CEPLAS Symposium 2023 – 10 years CEPLAS

On March 27 and 28, about 160 each current and former cluster members, external guests and members of the Scientific Advisory Board came to the Flora in Cologne to celebrate the 10th anniversary of CEPLAS and to present the cluster's research and exchange ideas at a symposium.

The first day of the symposium started with an alumni meeting to which former CEPLAS members were invited to meet again and exchange ideas.

The symposium was then officially opened by the Rector of the University of Cologne, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c.. Axel Freimuth, who in his welcoming address referred the importance of the Cluster of Excellence's research and the successes achieved by the Cluster to date.

In his subsequent introductory speech, cluster speaker Andreas Weber thanked the members of the Cluster of Excellence, which was launched at the end of 2012, for their outstanding commitment in recent years, which has contributed significantly to the cluster's success.

On both days, several scientific presentations from the different research areas of CEPLAS followed, as well as presentations by external guests and alumni.

In a poster session, CEPLAS young scientists presented their projects. All participants had the opportunity to view the posters and to discuss the projects in detail with the respective researchers. Afterwards, everyone could submit their vote to select the best posters. The first prize for the best poster went to CEPLAS PhD student Tom Winkler. Second place was shared by Marjorie Guichard, Edgar Demesa-Arevalo (both postdocs) and PhD student Kumsal Ecem-Colpan.

During the coffee and lunch breaks, as well as during a joint dinner, intensive discussions took place between the participants. During the breaks, the participants also had the opportunity to take part in a social media initiative organized by the CEPLAS, MPI and FZJ coordinators. They were invited to choose two signs with terms they associate with CEPLAS and then photographed with these two signs. The pictures will be published on the social media channels as part of the CEPLAS 10th anniversary.

At the end of the symposium, Maria von Korff Schmising thanked CEPLAS speakers Andreas Weber and Stanislav Kopriva on behalf of all cluster members for their commitment to CEPLAS.