5 August 2026, by RTG 2530

Photo: UHH/RTG2530/Niemann

Tina enjoying a vacation in Bruges, Belgium.

Since 1st June 2026, Tina Niemann has been supporting the coordination of RTG 2530, and as of 1st August this year, she has officially taken on the role. She follows Dr. Susanne Stirn, who had coordinated the Research Training Group since its establishment and has now retired.

A surprise farewell party was held, featuring hugs, speeches, gifts, and joyful yet bittersweet reflections on the many wonderful moments shared with Susanne Stirn over nearly six years. Still, the farewell was not an easy one. As Elisa Schaum, the current spokesperson of RTG 2530, and Kai Jensen, its former spokesperson, noted: "In many ways, Susanne has been the heart and soul of the RTG since its early days, and we will miss her greatly. We wish her much joy as she leaves to pastures new. At the same time, we are very lucky that Tina is taking over the role of the project coordinator, and we are looking forward to the exciting times that we will have within the RTG.”

Tina Niemann herself is optimistic about the future: "I’m really looking forward to an exciting time with RTG 2530, and especially to the diverse collaboration with its members! What I find particularly fascinating is seeing how the doctoral researchers develop into independent scholars in their fields. My hope is that, after their time in RTG 2530, they will leave with confidence and strength to take on the world. I want to support them on this journey, be there for them, and offer a listening ear."

She already has experience in project coordination: Most recently, she served as a project coordinator for Prof. Dr. Dominik Begerow (UHH) in the DFG-funded Priority Programme "SPP1991 Taxon-Omics: New approaches to discovering and naming biodiversity." She says of her new role: "I already enjoyed the varied work there, so I’m very happy to be continuing in this capacity within RTG 2530."