WRITING RETREAT & SUMMER SCHOOL 2023
03-07 July 2023, Spital am Pyhrn
This year, we, the ÖGP-JuWis representatives, once again had the pleasure of organizing a combined Summer School and Writing Retreat. In total, 23 pre- and postdocs working in different areas of psychology in Austria, Germany, and Slovenia as well as three mentors came together in the beautiful town of Spital am Pyhrn.
Participants were welcomed with lunch and an introduction by the ÖGP JuWis and ÖGP president Judith Glück. They had the chance to get to know each other and start networking in a World Cafe. Judith Glück held the first interactive keynote on “Support for Young Scientists: What Is Needed and What Can the ÖGP Offer?” and encouraged all participants to brainstorm on the topic. On the second day, Jakob Pietschnig gave insight into “Scientific Societies, Editorial Boards, and Hosting Conferences: An Opportunistic Perspective on the Pros and Cons of Unpaid Academic Labor” in his keynote. Gaby Hofer gave very helpful input on Scientific Writing in a workshop on the same day. On Wednesday, Christian Seubert held his keynote on “Precarious employment in academia: A pervasive, yet irresolvable problem?”. Even though the challenging working conditions of early career researchers are disheartening, the ensuing discussion showed us that standing together we might be able to face these challenges. In addition to keynote speakers, participants also gave presentations on their research and ideas in exciting lightning talks. Summer School participants benefited from stimulating mentoring sessions, while Writing Retreat participants joined guided or unguided writing sessions in secluded writing rooms with optional active breaks (e.g., music, dancing) and access to a collection of writing books.
There was lots of time for networking and fun at joint meals, coffee breaks, evening activities, and social events. One highlight was the joint hike to the Gleinkersee–a refreshing change of sight to gain new energy for the next writing sessions. Participants showed their creativity and actively added to the program by organizing groups for yoga, swimming, board game sessions, walks in the area, and other activities.
An evaluative questionnaire at the end of the event showed overwhelmingly positive responses! Everyone stated that they would love to attend next year and would highly recommend attending the summer school. Sharing experiences between peers and informal chats with professional mentors were extremely appreciated. We are thankful to all mentors and participants who made such a positive experience possible! We are looking forward to meeting you at our next event! And as one of the participants said: “It is the people that make this awesome!”
The ÖGP-JuWis representatives
