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Testimonials:

Martin Sandhop, Head of Team International Collaborations:
- „The intensive program is a unique opportunity for the young researchers involved - and we are very happy that we could bring them to us during this time“

Daria Zaremba, Winterstudentin aus Kyiv:
- „For me, it was especially valuable to exchange ideas with other students and international researchers. Moreover, it was exciting to be part of a DESY research group. I gained many new impressions.“

Pavlo Panasiuk aus Lviv:
- “I had an excellent opportunity to study exactly what I wanted to. I had the opportunity to present and discuss really fresh results in work meetings.”

Sofia Baletska aus Kharkiv:
- “Thank you very much for the interesting lectures!"

Ukraine Winter School

Photo of a student with the Ukrainian flag in front of the Freedom Monument in Kyiv before departure (left). Presentation of the signed flag at the welcome event with all students, supervisors, members of the DESY Directorate, as well as invited guests from the Ukrainian Consulate.

First Ukraine Winter School 2023

 

Background

A break from war for Ukrainian students.

A year after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russian missiles and bombs continue to destroy universities and research facilities. The longer the war lasts, the greater the risk of leaving students permanently behind or losing them completely. In response, a dedicated program for Ukrainian students has been developed within the DESY-Ukraine Assistance Group to provide them with a winter school research experience at DESY from February to March 2023. 

 

Facts about the first Ukraine Winter School

  • More than 100 applicants from Ukraine and refugee students from Germany and other European countries

  • More than 50 projects offered at DESY and the European XFEL

  • 17+5 projects carried out at the campuses in Hamburg and Zeuthen, 2+2 virtual projects with students in Ukraine

  • From theory to instrumentation, from the smallest atomic scales to the largest objects in the universe

  • Complementary lecture program in particle and astroparticle physics, accelerators, as well as photon science and quantum computing

  • Wide coverage on regional and national level through contributions in all media

  • Highlight: Tagesschau report with more than one million viewers

 

Implementation

The winter school for students from Ukraine was developed in close cooperation with the established and internationally renowned DESY summer student program. During a six-week research stay, they were able to work closely with female scientists on current research projects in the fields of accelerators, photon science, particle and astroparticle physics, as well as machine learning and quantum computing. The project work was complemented by a series of lectures on the physics behind this research, as well as advanced career development training.

 

Almost 60 different research projects could thus be offered at the two DESY sites in Hamburg and in Zeuthen (Brandenburg). The fact that there is also an enormous demand on the part of Ukrainian students became clear from the more than 100 applicants. They come from all Ukrainian regions and universities with a focus on Kyiv and Kharkiv, but also from Dnipro, Lviv, Odessa, Sumy, and the recently liberated Kherson. Also a substantial portion of refugee students, who are already in Germany or in the European country, have applied.

Despite extensive efforts on the part of those responsible at DESY and Ukrainian colleagues, it was unfortunately not possible to allow male applicants to leave the country due to the prevailing martial law. After an internal selection process in November 2022, 26 students were finally invited, 17 of whom conducted research at the Hamburg site and five in Zeuthen. In addition, two projects were realized virtually at each of the two locations. The transfer of students to and from Zeuthen and Hamburg was realized by a chartered bus via the Ukrainian-Polish border town of Przémysl.

The lecture program was made freely available on the Internet and recorded for delayed reading during power outages after Russian attacks. In order to generate the widest possible reach, the lectures were also made freely available via the free lecture platform „Enabla“.

Events and Scientific Lecture Programme

Summary

Even though the war is omnipresent, the winter school was able to give 22 students from Ukraine a breather and provide them with hope and a pers- pective. The feedback from the students, DESY staff, and scientific partners nationally and internationally was very positive throughout. The Winter School has also generated visibility among the German public. In addition to local and regional contributions in the media, a Tagesschau report from February 25, 2023 with more than one million viewers is particularly noteworthy (Fig. below).

 

Outlook

The success of the Winter School has demonstrated that a real difference can be made with Ukrainian students with manageable financial and organizational effort. DESY plans to perpetuate and expand the concept of the Winter School. The following measures are planned for this purpose:

  • A second dedicated DESY-Ukraine Winter School is planned for winter 2024.

  • In addition to projects at DESY and the European XFEL, regional universities and technical universities are to be won as partners.

  • The scientific and technical program will thus be extended to increase the help for Ukrainian students and to deepen the German-Ukrainian cooperation.