“Research in Germany” Initiative at the Congress of Soil Science in Natal

(11.09.15) As part of the “Research in Germany” initiative, delegates from the DFG attended the 35th Brazilian Congress of Soil Science (Congresso Brasileiro de Ciência do Solo) in Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, between 3 and 7 August. The event was organised by the Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) and held in the upland Natal Convention Center.

There was a constant demand from qualified researchers for research and funding opportunities in Germany at the “Research in Germany” stand. The congress participants who expressed an interest were mainly Brazilian; most of them enquired about opportunities for students, graduates and doctoral researchers.

Silvia Bauer from the DAAD offering advice on the “Research in Germany” stand

Silvia Bauer from the DAAD offering advice on the “Research in Germany” stand

A qualitative evaluation has revealed that around 85 people were offered an in-depth consultation over the course of the week. Approximately one quarter of them were students asking about study visits or master's programmes in Germany. Half of those receiving advice were graduates with questions about PhD or master's programmes, or doctoral researchers enquiring about research visits or postdoc opportunities in Germany. The number of postdocs and experienced researchers receiving advice was around one fifth, although there were also specific questions about collaborative projects in this category.

Researcher Professor Dr. Jörg Matschullat was invited to give a talk on the second day of the congress. He has already conducted research and lectured in Brazil and is the Chair of Geochemistry and Geoecology and the Head of the Interdisciplinary Ecological Centre of the Freiberg University of Mining and Technology. His presentation on “Large-Scale Geochemical Soil Mapping: Opportunities and Surprises” captivated the large audience.

Traditional posters for the CBCS Congress

Traditional posters for the CBCS Congress

On the last day of the congress, the “Research in Germany” initiative held an information event between 9:30 and 11 am with around 30 participants. After Professor Dr. Matschullat had reported on his research area and his institution in Germany, Silvia Bauer from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and Dr. Kathrin Winkler from the DFG then presented their funding and cooperation programmes and answered questions from the audience. Following this presentation, the DFG Office Latin America received several email enquiries from researchers interested in a research visit in Germany. This shows that the “Research in Germany” initiative's appearance at the congress was successful.

Innovative e-posters in Natal Convention Center

Innovative e-posters in Natal Convention Center

The particularly innovative e-poster sessions also deserve a mention. During these sessions, individual posters were presented at various terminals via a display and could be accessed at any time by entering the relevant number. This made a positive contribution to protecting the environment and saved money. The initiative by the delegates from the “Research in Germany” portal was widely praised, specifically for its involvement in presenting research and funding opportunities at the Congress, which created a very good impression among congress visitors in Natal.