On April 11th and 12th, the 6th Future Workshop, hosted by the Leibniz PhD Network, was held at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) in Gatersleben.
Twenty-seven doctoral researchers convened, coming from various Leibniz Institutes across Germany including cities like Freising, Kiel, Dresden, Berlin, Bochum, Hannover, and Jena.
The opening session featured a welcome address by Prof. Dr. Nicolaus von Wirén, the Managing Director of IPK. This was followed by an introduction to the Leibniz PhD Network, the steering comitee and its various Working Groups, which include Communication, Contract Situation and Prevention of Power Abuse, Diversity, Mental Health, Survey, and Sustainability.
During the second session, round table discussions were organized to allow all participants to engage deeply in conversations on the topics covered by each working group. These round tables provided an interactive platform for exchanging ideas, experiences, and insights related to various themes. Participants had the chance to delve into subjects like Communication, Contract Situation and Prevention of Power Abuse, Diversity, Mental Health, Survey, and Sustainability.
Following these dynamic discussions, a collective brainstorming session was held. This segment of the session was designed to harness the diverse perspectives and expertise of the attendees, aiming to collaboratively define the main objectives and projects for the year ahead. Through combined efforts, clear goals and actionable plans for each topic were outlined, ensuring a focused and cohesive strategy moving forward.
Attendees were also given a guided tour of IPK’s PhenoSphere, a sophisticated plant phenotyping platform that allows for the strict control of environmental conditions to simulate field conditions and various climate scenarios. Additionally, they visited the GenBank, which is one of the largest seed collections globally, notable for its extensive botanical diversity and collection size.
In conclusion, the 6th Future Workshop of the Leibniz PhD Network facilitated valuable exchanges among doctoral researchers, enabling each working group to attract new members and allowing current members to meet in person and engage in self-reflection.
Author: Francesca Lanterna (Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum)
Photos: Julie-Sophie Himpe (Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research) and Johnson Kansiime (Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies)