Short-term fellows

The DFG-funded Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1372 “Magnetoreception and Navigation of Vertebrates” at the University of Oldenburg offers two to three short-term fellowships per year for Master's degree holders and PhD candidates to excellent researchers who are interested in doing research within one dedicated project of the CRC.


These visiting research fellowships are intended to foster external collaboration and will allow external PhD students or students holding a Master’s degree to work within the CRC framework. The fellowships are tax-exempt and will be granted ideally for 6 to 12 months, covering a basic amount of 1,753 EUR plus child support, if applicable.


If you are interested in a short-term fellowship in one of our projects, keep your eyes open on the "open positions" or contact us under irtg_sfb1372[at]uol.de.

Current fellows



Matteo Guidotti


February 1, 2026 - November 30, 2026

in Nav02 "Assessing magnetoreception and orientation/navigation hypotheses in free flying birds"


I am investigating whether anthropogenic electromagnetic radiation (electrosmog) interferes with magnetic compass orientation in night-migratory free-flying songbirds when birds rely exclusively on magnetic cues, to assess the potential ecological consequences of electrosmog on migratory timing and orientation. I am currently extracting behavioural metrics from video recordings of migratory restlessness in birds tested in orientation funnels under electrosmog and control conditions in the absence of celestial cues.

 

Sofia Ventura


February 1, 2026 - August 31, 2026

in Nav07 "Causes and consequences of variation in the migratory phenotype in a long-lived seabird"


As part of my SFB fellowship, I am going to characterise the migratory tracks of breeding partners of the Common tern (Sterna hirundo) gathered during a period of ten years. The aim of the project is to understand whether breeding pairs migrate and winter together, and whether and how this might affect various metrics of breeding success.

Yibo Ma 


September 1, 2025 - August 31, 2026 

in FeI02 “Neuroethology of insect navigation and magnetoreception”  


I am investigating whether the magnetic compass in desert ants can operate independently of UV/blue light, with the aim of exploring the underlying mechanisms to determine whether the phenotype of their magnetoreceptive behavior aligns more closely with the radical-pair hypothesis or the magnetite hypothesis.  

Past fellows


María Jesús García Bianco


January 15, 2025 - January 15, 2026

in Nav07 "Causes and consequences of variation in the migratory phenotype in a long-lived seabird"


I am currently studying the mercury contamination concentration and the stable isotope values of terns wintering along different parts of the west-African coastline. I will also be involved in the fieldwork at the Banter See common tern colony in Wilhelmshaven.

Jeremy Evans


October 1, 2024 - August 31, 2025

in Nav05 A genomic approach to migration and navigation in birds


I am involved with monitoring a partial migratory songbird population, the European Robin. We are looking into the genetic and environmental factors associated with migratory behavior.

Dionessa Biton


January 1 - December 31, 2024 

in Sig05 Cryptochrome-based magnetoreception


Currently, I am working on modelling the dynamics of the electron transfer chain inside the cryptochrome which is used for magnetoreception in avian migration using machine learning frameworks.

Diya Das


April 16 - July 15 & October 1 - December 31, 2024

in Sig02 Magnetic imaging of putative magnetoreceptors


Orientation and navigation cues used by highly migratory elasmobranchs around volcanic islands in the open ocean

Johanna Wegmann


October 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024

in Fel02 Neuroethology of insect navigation and magnetoreception