ML4Q Students and Postdocs gather in Siegburg for the Retreat 2024
Over eighty PhD and master’s students, undergraduate interns, and postdocs gathered in the city of Siegburg for an active summer retreat hosted by ML4Q. This event spanned the last three days of July, fostering community, potential collaboration, and professional growth among participants from different sites.
Magdalena Baer Radermacher kicked off the retreat with a warm welcome note. She introduced participants to the numerous opportunities that come with being an ML4Q associate member, providing an overview of available summer schools, courses, seminars, workshops, and career support options. Participants were encouraged to explore more on the ML4Q website for further information.
The retreat’s first evening featured an Q&A session with the keynote speaker Andreas Wallraff, the leader of the Quantum Device Lab at ETH Zürich. Wallraff shared his inspiring academic journey, answering participants’ questions about his experiences, which also began at RWTH Aachen University. Later that evening, the poster session was a vibrant occasion for academic exchange, where each group gave a glimpse into their research focus.
After a series of scientific talks on the second day, the weather was perfectly sunny to jump into the Olympic-sized swimming pool or into the slides at the retreat’s hotel. Alternatively, a hike or board games were also among the options for a networking break. The day concluded with a lively social gathering where everyone came together for drinks and a Karaoke performance.
On the final day, participants attended workshops tailored to their interests, covering diverse topics such as data management in academia and quantum transport simulations. These sessions, led by both internal and external trainers, were designed based on student requests and offered practical, hands-on learning experiences.
The retreat left participants inspired and better connected, ready to return to their labs and offices with fresh energy.
