The Educational Program of the Earth System Science Research School (ESSReS) - Towards an Interdisciplinary Approach in Earth System Science - page 12

2.7 Excursions

Various excursions within ESSReS were offered to the PhD students as on-site
training, practical application and social event. While the visit of RV Polarstern and
the participation on cruises with RVHeincke and RCUth

ö

c
topics (see Sect. 2.1 ) and the preparation for the participation of a longer expedition,
additional social gatherings were organized to foster networking opportunities. An
excursion to the Harz mountain range and the meteorological observatory on the
“

rn also focused on scienti

peak gave the opportunity to become acquainted with the history and the
geology of the northern part of Germany. After visiting northern Germany

Brocken ”

s highest
elevation, another excursion went to the national park Waddensea near Cuxhaven
including a hike through the tidal

'

fl flats from the mainland to the island of Neuwerk.

2.8 Annual Retreat

An annual retreat in autumn of each year was held to ensure a regular exchange
between the PhD students and the supervisors/senior scientists of the three insti-
tutions (Fig. 2 ). The supervisors and other scientists from the working fields of each

PhD student were invited to participate in the retreat, where oral and poster

Fig. 2 ESSReS students and supervisors at the second ESSReS retreat at the Botanika Conference