PRODOC

General objectives

The proposed doctoral school and the underlying research project responds to two fundamental needs:

(I) the first one is to meet the challenges of understanding complex, interlinked Earth systems that develop in four dimensions (space and time) and involve the transfer of mass and heat from mantle to crust in a dynamic system. The solid Earth sciences have a definitive role to play in the understanding of Earth systems because the geologist is the only scientist who addresses the processes occurring in the Earth’s crust, which links the mantle-core system with the atmosphere-hydrosphere The geologist with his/her combination of observational, analytical, and modeling tools is uniquely suited to address the complex-system behavior of the Earth. In recent years of Geosciences development it became obvious that the focus of research moves toward cross-disciplinary studies of natural phenomena involving combined expertise from both traditional and new fields such as geochemistry, petrology, structural-metamorphic and magmatic petrology, geodynamics and numerical modeling.

(II) The second one is programmatic, to propose a new model for the doctoral experience in the Swiss Earth science education system by filling the gap of a missing continued formation on the doctoral level. The main objectives of the doctoral school are to prepare Earth scientists who will be capable to integrate different state-of-the-art techniques in order to understand quantitatively the mechanisms and processes of magmatic systems and their associated heat and mass fluxes. This goal is achieved by offering a rigorous and supportive doctoral program geared towards multidisciplinary teaching and research, developing skills in research, communication and presentation. The teaching is set up to help students build professional networks in Switzerland and abroad, hone their competitive skills and thereby help our students to succeed in their careers. We also aim to increase the diversity of our doctoral program, particularly by aiming to recruit women doctoral students and helping them reach professional positions after the Ph.D., which is the main problem for women scientists today (the glass ceiling phenomenon). The PhD candidate selection process is aimed at selecting top notch scientists. With this doctoral school, we will enhance our understanding of a complex Earth system that is focused on the generation of magma, its transport, and its emplacement processes.