Science, Strategy and some fresh air

The Lightwavelab team is growing and the third team retreat brought together our members from RPTU Kaiserslautern, Leibniz-IPHT Jena, and Fraunhofer ITWM, alongside guests from ELI-NP and the University Politehnica of Bucharest. We were also delighted to welcome the CEO of IRscope, one of our industry allies. In other words: plenty of scientists from different institutions, and a very good excuse to leave the lab for a few days.

Our destination was the historic Villa Denis in Diemerstein, tucked away in the Pfälzer Wald, providing an ideal setting for scientific exchange, strategic discussions, and discovering that Lightwavelab researchers can indeed survive without a laser experiment nearby.

The retreat offered a chance to step away from the usual rhythm of experiments, simulations and meetings. We shared our latest research findings, discussed ideas across projects and institutions, and worked together on roadmaps for future Bsc, MSc and PhD theses as well as collaborations.

A good retreat consists of presentation slides, but not only.

We also ventured into the forest for hikes, enjoyed game nights, made music together, and, most importantly, found plenty of time for good conversations and human connection.

The retreat finished with a celebration to mark the completion of formal and infrastructural preparations for operation of experiments in Lightwavelab’s newest laboratory facility on Kohlenhofstraße in Kaiserslautern. While the inauguration ceremony of the Kohlenhofstraße facility is still to come, this was a fitting finale to a productive and inspiring few days.

We left Villa Denis with fresh ideas, renewed energy, and plenty of plans for what comes next. Now it’s back to the lab, where the experiments are already waiting.