Simon Püschel & Luis Hott: „We also made new contacts and found ideas through the interdisciplinary exchange with outstanding early-career researchers.“ (English version)
Networking event with 23 scholarship holders
Hmjam. The annual meeting is a highlight in the MPP calendar. In 2025, it took place from June 13th to 15th at the idyllically located House of Bavarian Agriculture in Herrsching on Lake Ammersee. 23 participants took this opportunity to network and exchange ideas.
The official agenda began with a warm welcome by the organizer, Dr. Anne-Sophie Käsbauer. Even at this early stage, humor wasn‘t short: the most frequently shared expectation was “fun”, while the expectation “punishment” caused collective amusement – and fortunately remained unfulfilled. Frauke Preißinger, Ministerialrätin and head of the ENB office, also welcomed the participants and answered their questions.
Work(shop) hard – Voice training, resilience, and career paths
A central part of the annual meeting consisted of three workshops. Silke Herbst taught participants how to use their voice effectively when communicating and presenting. The “Hmjam” at the beginning of this text is a speaking exercise introduced in her session. Professor Dr. Christian Strobel, in his workshop on resilience, offered insights into the cognitive and emotional dimensions of resilience and mental well-being. He placed particular emphasis on intensive small group work. Dr. Anne Schreiter explained how to approach the own career path strategically and how to navigate the various challenges that come with it.
Play hard – AI, Brewery and Science Slam
The educational program was complemented by additional highlights. On Friday evening, Professor Dr. Annette Hautli-Janisz gave a lecture on where and how artificial intelligence already goes beyond human capabilitiees. Who knows – perhaps this text was even written with the help of AI? On Saturday, under sunny skies, we visited Andechs Monastery. There, we were guided through the brewery via a VR tour, followed by a beer tasting. The MPP favorite, by a narrow margin, was the Andechser Bockbier.
On Saturday evening, the MPP Science Slam took place. We learned about the connection between dowsing rods and crystal structures (Manuel Zahn), the enduring German Reich and misguided Reichsbürger (Simon Püschel), and flattened hedgehogs in quantum physics (Raluca Boltje; all three from the University of Augsburg). On Sunday at midday, there was a discussion with two MPP alumnae followed by the closing session.
MPP – A strong network
Filled with impressions, insights, and experiences, we now return to everyday life. We also made new contacts and found ideas through the interdisciplinary exchange with outstanding early-career researchers. During meal breaks, in the garden, as well as at and in Lake Ammersee, conversations ranged from professional to personal topics. Issues that concern many of us included working conditions and career prospects in academia, as well as the broader political situation. It is precisely this exchange that defines the MPP as a strong network.