ITSC-IC Seminar – Description

The “Introduction To the Scientific Community – Inorganic Chemistry” (ITSC-IC) Seminar aims at research-related education to promote the integration of students into the scientific community. Skills for writing short communications and for creating posters about research projects are conveyed to the students.

Part of this teaching process is the participation in the Student’s Poster Symposium (presenting detailed practical examples from all research areas), partaking in the ITSC-IC procedure (organising short communications and the peer review process) and finally, the design of ITSC-IC website (collecting and implementing reports about lectures, interviews with the group leaders of inorganic chemistry and more).

Each student that does a research internship in inorganic chemistry has to participate in the ITSC-IC Seminar, to obtain the credits for the course. After completion of the internship, every student is obliged to write a short communication, which is reviews by two other students during the peer review process. Therefore, every participant of the course needs to anonymously review two short communications from other students. Shortly after submitting their short communications to their respective group leaders of the Editorial Office (EO), the EO Board decides on which research internship has to be presented at the Poster Symposium. The participants of the Symposium need to create a Poster regarding the chosen research internship, which the author then presents during the event. The Poster Symposium is consequently a result of a joint effort from all students of the module. Research activities within the faculty of chemistry at the Technical University of Munich are being illuminated from different perspectives.

One of the aims of this seminar is for the students to individually develop self-confidence, independence, and efficient communication, as well as teamwork, responsibility, and the self-organisation of large groups in complex situations, mimicking authentic scientific working practices as far as possible. The organisation of the students is monitored and guided by the elected student executive board (SEB) and supported by advisory and training workshops run by external experts and academic staff. Another aim of the spin-off is to form a strong identity and a self-organised student community as an integral part of the department’s academic culture.

The Student Execution Board (SEB) consists of the representatives of each board, who can be up to two persons. The role of the SEB is to monitor the progress of each board and to organise the upcoming meetings and events. Additionally, the SEB is in close contact with the other boards and with the ITSC-IC office. They collect feedback from the participants and are responsible for what is going on in the boards. After successful completion of the seminar, the representatives will get a certificate for responsibly leading their boards.

In conclusion, the seminar wants to promote each individual student by conveying different soft skills and by preparing them as best as possible for their future academic career.