In October 1998, the Graduate College Wechselwirkung von Struktur und Fluid (Interaction of Fluids and Structures) was introduced at the Technische Universität Braunschweig. The program is financed and supervised by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), the German state of Lower Saxony and the participating departments of the Technische Universität Braunschweig.
Das Graduate Colleges have been conceived by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft to promote high-quality doctoral studies through participation of graduate students recruited through country-wide calls. Graduate students supported by the Graduate College may be German or foreign nationals.
Graduate students participating in the Graduate College Wechselwirkung von Struktur und Fluid are expected to do research on a high international level and to complete their doctoral degree within three years of study. The suggested research topics generally have an interdisciplinary character and include problems such as airflow around elastic wings of aircraft, wind turbines, wind effects on slender buildings in structural engineering, wave impact on coastal and off-shore structures, centrifuges containing liquids, acoustics and noise abatement in residential construction. Depending on personal preferences, the research work may be oriented towards a mathematical or an engineering science approach. During the program, the students will be supervised by a designated professor on an individual basis.
As a member of the Graduate College, students will have the opportunity to visit national and international conferences related to their field of study. There will also be an extensive study program including guest lectures held by internationally renowned researchers and professors at the Technische Universität Braunschweig.
The scholarships of the Graduate Program are granted in accordance with the guidelines issued by the DFG.