Young Scientist Retreat 2026

What does a scientific retreat look like when the focus is not only on research, but also on personal exchange, career paths, and networking among early-career researchers? At this year’s Young Scientist Retreat, PhD students and PIs came together for two days to step away from their usual research routines, gain new perspectives on their own work, and exchange ideas across different fields of research. In their reflections on the two days they spent together, the PhD students share what they experienced, which parts of the programme stayed with them most, and why personal exchange is such an important complement to their everyday research.

An article from Katharina Budde, PhD representatitive und PhD student in the research department Viral Zoonosis - One Health.

Two days away from our usual research routine, gaining new perspectives on our work, and above all: connecting with fellow Young Scientists. That was the focus of this year’s Young Scientist Retreat at Hotel Gut Schönworth.

We kicked things off with a shared lunch, which gave everyone time to arrive, get to know each other, and catch up. The programme then began with “Science meets Art”. Working in small groups, we presented our research projects not with slides, but with pen and paper. The result was a wide range of creative and very different representations of our research. This alternative approach to science communication was not only a welcome change from our usual routines, but also gave us the opportunity to look at our own research from a new perspective and discover the projects of our fellow Young Scientists in a completely different way.

The afternoon continued with inspiring talks by Kathrin Sutter, Christina Karsten, and Christin Müller-Ruttloff. What made these talks particularly valuable was that, alongside their scientific work, the speakers also shared their personal career journeys. Their different paths into research demonstrated that there is no single “right” way to pursue a career in science — and that taking detours can also be part of an academic career.

A short yoga session between programme activities provided an active break and a chance to recharge.

After checking into our rooms and enjoying dinner together, the evening continued with our Social Night and the “Science Olympics”. Four teams competed against each other in eight fun challenges, including “mouth pipetting” and a race to put on lab coats as quickly as possible. For an hour and a half, there was plenty of laughter, cheering, and, of course, a little scientific competitive spirit as everyone battled for the win. At the end of the evening, the winning teams were presented with prizes during a small award ceremony, which was met with enthusiastic applause. The evening then continued with music, dancing, and plenty of great conversations.

The second day began with a choice between two workshops offered by Scienza Science Coaching: “Dealing with Conflicts” and “Completing a PhD”. The workshops gave us the opportunity to explore topics such as conflict management and how to successfully complete a PhD, addressing challenges that extend beyond research itself. The retreat concluded with three more inspiring talks by Toni Meister, Philipp Kolb, and Frauke Müksch. Once again, we gained interesting insights into different areas of research, as well as personal experiences, career paths, and valuable advice for our own journeys in academia.

After two intensive, inspiring, and varied days, it was finally time for everyone to head back to Hamburg.

Our conclusion: the Young Scientist Retreat was a great success.

For two days, we were able to step outside our usual research environment, gain new perspectives, and engage in in-depth conversations with fellow PhDs and PIs. The connections we made among the PhD students were particularly valuable. Exchanging experiences, challenges, and insights across different research fields not only provided new ideas for our own research, but also strengthened the network within our Young Scientist community.

A heartfelt thank you to the BNE Stiftung for their generous support. Without this funding, it would not have been possible to organise the retreat in this form. We are very grateful for the opportunity to spend two such enriching days together.

We are already looking forward to the next event with all our PhDs!