Summer Student Program 2015 Begins

News of July 31, 2015

The “Summer Student Program 2015” at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) began on Monday, July 27th with a kick-off event. Between July and September, eighteen students from eleven countries are given the opportunity to study current topics in energy, materials and health research. With participants from Chile, Poland, Peru, Belarus, Spain and China, the program also underscores the importance of international exchange in science.

On Monday, Prof. Roland Sauerbrey, Scientific Director at the HZDR, greeted the fifteen young visiting scientists who had already arrived. His introductory speech described the landscape of German research and the scientific work undertaken at the center. During a small barbecue, the students were able to chat with advisors and members of staff for the first time.

In addition to research work guided by individually appointed advisors, talks and presentations given by HZDR scientists are also part of the program: between July 28th and September 2nd the summer students will attend seventeen talks and discover more on topics such as ion acceleration with high-power lasers, the foundations of nanoelectronics or motion correction in medical imaging. The framework of the program also includes excursions to Saxon Switzerland and the Spreewald.

The HZDR provides housing for the participants – for example, in the HZDR guest house or in the TU Dresden guest accommodations – and supports the students financially with a stipend. Acceptance to the program is decided by a scientific committee based on a CV, past scientific work and a recommendation letter. The minimum requirement is a bachelor’s degree or other undergraduate degree.

Dr. Michael Bussmann and Dr. Kay Potzger are responsible for the scientific coordination of the program. Annette Weißig from HZDR’s International Office oversees the general organization.