Meet a DAAD PhD Scholarship Awardee!
Suryagayathri Geetha Devi is currently doing her PhD at Institute for History and Theory of Architecture and the City (GTAS) at the TU Braunschweig and talks to the DAAD about her preparation of the scholarship selection process and her experience in Germany thus far.
“Being one of the recipients of this prestigious scholarship, I got the opportunity to interact and connect with other scholars from different universities and subjects. Also, the DAAD Alumniportal Deutschland (https://www.alumniportal-deutschland.org/) has created an excellent platform for receiving advice and suggestions regarding life in Germany and future opportunities from former scholars from different domains all over Germany, which is very helpful. I can’t go any further without highlighting the DAAD’s language course, which greatly aided me in learning the fundamentals and provided tremendous encouragement for us to continue learning the language further.
Preparation for the DAAD PhD selection interview
Preparing for the DAAD selection interview was an exciting and happy phase for me. I prepared well for my research topic and contacted former scholars to learn more about their interview experiences. I would like to acknowledge my Ph.D. supervisor, Prof. Dr. Tatjana Schneider, for supporting me throughout; otherwise, I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this. Also, the timely guidance I received from the Programme Coordinators of the DAAD India office during my application process and the quick responses to every query of mine.
How has your experience been in Germany in the past year?
My research stay in Germany over the past year has widened my perspectives on all facets of life. It was a chance to move outside my comfort zone and encounter new challenges during my stay. And I firmly believe that starting my research in Germany was one of the best decisions I ever made because it gave me access to the best possible resources for my research and a great working environment.
Supporting research stay outside Germany?
I am grateful for receiving this scholarship and the support for conducting a field visit in India during the first year of my Ph.D. research. Thanks to DAAD for facilitating my field research and surveys in India.”