Two doctoral students of THWS are completing their studies in cooperation with the North American Auburn University. The double burden of being a research associate in Germany and completing a full-time programme in the US is challenging. How the doctoral students are dealing with it, how the cooperation came into being, and what it could mean for the future.
Published on 27 July 2023
Pioneer work – that is what the doctoral students Fabian Schirmer and Philipp Kranz and their supervisor Professor Dr. Tobias Kaupp call the cooperation of THWS and Auburn University in Alabama, US. Since January 2023, Schirmer and Kranz have been working to obtain their PhD (Doctor of Philosophy), the American doctorate. Their research focuses on human-robot-collaboration.
THWS' doctoral procedures are carried out in collaboration with universities because THWS as a university of applied sciences does not have the right to award doctoral degrees. With these cooperative doctoral programmes, the actual doctoral procedure is located at the cooperating university. The doctoral students are still closely involved in THWS structures. They are frequently involved in a research project as research associates – as are Schirmer and Kranz. Both work as research associates at the Institute of Digital Engineering (IDEE).
Of outstanding research and contagious excitement
The cooperation was set up when a delegation of Auburn University visited THWS in Schweinfurt in April 2022 to discuss general collaboration in the field of robotics. Back then, Kaupp set the stones in motion and initiated the cooperative doctoral programmes. "I did not want to just send our students to Auburn", he says. It was important to him to keep good graduates at THWS.
"As we were looking for ways to obtain a doctoral degree, a cooperative doctoral programme as a first step was logical", doctoral student Kranz remembers. The fact that Auburn University was already a partner university of THWS facilitated the process. Because it meant that the THWS management was already in favour of the collaboration.
Auburn University was founded in 1856. It offers a wide range of degree programmes from various fields including engineering, economics, agriculture, and health sciences. The university is known for its modern facilities and outstanding research efforts. Schirmer and Kranz are completing their doctoral studies at the College of Engineering.
The engineering programme opens up various opportunities to the doctoral students to take insightful courses. "However, for me personally the decisive factor was meeting Professor Dr. Chad Rose", Kranz says. Rose's excitement for robotics had caught on to him. "In the end, this was the reason why I decided for him as my supervisor and thus for Auburn University", he continues.
Rose is the main person in charge at Auburn University. He supervises Schirmer and Kranz and helps them with technical and organisational questions. Not only Kranz is enthusiastic about him, also Schirmer raves: "He is of great character, and he is incredibly supportive.“
Between full-time studies and a full-time job
After contact with Auburn University had been established, Schirmer and Kranz immediately started the application process. "At THWS an application with CV sufficed because I had participated in the establishment of the research project I was involved at then", Kranz explains. At Auburn University the process was slightly more complex. The doctoral students had to submit a TOEFL-test to proof their English language skills. They also had to submit letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose, in which they had to present their motivation to enter the PhD-programme.
Since 1 January 2023, both students are enrolled at Auburn University. Since then not everything has gone as smoothly as the application. "As pioneers in a cooperative PhD in robotics with Auburn University we have encountered many non-existent processes.", Kranz remembers. Kaupp adds: "The biggest factor of uncertainty is the framework conditions that do not intend that people are not on-site." There is a discrepancy between the PhD-programme in Auburn, which is concepted as full-time study programme, and the full-time position as research associate in Germany. "We had to find a way that worked for both sides", Kranz says.
In order to meet these challenges, there is a monthly Zoom meeting, in which mainly organisational matters are discussed. Especially the accrediting of achievements was very difficult. After more than six months, an agreement could be reached. They have to catch up on five courses at Auburn University, the rest is accredited. "We had to be really proactive but in the end the conversations met the goal", Schirmer reports. Discussing the organisational framework conditions would be very time intensive.
According to Kaupp, the willingness to create something together, despite obstacles, was extremely high. He participated in nearly all the meetings and supports Schirmer and Kranz not only with organisational but also technical questions. Schirmer is convinced: "I cannot imagine a better supervisor than Professor Kaupp."
Framework conditions, credit points, time to degree and time abroad
To obtain the degree, the two students need to gain a total of 60 credit points (CP). These encompass seven courses in the field of mechanical engineering (major), and three courses in a minor chosen by the student themselves. Of these 60 CP, at least 30 must be completed through attended courses. Another ten can be obtained through research work in the form of publications. The remaining 20 may be obtained either through additional courses or further research.
Completing a PhD at Auburn usually takes about three to four years. Both doctoral students take their evenings and weekends for their work from Auburn. This renders completing lots of courses in one semester impossible. "We must increase the flexibility of our study times in order to manage to balance everything at once", says Schirmer.
The current plan is for Schirmer to travel to the US from the beginning to mid-2024, and for Kranz to travel from mid-2024 until the end of the year. "However, it is only useful for me to travel if the research proposal for the doctoral thesis has been completed by then", Schirmer emphasises. Only then he could essentially conduct research there.
It was important that the two went in turns because they are involved in projects in Germany that had to continue, says Kaupp. He hopes that both will take new perspectives during their stays abroad and thus create new research impulses. Kaupp himself completed his doctoral degree abroad. He speaks from his own experience: "Often you only realise later what you have learnt abroad."
Pioneer work
Per definition, pioneer work is "work that paves the way". The cooperation promotes the collaboration of Auburn University and THWS and might pave the way for more students and additional fields. According to Kaupp, his colleagues' interest was considerable. But he also emphasises: "We must wait and see if the model actually works."
The process would be easier for subsequent students, Schirmer is certain of that. "They could benefit from existing experience values", he says. The pioneers Schirmer, Kranz and Kaupp would pave the way.
Obtaining a doctorate at THWS:
THWS' doctoral procedures are carried out in collaboration with universities because THWS as a university of applied sciences does not have the right to award doctoral degrees. With these so-called cooperative doctoral programmes, the doctoral students are supervised both by THWS professors and professors at the cooperating university.
The actual doctoral procedure is located at the cooperating university. Upon successful examination, the doctoral degree is awarded there. Due to the cooperations, students are closely involved in research and the structures of THWS and are often involved in research projects as research associates.
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"Obtaining a PhD from THWS and Auburn University"
(podcast in German; English transcript available)