The organizing team used the poster presentation to spark new ideas and stimulate mutual exchange among the students. The goal was to pitch a science idea for potential application to the DoSChem programs “New Ideas” and “International Exchange”. In this way students have to actively look and find their matching interaction partners to develop together a successful pitch story to be presented in front of all participants. The best ideas were voted by students (student’s choice) and PIs (PIs choice). Students received feedback on their ideas and the process on creating of such a pitch.  

Two guest speakers also gave some insight into this topic:

• Lennert Martens  (Ghent University) “Topic: Ideas - Future Developments in Omics-Fields”.

• Erik Reimhult (BOKU Vienna, FWF) “Ideas to Proposals”.

To further deepen connections and ideas among the participants, the retreat was accompanied by a recreational trip to the Weltmaschine from Franz Gsellmann, the tour to the chocolate factory Zotter followed  by a hike and  rounded up by the wine tasting at the wine tavern Buschenschank Bernhart Riegersburg.