For the Love of Snow
How a young scientist from Bangladesh is decoding avalanches, thriving in a German research network, and building a new home in Bavaria.
When you meet Shucheta Shegufta, her passion is contagious. She laughs easily, switches effortlessly between languages, and is just as comfortable explaining fracture mechanics as she is cooking for a crowd. We sat down with the PhD candidate from FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg to talk about snow, science, and what it’s like to leave a comfortable life behind to chase knowledge across continents.
What is your research about?
Shucheta: If you ask me what I’m researching, I’d say: I study how snow breaks. It sounds poetic, right? But it’s really a very technical question about fracture mechanics in porous materials like stone, concrete… and yes, snow.
What fascinates me is that snow doesn’t always behave like other materials. Cracks can actually form under pressure—which is counterintuitive—and these tiny fractures could be the key to understanding how avalanches start. We’ve already found some clues that cracks can travel under the surface and trigger avalanches remotely, but there’s still so much research ahead. It’s exciting because it’s not just theoretical: better understanding snow can save lives.
You’re doing your PhD in a structured program. What does that mean?
Shucheta: I’m part of FRASCAL—short for Fracture across Scales, a Research Training Group (RTG) funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). RTGs are structured doctoral programs that bring PhD candidates together in a network, offer regular training and mentoring, and create a strong research community.
I actually started my PhD as an individual doctoral candidate at another German university. Back then, I often felt isolated. In FRASCAL, you’re immediately part of a scientific community. That makes a huge difference—especially when you’re an international student in a new country.
What is an RTG—and what is FRASCAL?
A Research Training Group (RTG) is a structured doctoral program funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). RTGs bring together small groups of PhD candidates to work on interconnected research projects, receive intensive mentoring, and attend additional training courses. They often provide full funding for all participants.
FRASCAL – Fracture Across Scales is an interdisciplinary RTG at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU). It focuses on understanding how materials break, from the atomic to the macroscopic level. The group includes experts in mechanics, materials science, mathematics, and chemistry—all working closely together.
What makes the program structure so helpful for you?
Shucheta: FRASCAL is very well organized. Every Friday, one of us gives a 10-minute presentation about our work, followed by a discussion. There are currently twelve of us, and we come from all over the world—China, India, Bangladesh, and other countries. It’s a really international group, and we learn so much from each other.
We also have regular mini-lectures and seminars by professors, both from FAU and visiting researchers. It keeps you updated and inspired, and it’s a great way to meet people outside your immediate field. Sometimes, I get stuck on a technical detail in my simulations, and a mathematician or chemist from the group will say, 'Have you tried this?' Problems that seem impossible in your own discipline can sometimes be solved in minutes when you get another perspective.
Why is this the right path for you?
Shucheta: The structure keeps me motivated and gives me perspective. A PhD is very narrow by nature—you’re zooming in on a very specific research question—but in FRASCAL, the discussions keep me connected to the bigger picture.
It’s also about the people. My main supervisor, Prof. Michael Zaiser, is always around to help, and Prof. Paul Steinmann, my co-supervisor, brings a different expertise. We meet regularly, and I feel both supported and challenged. Having access to two leading scientists is an incredible opportunity.
How do you finance your PhD?
Shucheta: For three years, I was funded through FRASCAL itself. The program is financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG), which means every PhD candidate has a paid position or stipend as part of the Research Training Group. That’s another advantage of a structured program: you don’t have to worry constantly about securing funding while doing research—you can focus fully on your project. Meanwhile I have a paid doctoral position at our institute.
4 Recommendations if You Plan to Pursue a PhD
If you stay longer, learn the language.
Even if your studies are in English, speaking the local language changes everything – it helps you settle, connect, and really experience life in Germany.
Take the initiative!
When I miss home traditions like Eid al-Fitr, I invite colleagues to celebrate with me. Sharing food and culture is the fastest way to feel less homesick.
Don’t just follow the rankings.
University rankings don’t tell you what a research group is like. Check their websites, read project summaries, follow researchers online.
When you come for an interview…
Talk to current PhD students, not just professors. They know the lab culture best – and that’s who you’ll spend your time with.
How did you end up doing your PhD in Germany, at FAU?
Shucheta: Back in Dhaka, I’d completed my Bachelor’s in civil engineering and was working at a company building luxury apartments. It was a good job, but I wanted something more meaningful, and my dad had always encouraged me to explore the world.
Germany wasn’t my first choice, but no tuition fees was a strong argument. So I came to Stuttgart for a Master’s in Computational Mechanics in 2017, finished it quickly, and was about to start a PhD in Hanover when the pandemic hit. It was a tough time: new city, no social contacts, lots of isolation.
That’s when I saw the call for FRASCAL. The interview was great—Prof. Zaiser had studied in Stuttgart too, so we connected over that. Joining this program was one of my best decisions.
Has Bavaria become something like a home for you?
Shucheta: Definitely. I feel really settled here now. My German has improved a lot, which makes everyday life so much easier. People are friendly and open—my two roommates are both from the region, and they’ve really made me part of their families.
Of course, I get homesick sometimes, especially during festivals like Eid al-Fitr. But that’s when I take the initiative: I invite colleagues to cook and celebrate with me at the institute. It’s a way to stay connected to home while building a new community here. Overall, I’m very happy with the choice to come to FAU and to Bavaria.
Thank you very much for sharing your experiences!
