Navigating to new horizons of Solvation Science
Spokesperson Prof. Martina Havenith started the retreat with an inspiring talk focussing on RESOLV and the new challenges in science and society. Havenith pointed out the challenges science is facing right now. Creating an atmosphere of belonging where everybody can thrive, regardless of gender or nationality, is one of RESOLV’s core missions. Our mission is the open exchange of ideas beyond disciplines and countries in order to continue the journey to new horizons of Solvation Science and for the benefit of society.
Networking and focus on internal exchange
The program included 13 talks and 42 poster slots for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers. RESOLVs youngest scientists presented their master pieces to an interdisciplinary audience to promote the internal exchange of ideas and methods. Additionally, two of the newest RESOLV PSs, Dr. Pep Cornella and Prof. Igor Schapiro, gave intriguing talks to introduce themselves and their research to spark new collaborations. This highlights the collaborative character of RESOLV, resulting in over 500 peer-reviewed publications with more than one group. In addition to the scientific program, there was also plenty of room for social activity and networking: This year, a table soccer tournament was held as part of a team-building activity. In a fascinating evening lecture, Prof. Roland Winter explained the background of Solvation Science behind Food & Wine Tasting.
Mental Health Session
Prof. Jürgen Margraf from the Deutsches Zentrum für Psychische Gesundheit (engl. German Center for Mental Health) gave an overview of the present challenges in our society due to the increasing number of mental health issues. His talk outlined how to improve mental health. The talk was followed by a very vivid final discussion.
Poster awards and concluding remarks
After fruitful discussions and extensive networking, the retreat was concluded with a special highlight - the award ceremony of the RESOLV Poster Prizes: Maite Böhm won the first prize for her poster on “High-Dimensional Neural Network Potentials for Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Mineral-Water Interfaces”, the second prize was awarded to Dr. Yunjun Cao for his poster on “Carbenes for on-surface reactions”, and the third prize went to Bashar Moussa for his poster on “Solvation Shell Spectroscopy of Supported Lipid Bilayers”. Finally, Board member Prof. Gabriele Sadowski closed the event with the remark: “We are not only scientists - but also humans first. We want to take care of each other”. RESOLV now holds its many fingers crossed for the final decision on 22nd of May, 2025.