Retreats
Overview
Each year, a one-week-retreat is held for which all research school members meet in person. All expenses are covered by NETs@Helmholtz. The focus of the retreats is on developing transdisciplinary thinking, gaining transferable skills, and building community. During the integrated PI Day, participants have the opportunity to network with scientists from the DACStorE project.
The retreat program is organized in a 3-year program with 2 cohorts of members. Due to the 5-year duration of the DACStorE project, the program in year 3 will overlap, offering both the content from the first retreat and the third retreat.
Goals and Competencies
- Build Community: To connect participants from across Germany to create a strong and supportive network.
- Encourage Collaboration: To promote teamwork across different disciplines to support the DACStorE research work and spark new ideas and approaches.
- Engage with PIs: To enable exchanges with PIs from the DACStorE project for guidance and knowledge sharing.
- Hands-On Learning: To organize field trips to give practical experience.
- Develop Transferable Skills: To help participants build skills such as science communication, teamwork, and project management.
Retreat Program
First Retreat
This retreat serves as both a community-building and skill-building event, laying the foundation for ongoing collaborative work.
Key content:
- Onboarding of new participants
- Team-building exercises to strengthen cohort dynamics
- Discussions on core values such as diversity and inclusion
- Peer mentoring through 'S-teams' (Success Teams)
- Science Communication Training with a focus on the DACS Talks
Second Retreat
The second retreat aims to prioritize experiences and skills essential for sustaining productivity and fostering a healthy academic life, as well as consolidating PhD community and exchange with the DACStorE project.
Key content:
- Mental Health Awareness: Resources and techniques for maintaining well-being, managing stress, and creating a balanced, supportive research environment.
- Research School Project
Third Retreat
This retreat is designed to equip participants with the tools and insights needed to transition successfully to the next stage of their careers, whether in research or beyond.
Key content:
- Career Planning: Guidance on identifying career paths within academia, industry, or alternative fields, as well as strategies for building a strong professional network.
- Entrepreneurship: Tteaching the basics of entrepreneurship and strengthening interaction between researchers and industry partners.
