The event, organized by the doctoral college “Digital Innovations for a Changing Society” (DIWAG) at HNU, attracted around 60 participants to the university - including members of the DIWAG partner universities in Amberg-Weiden and Landshut, students interested in doctoral studies, academic staff and professors. The entire program was moderated by the Bavarian cabaret artist Claudia Pichler, known from the Grünwald Freitagscomedy, who created a relaxed atmosphere with her subtle humor and personal insights into her own doctorate.
Greetings from HNU President Feser and HNU Vice President Buchner
In her welcoming address, HNU President Prof. Dr. Uta M. Feser emphasized the importance of doctorates at universities of applied sciences (HaW) and in particular acknowledged the award of the independent right to award doctorates to HNU in 2023 as an important milestone. The welcome address by Prof. Dr. Elmar Buchner, HNU Vice President for Research and Promotion of Young Researchers and also Head of the HNU Doctoral Center, set a humorous tone with an allusion to the sometimes arduous review processes in science. “The doctorate is an important and serious step in career planning, regardless of whether the goal is a career in science or in a company,” he emphasized. “However, having fun with scientific work and a good sense of humor help tremendously to master the sometimes rocky road to a doctorate.”
Dr. Who: Doctoral candidates pose a puzzle
The first item on the program put the spotlight on the current doctoral students from the DIWAG doctoral college and the Bavarian Science Forum (BayWISS) collaborative colleges. They presented their research topics in a fast-paced presentation and then challenged the audience with an interactive quiz: What do the seemingly randomly assembled doctoral students have in common? The unexpected connections caused many a laugh, and the correct answers were rewarded with HNU merchandise, among other things. The playful approach also revealed a deeper message: despite all the thematic diversity, the projects that the doctoral students are driving forward with great commitment have one thing in common - they address key future fields ranging from digital innovations to resource-efficient business and social transformation processes, and thus all actively contribute to shaping a future worth living.
P for doctorate - and profile neurosis?
Three different academic careers in fast-forward: This is what the keynote speeches by HNU research professor Dr. Walter Swoboda, HNU professor Dr. Andy Weeger and HNU doctoral student Maike Netscher offered, who shared their personal experiences and insights in very different ways - sometimes humorous, sometimes reflective, always encouraging. Prof. Dr. Walter Swoboda, for example, explained with a wink why a certain profile neurosis can be an advantage for a doctorate - and which questions you should ask yourself in advance. Prof. Dr. Andy Weeger analyzed his own career path with scientific precision and a clear conclusion: a career in research is worthwhile, especially if you want to understand things in depth. Maike Netscher, on the other hand, offered an entertaining insight into the discrepancy between self-perception and the perception of others during the doctoral period and encouraged young academics to also pursue a doctorate.
Across disciplines and dialects: fishbowl discussion provided a variety of impulses
In the following part of the program, different qualification levels not only had their say, but also got into conversation with each other: HNU President Prof. Dr. Uta M. Feser, HNU Vice President Prof. Dr. Elmar Buchner and Prof. Dr. Stefan Bormann (HAW Landshut) as well as the two doctoral candidates Verena Mattes (HNU) and Stefan Rösl (HAW Amberg-Weiden) unfolded their perspectives on the doctorate, discussed different career paths in science and highlighted the ups and downs on the way to the doctorate - supplemented by a free chair that invited active participation. In addition to personal insights and practical advice, the discussion also left room for humorous moments; for example, when it came to “soft” subject boundaries and “hard” dialect hurdles - after all, the panel interviewed by Claudia Pichler from Upper Bavaria was not only diverse in terms of their position on the career ladder, but also in terms of their native dialect: In addition to North German, a Bavarian mixture was represented, ranging from Franconian to Upper Palatinate and Swabian.
Musical and culinary finale
To round things off, Claudia Pichler picked up her guitar and performed a song from her current solo program: the supermarket romance about meat fly Alois, who converts to veganism out of love for fruit fly Jessica, brought the official program to an absurdly humorous close and paved the way to the buffet. Over finger food and fruit spritzers, the participants exchanged views on doctoral studies in general, discussed their own research topics and reflected on possible career paths. In a relaxed atmosphere, professional impulses and new contacts were made that lasted well beyond the afternoon and evening.
Contact
Dr. Kristina Klitzke
