A warm welcome: Summer students start at the HZB
Die Sommerstudierenden erkunden Berlin. © privat
Besuch des Naturkundemuseums Berlin. © privat
On 1 July 2024, 18 summer students from 15 nations started their work at HZB. Until 23 August, they will be supervised in various research teams and take on their own small project. For many students, this is their first contact with research.
"We are delighted that there were so many applications for places this year. The summer students are highly motivated to gain new experiences at HZB and in Berlin," says Marieke Hoog Antink. Together with Cécile Dufloux, Jennifer Kusch and Ana Anselmo, she is member of the organisation team. After a brief welcome and an introduction to research at the HZB, the summer students moved on to the departments on the very first day. There they have eight weeks to work independently on a project. They then will present their results to the other students and HZB staff at the end of the programme.
An attractive framing programme is offered as well: they will visit the Einstein Park in Potsdam, followed by a tour of the Adlershof science campus, during which they will visit the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt and BESSY II. At the Wannsee campus, the programme includes eye tumour therapy. The students will also attend a workshop on entrepreneurship offered by the HZB Technology Transfer department.
The summer students will blog about their experiences at work and during their spare time. Antonia Rötger from the Communications Department is offering an introduction to science communication.
We wish you a good time at HZB!
- Discover HZB at our Open Day on 28 AugustWe warmly invite you to our Open Day at the Lise Meitner Campus of the Helmholtz Centre Berlin (HZB) in Wannsee! A varied programme awaits you, featuring around 20 stations, guided tours, talks and hands-on activities for all.
- Hatice Mutlu appointed to the Helmholtz Institute HIPOLE in JenaProf. Dr Hatice Mutlu is the new professor of sustainable polymer chemistry at HIPOLE Jena, the Helmholtz Institute for Polymers in Energy Applications. On 17 August 2026, she visited the HZB campus in Berlin-Adlershof including the BESSY II lightsource and discussed future collaboration with researchers and the board of directors.
- A frustrated material, and a frustrating synthesisIn condensed matter physics, "frustration" is a technical term: it describes a lattice geometry where competing magnetic interactions cannot all be satisfied simultaneously. This summer at HZB, I have been trying to *make* a frustrated material, and in the process I discovered that the word also describes rather accurately what happens when your sample explodes for the third time in a week.