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Age: 28 | Nationality: Ethiopian
Field of study / work: Condensed matter physics
I have been to a few places so far, and Sanssouci park is my favorite spot in Potsdam.
My research focuses on determining the ultimate polarization switching time of ferroelectric thin films and nanostructures that are integrated on silicon. My interest emanates from the desire to contribute to the development of new, innovative, and advanced materials and methods to tackle modern challenges.
Yes, I miss my families and friends.
In my opinion, no prescription will fit everyone as we are different. And it’s up to us to play with what timescale feels relevant to us. Setting blocks of time for various tasks helped me a lot to do my work during the golden hours. In addition, I always try to maintain good physical health as it is a quest to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
„The varieties of bread, waste management system, especially the recycling separation, and the fact that cash is a king are a few things I can mention.“
Age: 29 | Nationality: Iranian
Field of study / work: Biochemistry
I honestly can't decide just one spot. There is several sightseeing. One of my favorite places is the Sanssouci Park. Is there anyone who is not fond of the Sanssouci Park? This location is breathtaking, inspiring, and stunning. I go there whenever I feel lack of energy, stress or upset, and I feel so much better afterwards.
There are numerous things that amaze me. The well-organized waste separation system is the first point to mention. That might be really beneficial to the environment. One of the best transportation systems in the world. Although there may be some delays in the transportation schedule, you are free to go whenever and wherever you wish.
We are working on primary metabolism of plants, especially starch metabolism. Starch synthesis and degradation includes several enzymes (more than 30) and different glycans, sugars, and sugar derivatives.
I don't have much time to go outside, to be honest. However, we do get together in restaurants and bars from time to time. We don't have a favorite spot; instead, we'd like to try somewhere new.
Yes, I absolutely miss my family and friends at all times. In addition, the Iranian New Year is approaching, and this time of year in my own country is quite wonderful.
It was challenging for me because everything was new to me and in my country, we have more sunlight and longer days. However, in order to be more successful and have more energy during the day, I began to exercise regularly, eat a good diet, and get adequate sleep. I also recommend that you use your lengthy nights to pursue a subject that you are interested in, such as music, painting, or anything, more professional.
My long-term goals include progressing with my project so that I can continue to learn, take on more responsibility, and bring as much value to our department as possible. Also,during my PhD, I would like to learn to paint.
„I make a to-do list and prioritize my responsibilities. I make every effort to stick to my schedule. But there are times when I am unable to complete the task, which I believe is entirely natural, and you must accept these planning flaws. When one or two tasks in a program are not completed, some people abandon it entirely. In my to-do list, I always attempt to include my favorite daily routine, as well as things that give me energy or are vital to me and my health.“
Age: 26 | Nationality: Dutch | Duration of Stay: 9 months
Field of study / work: Linguistics and Developmental Psychology
I am not a big fan of the typical Dutch food to be honest. I think the Dutch cuisine is not really exciting or special. One thing that I can say always tastes better in the Netherlands than anywhere else is the peanut butter.
I am going to university by bike which is a 13 km ride. On my way I cycle at Lindenallee which is for me the most calming part of the bike route. I think this has been so far the nicest place to cycle with some nice nature and not too many people.
When it gets dark and cold outside I always try to create a cosy atmosphere by putting up some Christmas lights, walking around the house with a blanket and maybe drink some hot chocolate every once in a while.
At the moment I am working on infants’ tone discrimination and the relation to infants’ face discrimination. Young infants can discriminate between two different native speech sounds and also between two different non-native speech sounds but when they grow older they attune to their environment. This means that the infants are most sensitive to differences in their native speech sounds. This same pattern is found in face discrimination between same-race and other-race faces. We are researching the relations between these two developmental patterns and whether these patterns can be reversed.
My advice for other scholars would be to keep on trying. Keep trying to find out what interests you most, as by trying different working environments and by working on different topics you can really find out what interests you most. Most importantly, keep trying even if people tell you something is not possible. If you really want something you will get there one way or another if you keep on trying hard enough.
My future plan is to continue to work on research into children’s language development and hopefully start a PhD at some point. Besides that, I would also like to share my interest in and excitement about research with students in seminars and lectures.
„I have only been in Potsdam for two weeks now and have not seen everything yet. So far, I really liked Park Babelsberg as it was just beautiful with all the different colours of autumn, with a nice castle and a blue sky as you can also see in my picture. I am excited about exploring the city a bit more and maybe even finding other personal favourite spots around Potsdam.“
Age: 35 | Nationality: Israeli | Duration of Stay: 1 year
Field of study / work: Economics
Falafel is not unique to my country and is popular around the Middle East. However, each place has a slightly different take on it, and I, of course, prefer the one back home.
My family and friends.
Park Sanssouci and the Potsdam Palaces.
I have not been here long enough to pick a favorite place. Still, there's a small Biergarten I like called Plantagenklause, not far from my home.
Around South Babelsberg and Griebnitzsee.
I enjoy listening to jazz/vintage covers of modern songs by artists such as Postmodern Jukebox. Lately, as it got colder, I've been listening quite a lot to their cover of "Sweater Weather."
I study how political violence affects the labor market and how economic conditions affect political preferences. My case study is the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. My interest in the topic started from a general interest in the causes and consequences of economic inequality and from growing up during the Second Intifada and witnessing the cost of conflict firsthand.
Unfortunately, when you research violent political conflicts, most of the facts you run into are not fun. However, this research has positive policy implications. For example, it shows us how job creation and humanitarian aid can encourage people to seek peaceful solutions instead of violent ones.
Choose a research topic you are passionate about it. Otherwise, you are going to spend a long time working on something you don't like.
An interesting career at a good research institute.
„The care given to recycling and energy saving.“
Age: 26 years | Nationality: Lebanese | Field of study / work: Modelling-Simulation and Observational Astrophysics Ph.D. candidate at the Leibniz-Institut für Astrophysik Potsdam
I haven’t been to many places yet, but I think Potsdam is a lovely town that grasp the vibe of a painting. Not to mention the beautiful parks.
The meaning behind the historical and cultural monuments in Potsdam. In addition to the sustainable, accessible and affordable mobility provided by Tier mobility. The fact that people leave the items that they no longer want outside so that others can take what they need from them. Last but not least, German’s love for Kabab and Falafel!
Drawing your own course can be scary but probably it is worth it and it will most likely pay off. Even if you’re an introvert don’t be afraid to take initiatives and engage in activities that provide rich opportunities to learn. Moreover, be forthright and trustworthy in all of your interactions with others. Lastly, be determined to succeed even in the face of challenging obstacles, and always remember that your potential is not defined by your grades.
After the Ph.D. I will broaden my horizons by pursuing a post-doctoral position to prepare myself adequately for a promising career in Astrophysics. I will pursue a faculty position at a research-active university, continuing in my efforts to both explain the Universe and pass on my wisdom to future generations.
I was in my hometown in Lebanon
It didn’t really affect my professional life. In fact I found it suitable for me giving the fact that I just need my laptop to work.
„I can list several positive outcomes: I had more time to work on my Ph.D. applications and this ended up with me obtaining one. Furthermore, I started exercising and got more fit, plus I discovered my interest in drawing realistic portraits (I’ve been drawing ever since). In addition, I started practicing the electric guitar which was something I wanted to do a long time ago.“
Age: 33 years | Nationality: Iranian | Field of study / work: Information Technology
Recycling is a great thing, and the people of Germany seem to know that.
Be kind, be patient.
Post-doc
At home, work from distance.
Before the pandemic, I’m not sure I could explain how science is powerful. The situation is just more obvious at the moment.
In post-COVID is the best period for some special sectors to use customers’ sensitive information. Hotels and airlines, For instance, have access to a list of vaccinated individuals to confirm their health status. In my opinion, it is time to have an outstanding collaboration between government, academia, and industry to protect individuals’ sensitive information.
„The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us firmly back to the fundamentals. However, we have to find joy in every small thing and change our mindset about daily life before the pandemic.“
Age: 28 | Nationality: Indian | Field of study / work: Geophysics, Geodynamic modeling
My favorite places include Cecilienhof park, Alter Markt in Potsdam and of course Indian stores in Berlin where I can have green and red hot chilies. :-)
Learn to live alone. The more you rise up in your life, the more you will be alone. Just do your work but expect less. It is okay to be alone, but never feel lonely. Do a lot more networking and ask questions. There is no lame question. So, do not be shy and keep moving.
I have started my PhD this year. So, I am now building the model setup as I am working on numerical modeling. I hope to showcase my work in different conferences and get some feedback from fellow researchers. Finally, I really wish to publish my work in some good journals.
I have been in my home country India when the pandemic first started in March 2020. There was a strict lockdown and I spent my time with my parents at home.
Due to the lockdown, my arrival in Germany got delayed. Even after arrival, I was working from home for 4-5 months. I guess the initial period of PhD requires day to day meetings with supervisor and fellow students to get the idea about the research project, how to practically write code and do the simulation. But I barely met people due to the lockdown. So, my work has slowed down. Apart from work, it creates a lot of mental pressure when you just arrive a new country and get yourself locked in a room for several months. When I came in January, the banks, city registration office all were closed/ or working with skeleton staffs. So, it was really difficult for me to pay my rent, but somehow with the help of my supervisor that was managed. So, yes, lockdown has a huge impact in my life.
Yes, of course. One can only bear these months if he/she has a very positive outlook. I can spend more time in cooking as I can’t cook before coming to Germany. Through these days, I started to learn how to live alone and how to take care of myself on my own. As the supermarkets were always open, I got the opportunity to explore German veggies, sausages and drinks which were really new to me and exciting as well.
After going through the period of pandemic since 2020, I realized it is very important to spend more time with family or at least keep in touch with them. It gives you and your family mental stability. I do appreciate all the volunteers and doctors who came forward to serve people in this harsh time.
It is very important to keep our community motivated in this time. My suggestion is to organize frequent zoom meet-ups where senior PhD fellows can present their work. Since there are some relaxations of COVID related rules now, introducing in person workshops will be very useful for the research students. Most importantly, research fellows have lost significant amount of time due to this pandemic, so, it is very necessary to extend the period of fellowship/scholarship in order to retrieve our work.
„The most surprising thing about Germany which I appreciate is Women safety. I really like the fact that I can travel here alone at midnight.“
Age: 27 | Nationality: British | Field of study / work: Probability theory, now moving into Algorithm Engineering
I love the Botanical Gardens in Berlin. They have a peaceful atmosphere, and the greenhouses are huge. I went for the first time in 2016 when I was visiting my sister. It was the day after the Brexit vote, blazing sunshine (at least from my British perspective), and we walked around the gardens talking for hours.
Embrace your failures, and learn from them. A few gifted people can see the path to a research goal and walk it easily, the rest of us have to make our way forward step-by-step, and failure is an inevitable part of that. There is no shame in making mistakes. Also, a mathematicians perspective: be concise, be precise.
I was in my WG in Mannheim, where I was finishing my PhD. I live in the city centre, and it was very odd to see it so deserted. Like a ghost town! Fortunately spring arrived early, and I was able to ride my bike along the Rhein most days.
I found it hard to focus on anything. It felt like living in greyscale. I wrote my thesis over the summer and submitted it in August, and the writing process was very intense because I had literally nothing else to do. Fortunately maths can be done pretty much anywhere, and since everyone learnt how to use zoom I can now collaborate with colleagues in different places much more easily!
I began to speak farmore regularly with my family, which is something we have continued. I can’t believe how little we used to speak! Aside from that I can’t see many positives, though I am of course grateful to still have my health, many people have had a worse time than me. I don’t mean to sound too gloomy, but I will be very happy when normality returns!
I definitely have a better appreciation of my relationships with friends and family, and of how important it is to me to spend time in nature. I’ve also learnt to appreciate the value of having a calm and focused mind. As they say, “you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”.
„The cultural diversity! It seems like every region has it’s own dialect, and own type of Wurst. I travelled a lot in Baden-Württemberg and Rheinland-Pfalz when I was living in Mannheim, and I’m looking forward to seeing a different side of Germany up north.“