Celebration of the Graduates and Start of the Second Funding PeriodThis was our Graduation Party 2025

22 April 2025, by RTG 2530

Photo: UHH/RTG2530/Grebe

Luise Grüterich, Elena Hauten, Nele Martens, Friederike Neiske, Youssef Saadaoui, Laurin Steidle, Panunporn Tutiyasarn, and Monica Wilson had made it to this special moment. On 31 March 2025, their achievements were honoured in the Carl von Linné Lecture Hall at the Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology at the University of Hamburg. In his welcome speech, Norbert Ritter, Dean of the MIN Faculty, warmly congratulated the graduates of the RTG 2530 and formally presented them with their Transcripts of Records (ToR). Johanna Biederbick, who will soon defend her doctoral thesis, also received her ToR that evening in recognition of her achievements.

This last day of March, just before the second funding period began on 1 April 2025, was a chance for members and friends of the RTG 2530 to reminisce and look back on the past four and a half years. A slideshow was shown on the large screen in the Carl von Linné Lecture Hall, featuring many special snapshots that brought back memories of intense research phases, teamwork, and joyful, shared moments filled with laughter.

The fact that the evening also provided space for personal reflections was particularly evident in the graduates' contributions. At the suggestion of Norbert Ritter, Dean of the MIN Faculty, they presented their research topics and key findings and talked about what the experience had meant to them personally, from the value of collegial support to the strength they gained in overcoming challenges.

That evening also featured a look ahead. Kai Jensen, the outgoing spokesperson of the RTG 2530, took the opportunity in his speech to express his gratitude to everyone who had contributed during the first funding period. He also introduced new members and announced changes within the team: Elisa Schaum, previously the deputy spokesperson, will take over as the new spokesperson of the RTG 2530 in October 2025, with Philipp Porada becoming her deputy from October 2026. The group of principal investigators (PIs) will be joined by Nicole Aberle-Malzahn, Joscha Becker, Kirstin Dähnke, Flemming Dahlke, Jochen Fründ, Luisa Listmann, and Arne Malzahn.

The duo "Die besondere Note" enriched the evening with classical music from the very beginning. After the official part of the event, they performed again in the institute's foyer, where the celebration continued with delicious food and drinks, beautiful music, and many lively conversations.