Spring School 2026
MPSP Spring School 2026 in Berlin
The MPSP Spring School took us this year to Berlin in the Harnack House – a conference venue of the Max Planck Society in the center of the German Oxford with a long scientific history. On the first two days, students from all cohorts joined the 24th edition of the ECONOS conference, the European Conference on Nonlinear Spectroscopy. The last two days were full of scientific talks and exchanges between the students. In addition to the scientific conferences and sessions, the group had the opportunity to connect and laugh at social events such as a quiz, icebreaker, and academic games.
Day 1 & 2 – A joint start with Insights and Exchange into Nonlinear Spectroscopy
The Spring School kicked off on Sunday with two keynotes of Gerd Leuchs, one of our MPSP Fellows, and of Markus Antonietti, Director for “Colloid Chemistry” at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces. The speakers set the scene for the joint conference between ECONOS and the Max Planck School of Photonics, which featured a range of interesting talks on spectroscopy and various opportunities for scientific exchange.
The MPSP coordination team and students said goodbye and thanked Gerd Leuchs, the former speaker of the Max Planck School of Photonics, who fondly recalled numerous moments and milestones from his time in the role and looks forward to continuing his work as an MPSP Fellow supporting the students.
In the joint poster session on the second day, MPSP students and ECONOS participants had the chance to present their current projects to one another, give each other feedback, and provide new ideas and perspectives to their own work and that of the others, with the aim of advancing and expanding scientific research.
The evening continued for the MPSP students with different social events: From a quiz and an intercultural science-based discussion game to social and academic games, there was something for everyone to connect, exchange, and laugh with one another.
Day 3 & 4 – Scientific Exchange and Creativity
On Tuesday and Wednesday, MPSP students had plenty of opportunities to present their own Master’s or PhD projects in extended presentations and to exchange ideas: to seek feedback, ask questions, and gain further insights for their own projects. For some PhD students, the conferences gave the chance to bid farewell to their fellow students with a talk following the successful completion of their Master's or PhDs, and to thank them for their ongoing collaboration and joint work.
The Spring School concluded with the prizes for the best scientific poster and presentation of the MPSP students, which were awarded to Arghadeep Pal and Josephine Spiegelberg.
The Spring School 2026 was all about our students: academic exchange, building connections with one another, and discovering and sharing the joy of the science of light. Thank you to everyone who presented, discussed, and had fun every day, who thus embodies the spirit of the Max Planck School of Photonics!