“summa” celebration 2019: Dr. Anna Niehues and Dr. Jasper Wattjes were honoured for their “summa cum laude” dissertations this year

Each year around this time, the Rector of our university invites all those who received their doctorates during the past year with the highest possible mark - “summa cum laude” - to say the thanks of the university for excellent work. Doctoral projects are at the heart of universities. Young researchers who have finished their studies are conducting their first own independent research project, with the support of a supervising doctoral committee and with the mentorship of their Doktormutter or Doktorvater. In the end, what earns them the title - the famous “two characters” Dr. - is their enduring commitment, the taking over of full responsibility for their own research project, against all odds, through the valley of tears, to eventual success. Not a small achievement. And if all goes perfectly well and a pinch of luck is coming along, then it all may add up to a “summa”. This year, in our group, Anna Niehues and Jasper Wattjes both won this rare grade, two at a time, a first in our group. Their joining efforts certainly was a stroke of luck, but one that was not a coincidence. They teamed up, in spite of their different natures, talents, characters, expertises, experiences - and they formed a winning team, achieving successes that neither could have achieved alone. In fact, this is what our whole group is aspiring to: to act as a team, to boldly go where no one could go alone. Thank you Anna and Jasper for bringing out the best in you and us!