Last week, I returned to Freiburg from Lund, Sweden, where I have spent the last 5 months as a guest researcher at Lund University. It was a pleasure to work in the highly interdisciplinary research environments of BECC and CEC during my sabbatical.
→ read BECC article on my experiences as guest researcher
During my time in Sweden I had the opportunity to engage in various activities aimed at advancing scientific research. I focused on implementing projects, responding to feedback on a policy report, writing scientific reports, participating in EU-proposals, and organizing symposia in Lund and China. I also travelled to Chile to participate in a workshop on, among other things, the role of ecological societies and research institutions in solving environmental problems. At the BECC annual meeting, I gave a talk with tips on how researchers can make an impact on society and advance their careers.
My experience highlighted the value of BECC and CEC’s interdisciplinary approach, collaborative atmosphere, and emphasis on stakeholder engagement. I found it particularly beneficial to interact with researchers from diverse disciplines and countries, which encouraged me to think innovatively and step out of my comfort zone.
I plan to continue collaborating with BECC and CEC researchers on projects such as RestPoll, develop research proposals and schedule future research visits to further enhance our collaborative efforts.