Danial Taherzadeh

In Academia, usually there are classic softwares used, e.g., Microsoft Office, and in very extreme cases also Matlab and advanced plotting softwares such as Sigmaplot. I have nothing against using them, apart from they do not offer what I look for: (i) flexibility, (ii) extendibility and openness, (iii) fun/ease of use, (iv) power, and (v) price.

In preparation of my next paper I needed to draw a detailed complex diagram. Since I am using LaTeX and Source Control (which I will write them in detail) I also needed a more robust solution than Adobe Illustrator (which I don't have a license), Inkscape (great package, though still very limited for complex diagrams), and other common ones such as Corel. Needless to say that all their formats are binary and not source-control friendly. Also, I love to code, so I got to learn about TikZ. It had a wow! effect for me right away. In TikZ, you can use the full power of LaTeX (as in typesetting), and in addition enhance your digrams with the power of programming. You can create this kind of diagrams in a minute: What you get is a vector-based image that you can use in your publications (no denting when you scale it), and also track the changes in a version-control system (like when you added a part and then removed it, and you want it back). Also, you can maximize it to your needs and  [ ... ]

We finally decided on our candidate among 32 applicants. Hereby I thank all the students that applied.

Edit: Due to many questions I got I added a short FAQ at the end of this page. Summary: We have received a special grant for conducting an exceptional research in the field of biofilms. In the context of this grant two PhD researchers will work together in close cooperation. The grant is provided by the International Graduate School of Science and Engineering of Technical University München (IGSSE), Germany. In the context of this grant, special funding is also available for travel and stay in other host universities (3 months is obligatory). In addition, the candidates will benefit from broad range of professional courses and services that IGSSE provides. Description of the project: Biofilm research is a sub-field of Biology and Bioengineering that has become an established field of research, which finds more and more new niches in e.g. fuel cells, new reactor and catalyst types and evolutionary studies. Biofilms are complex living structures consisted of bacteria and a polymer [ ... ]

Summary: We have received a special grant for conducting an exceptional research in the field of biofilms. In the context of this grant two PhD researchers will work together in close cooperation. The grant is provided by the International Graduate School of Science and Engineering of Technical University München (IGSSE), Germany. In the context of this grant, special funding is also available for travel and stay in other host universities (3 months is obligatory). In addition, the candidates will benefit from broad range of professional courses and services that IGSSE provides. Description of the project: Biofilm research is a sub-field of Biology and Bioengineering that has become an established field of research, which finds more and more new niches in e.g. fuel cells, new reactor and catalyst types and evolutionary studies. Biofilms are complex living structures consisted of bacteria and a polymer that protects bacteria from outside world. Despite two decades of active resear [ ... ]

My second paper (co-author), "Investigation of the mesoscale structure and volumetric features of biofilms using optical coherence tomography", has also been selected as a Spotlight paper in Biotechnology and Bioengineering.

Our new paper, me as a co-author, has just got accepted to Biotechnology and Bioengineering journal today.

Yup, the titles says it already. Look for B&B Volume 105-6 ;)
It is really a good feeling when your work pays off and is appreciated.

My first paper, "Computational study of the drag and oscillatory movement of biofilm streamers in fast flows", has been selected as a Spotlight paper in Biotechnology and Bioengineering.