2026 Ph.D. Student Meeting

This year's meeting of the doctoral student group took place once again in an inspiring setting and provided valuable insights for academic development at the Marburg Youth Hostel.

Dieter Müller and the TRIO doctoral candidates in a marigold field at the farm they visited

The first day was devoted to deepening methodological understanding. A workshop on statistics led by Dr. Paul Schmidt highlighted the complexity and multifaceted nature of data analysis, providing valuable insights for the participants’ ongoing work. In the afternoon, the focus shifted from theory to practice: During a tour of Dieter Müller’s Naturland farm in Staufenberg, participants were able to explore the idyllic farm—with its wide variety of colorful flowering medicinal and aromatic plants—and learn about the agricultural processes on site. At the same time, the farm manager shared insights from his wealth of experience and discussed current challenges, such as the use of a farm robot.

The second day offered an exciting expansion of the participants’ professional horizons. The day began with a presentation ofthe “TeePot” project, which is also based at JLU Giessen. Since this project focuses on the value chains of tea, medicinal, and spice plants, it ideally complemented the purely cultivation-oriented perspective of our project.

A particular highlight was the majority of the second day, which was dedicated to science communication. In a workshop with Dr. David Spencer, the approximately 20 participants from the TRIO and ADAPT projects engaged intensively with how complex research findings can be communicated in a way tailored to specific target audiences. The workshop was very lively and interactive: All participants prepared a five-minute “science slam.” Whether it was fennel bulbs, young female farmers, or water droplets on a hero’s journey—the creative presentations conveyed in an entertaining way the key issues addressed by our research projects.

Overall, the meeting was once again a very successful event. In addition to professional development and exchange between the projects, the interactive formats also fostered cohesion within the doctoral student group.

Further information:

https://proloewe.de/de/aktuelles/nachrichten/loewe-trio-doktorandentreffen/

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7488888281234034689