RUB Research School

Bringing in renowned expertise for RUB RS development

The International Advisory Board (IAB) is our main quality assurance instrument. It consists of renowned experts from different fields and regularly reviews our concepts, actions, and annual reporting. The IAB provides recommendations to Research School concerning its strategic objectives, the design of its programs and funding lines, and its cooperation with international or national partner institutions.

The IAB holds an anual meeting with the dean and managing director of Research School. RUB's rector also regularly participates in the discussion. Taking into account the recommendations formulated by the IAB in the previous year, the dean reports on the development of the Research School and proposes priority topics for discussion at the meeting. After a joint discussion on the report and the key topics, the IAB consults in a closed meeting and formulates its recommendations for the coming year.

IAB Members

The members of the IAB are appointed by the Rectorate for a term of five years upon a proposal of the Executive Board. Reappointment is possible. The members of the IAB are personalities from university and non-university research institutions, research associations, funding organizations, and companies. All have outstanding internationally oriented expertise in the promotion of early career researchers. Only persons not employed by Ruhr-Universität are eligible for appointment to the IAB.

Meet the current members:

Wübben Stiftung Wissenschaft

Peter-André Alt is the current spokesperson for the Wübben Science Foundation, which aims to promote top-level science in Germany with a focus on early career researchers. He is Professor of Modern German Literature at Freie Universität Berlin, where he was previously both President and Director of its Dahlem Research School. 

He was President of the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) until 2023 and served as a reviewer for various prestigious funding organizations. Also, he was full professor at Ruhr University Bochum from 1995-2002 and did research at Princeton University, the University of Cambridge, and Charles University Prague. 

Humboldt University Berlin

Karin Donhauser is the former chair holder for the History of the German Language at Humboldt University, Berlin. She holds a PhD in German Studies from the University of Passau.

Selected Positions: Member of the German Science and Humanities Council, Chairwoman of the Selection Committee for the "Teaching Quality Pact” of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, Member of the Board of Trustees of Ruhr University Bochum.

Creanova GmbH, Frankfurt

Ulrich Küsthardt is Managing Director and Founder of Creanova Innovation Architects, Frankfurt. He holds a PhD from Technical University Munich in Chemistry.

Selected former positions: Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Fellow of Evonik Industries, Honorary Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Management Consultant at A.T. Kearney.

Fraunhofer IMM, Mainz

Michael Maskos is Managing Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Microtechnology and Microsystems IMM in Mainz. He is a trained physical chemist and holds a doctorate from the University of Marburg.

He is also Professor of Chemical Process Engineering and Microfluidics at the University of Mainz and Head of the Mainzer Wissenschaftsallianz. He also has research experience at the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Montreal and Marburg.

Vitae, UK

Janet Metcalfe is Principal of Vitae, UK, which is a professional and career development programme supporting early career researchers. She holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Sheffield.  

Selected positions: Former Member of the European Commission's Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Advisory Group, the Royal Society Diversity Committee, and the European Framework for Research Careers working group. 

Janet works with universities and research institutes to improve the working culture and professional development opportunities for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. She developed the Vitae Researcher Development Framework, a comprehensive professional development framework for researchers and has recently created a Research Culture framework for UKRI. 

Chapman University, California

Martina Nieswandt, who is currently Vice-President for Research and Graduate Education at Chapman University in Orange, California, received her Ph.D. from the Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel. She is also a graduate of Ruhr University Bochum. 

Prior to joining Chapman, Nieswandt was Professor and Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and held posts at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto, and Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. Her research focuses on interest and motivation in learning STEM in middle school, high school, and undergraduate students.

Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung

Ferdi Schüth is the Director and Scientific Member of the Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung in Mülheim, Germany. He received his PhD in Chemistry from the University of Münster and has been conducting research in the field of heterogeneous catalysis.

Selected Positions: Honorary Professor of Ruhr University Bochum, Former Vice-President of the Max Planck Society and German Research Foundation, Leibniz Prize Winner of the DFG, Elected Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. 

Groningen Biomedical Science & Biotechnology Institute, NL

Engel Vrieling is Managing Director of the Groningen Biomedical Science & Biotechnological Institute. He is a trained biomedical scientist with a focus on marine phytoplankton and obtained his PhD from the University of Groningen.

After doing research in France and the UK, he became a research manager and has contributed in the establishment of various institutions, e.g., the Groningen Genomics Centre and the Graduate School of Science and Engineering. In his current role, he oversees quality assessments, strategy, policy, finances, and is also mentor to all PhD researchers at GBB.