On 17 and 18 June, this year's GFZ PhD Days took place, this time under the motto "Harvesting Knowledge, Thriving together!". Like last year, the event programme, which was developed in collaboration between the GFZ Graduate Programme and the PhD student representation, offered a great opportunity for scientific exchange and social interaction.

Scientific exchange

Short 60-second presentations on both days of the event gave participants an overview of the Centre's diverse research projects. The doctoral students creatively aroused interest in their research topics. A more in-depth exchange with the young researchers was then made possible through discussions at the poster stands.

Kick-off

The event was ceremoniously opened on Monday morning with a speech by Scientific Director Susanne Buiter. In her speech, she emphasised how valuable the doctoral students' research is for the centre, as their results can also contribute to solving major social problems, such as the dynamic changes caused by climate change. She also emphasised that doctoral students should make intensive use of the opportunities offered by the Centre and highlighted the value of the scientific community for the progress of doctoral projects. Prof Dr Jens Turowski, scientist and one of the two ombudspersons for doctoral training at the GFZ, then explained how the doctorate can contribute to personal development and what a unique opportunity this stage of life offers.

The agile doctorate

During his 90-minute talk, Dr Ebuka Nwosu, an alumnus of the GFZ, shared how he applied agile project management methods to his PhD to successfully complete it within the funding period available to him during the coronavirus pandemic. He emphasised that a successful PhD starts with taking responsibility for your own research project and presented a number of actionable strategies to make project progress visible and improve your own scientific results through continuous feedback.

Social get-together

The event was rounded off with events that provided space for socialising: the GEOlympics on Monday, a bring-your-own breakfast on Tuesday morning and the traditional ice cream afternoon, where ice cream was made using liquid nitrogen.

You can see a few impressions in the slideshow above.