Here, participants in the Voluntary Scientific Year (FWJ) report on their experiences in the Astronomy and Medical Radiation Physics working group at the University of Oldenburg.

Which working group am I in and what are my tasks?

I'm spending my FWJ in the Astronomy and Medical Radiation Physics working group, although I'm mainly only working in astronomy. First of all: I am the first FWJ student in my working group. This means that there is no tried-and-tested formula for tasks/projects that my working group has used to organise the FWJ before. This year is practically a test run, but I think it's going pretty well! My tasks include the following:

• An extensive project in which I assemble weather balloons, plan the flights and finally let them fly. The balloon is also loaded with measuring devices, many of which I programme myself using a microcontroller
• Helping with the science communication of our working group (e.g. in the form of an ASTRO-AG at a school)
• Many smaller projects where I provide support (e.g. data analysis)
• Generally helping out a lot and also spontaneously where needed
• But I also have enough time and freedom to go to physics lectures, for example, where I can also follow up on them and look at (physics) topics that interest me myself

Why am I doing an FWJ?

Many people who do an FWJ/FSJ etc. do it for orientation. To find out whether the field/subject is something for them. For me, it was already clear before the FWJ that I wanted to go into physics, even in the theoretical field, but I still decided to do an FWJ for the following reasons:

• I didn't feel like going straight from school to university after my A-levels. I wanted a year off in which I could deal with a lot of physics, but gain important insights/experience and, above all, practical experience and application.
• You get to know everyday life at university and in science, e.g. working/researching in working groups, lectures, events, etc.. This really gives you a bit of anticipation.

Would I recommend an FWJ?

Yes, regardless of whether you are still looking for orientation or not and whether you already have a plan of where you want to go or not, an FWJ, or voluntary service in general, gives you insights and experience that will help you enormously in your studies and later in life and that you rarely get elsewhere. There are really only advantages.