.

The Fellowship will support the CTSI’s goal of providing a space for exchange and bridge-building between various religious traditions.