IQST PhD retreat 2025 – Science, Skills, and the Allgäu Alps

This year’s IQST PhD Retreat brought together around 50 early-stage research­ers from across the IQST community for three days of learn­ing, discus­sion, and network­ing in the stunning alpine surround­ings of Söller­haus in Klein­w­alser­tal, Austria.

The retreat offered a rich mix of scientific and profes­sional devel­op­ment oppor­tun­it­ies. Parti­cipants, who come from a wide range of discip­lin­ary and inter­na­tional backgrounds, engaged in poster sessions, inter­act­ive workshop-style lectures by invited guests in the field of quantum science, and a soft-skills seminar on career planning after the PhD: “Choose the Right Path for You.” 

A highlight of the program was the group hike, provid­ing a relaxed and adven­tur­ous setting for informal exchange and community build­ing. The combin­a­tion of scientific input, career advice, and social activ­it­ies created an inspir­ing envir­on­ment for inter­dis­cip­lin­ary network­ing and collab­or­a­tion. Thanks to all parti­cipants and speak­ers who made this retreat a memor­able experience!