OPTEXC Spring School 2026:

From February 9-11, the University of Bayreuth and the Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien (FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg) hosted a special Spring School, bringing together PIs, Early Career Researchers, and coordinators from two Research Training Groups of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) – German Research Foundation: Our very own OPTEXC as well as TIDE from the Universität zu Köln and Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn! 

Day 1 – Welcome & Connection

We kicked things off with a warm welcome to PhD researchers and PIs from Bayreuth and Cologne/Bonn by Anna Köhler (IRTG OPTEXC) and Klaus Meerholz (RTG TIDE). Their opening remarks led directly to the first interactive phase of the agenda: The poster session was a vibrant hub of ideas, with great opportunities to explore shared concerns, exchange interim results, and possibly spark new collaborations.

The evening highlight was a guided tour and dinner at Liebesbier where we learned about the rich tradition of Franconian beer brewing and the fascinating underground cellars that keep it cool.

Day 2 – Deep Dives & Lab Tours

Engaging talks from Anna Köhler, Markus Lippitz, Klaus Meerholz and Arne Lützen provided valuable insights from both OPTEXC and TIDE. In the afternoon, members of our OPTEXC PhD program did not venture long-distance to Melbourne, but journeyed to FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg for a visit to IMEET & HI-ERN – complete with a lab tour that showcased innovative research in action.

Day 3 – Collaboration & Closing

The final day opened with additional perspectives by Larry Lüer (FAU), Klaus Meerholz and Daniele Fazzi (both Cologne). Together, we reflected on shared challenges, future directions, and the potential of interdisciplinary collaboration.

A huge thanks to all participants, organizers and partners for making this an enriching experience across DFG-funded Research Training Groups.