FST Winter Retreat in Manigod, FR: Now Together with VES and Industrial Science

This year, the traditional FST winter retreat expanded its horizons and welcomed the Chair for Process Engineering of Electrochemical Systems (VES; Prof. Dr.-Ing. John Linkhorst) as well as Industrial Science to the beautiful winter surroundings of Chalet Giersch in Manigod, France. The retreat seamlessly blended work discussions, team building and outdoor activities, fostering collaboration and camaraderie among the participants.

Under the umbrella of FST, the work discussions revolved around topics such as newly acquired projects as well as planned research proposals. The discussion benefited greatly from the expertise of both VES and Industrial Science who brought new perspectives to the table.

But the retreat was not all about work: Members of FST, VES and Industrial Science also participated in team building activities which included building a pasta bridge and creating mascots for each research group.

Traditionally, we organized a cooking competition between each day’s dinner team. The traditional cooking competition showcased not only the culinary talents of the participants but also provided a platform for informal interactions. This year’s winner was the team of Manuel Rexer, Ingo Dietrich, Sissy Sommer and Tim Schimkat who cooked an amazing dinner of pumpkin soup, Maultaschen and Kaiserschmarrn.

After the weekend full of work discussions, the participants also embraced the winter ambiance of Manigod and La Clusaz by alpine and Nordic skiing as well as hiking and sledging. As the date of the winter retreat coincided with Carnival, the team enjoyed their own special Fastnachtssitzung in funny, colorful costumes, with an unbeatable Büttenrede and other festive activities.

The winter retreat in Manigod not only offered space for enriching discussions but also solidified the bonds within and between each of the participating institutions.