MPSP SPRING SCHOOL 2024
Connections, aspirations and a treasure hunt
Welcome to the Spring School 2024! As spring emerges slowly but steadily, we had a wonderful and exciting time in Aachen, a city blending historic charm with cutting-edge innovation. Over five enriching days, we engaged in Fellow Talks, lab tours at the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT) and the RWTH, inspirational discussions, talking about future careers and some social events to connect with each other.
Day 1: Arrival & lab tours
On Monday our fellow Prof. Constantin Häfner, Managing Director of the ILT, welcomed our PhD students and introduced the Fraunhofer ILT.
The journey commences at the Fraunhofer ILT and the associated chairs of the RWTH Aachen University, where students embark on a comprehensive lab tour. From EUV technology to quantum communication, laser material processing, and the structuring of transparent materials, attendees gain invaluable insights into groundbreaking research initiatives.
The evening unfolded with an official welcome and a spirited pub quiz, offering ample opportunities for networking and connections between our candidates, after this exciting first day.
Day 2: Student conference & treasure hunt
After a successful student conference at last year’s Spring School, the focus on Tuesday shifted to the exchange of ideas and discoveries as students took center stage with research presentations of doctoral and master projects, talking about “Photons make stuff”, “Few photons” and “A lot of photons”.
In the afternoon, we embarked on a thrilling treasure hunt through the historic streets of Aachen, engaging in quizzes and exploring iconic landmarks.
Day 3: Poster Session & Nurturing careers
The day starts with the student conference featuring the topics “Punctual photons” and “Where are the photons?”. After a fulfilling lunch the poster session showcasing the innovative work of students, started. Through 20 posters various research topics were shown by our PhD candidates. Afterwards, all presenters had the chance to win the “Best Poster Prize”. The lucky winner this time was Franz Röder from Paderborn, who presented his poster about “Optical Coherence Tomography with Undetected Photons Based on an Integrated PDC Source”. Congratulations to you!
This was followed by a fellow talk from Rainer Heintzmann on the importance of proper introduction into alignment when starting experimental optics work. Therefore he president his self-developed VR-App which uses gamification to teach alignment skills.
To wrap up the day with a future focused event, the career evening followed, featuring insightful presentations on career trajectories within the field of photonics. From academia to entrepreneurship, our PhD candidates could learn directly from people, who followed diverse career paths and listen to their experiences they made along the way. Thorsten Ringbeck, Professor of Electronics and Semiconductor Circuit Technology, shared his experiences about becoming a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Aachen. Dr. Keming Du presented the lessons he learned during his transition from being a researcher at the Fraunhofer ILT to becoming the CEO of his company Edgewave. Last but not least, Gordon Saunders talked about his projects at Aixemtec on Photonics Assembly and Test Automation.
Day 4: Fellow Talks & Career Planning
The morning unfolds with talks from our Fellows Carsten Rockstuhl, Carlo Holly and Klaus Jöns. Our candidates could learn about “Information driven Computational Nanophotonics”, “Connecting the real and digital world in laser technology and optics” and “The Quest for the Ideal Quantum Light Source”.
Building on yesterday’s Career Evening, a stimulating podium discussion on career planning and paths took place with a talk by Kolja Briedis who presented the various paths after the doctorate based on statistical data from a long-term survey. Then Claus Roll from OPTICA shared his experiences about career paths in scientific publishing. It was a good opportunity for our candidates to listen to first-hand experiences and to ask questions to get more impressions and ideas for their own future career plans.
After connecting with each other even more at the PhD candidate meeting, our candidates had a last free evening in Aachen, to explore the city and take place in self-chosen activities.
Day 5: Company tours & saying Goodbye
The journey culminates with enlightening company tours, including a visit to Forschungszentrum Jülich. We delved into the pioneering work of The Peter Grünberg Institute and the Jülich Supercomputing Center, gaining insights into future computing technologies and applications.
As the curtains draw on the MPSP Spring School 2024, participants depart with cherished memories, newfound knowledge, and lasting connections, poised to drive innovation and shape the future of photonics.
Until we meet again, may the spirit of exploration and discovery continue to illuminate your path. Safe travels, and may your journey be filled with boundless inspiration and success. See you next time!
