Where are you based and what are your areas of responsibility?

I work in the Hydrogeology Research Group, specifically in Victoria Burke’s junior research group on Veterinary Medicines. In recent years, there has been increasing media coverage of how medicines enter the (aquatic) environment in various ways and can cause significant harm (e.g. antibiotic resistance). The main route of entry is the application of farm manure. Using field, lysimeter and laboratory experiments, we investigate the degradation and transport behaviour of various veterinary medicines in soil and groundwater in order to assess their environmental impact. Personally, I’ve been able to get a taste of all areas of the project and contribute to the work. This involves setting up groundwater monitoring points on the experimental field, taking pore water samples, extracting soil columns or sampling monitoring points, just as much as it involves analysing the samples in the laboratory, carrying out rapid tests, measuring ions or determining particle sizes in accordance with the DIN standard. At the lysimeter near the university, too, we have to determine the flow rates of the various soils, measure soil moisture and take samples, for example, so that everything can be analysed later in the laboratory. It’s also fascinating to be involved in the column experiments and to discover how veterinary medicines change in the soil and at what concentrations they subsequently appear in the groundwater. Thanks to the research staff, I’m gaining a great insight into the complexity of sample preparation and taking measurements using large-scale equipment. During the data analysis, I’m getting to know new software programmes and receiving support to draw my own conclusions. Anyone looking for a varied role can look forward to different, responsible tasks every day – both indoors and outdoors – and will learn a great deal as part of a fantastic team!

Why did you decide to do a Voluntary Research Year?

I wasn’t sure which direction to take after my Abitur and saw the Voluntary Research Year as a good opportunity to find my feet. Where else would you get the chance to be part of an exciting, varied research project and also to exchange ideas with undergraduates and doctoral candidates?

What do you think this year will bring you?

This year is definitely bringing me lots of new insights, experiences and knowledge. It’s also great that I’m able to take part in the AG seminar, which gives me the chance to attend both presentations by PhD students and undergraduates, as well as master’s thesis defences. Taking part in and helping to organise research-oriented seminars for students also offers me a great chance to get a taste of different fields. Overall, I hope that by the end of the year I’ll be able to decide whether I want to go on to university and, if so, which field suits me best.

What have you learnt so far during your voluntary service?

I’ve learnt loads of new things already, such as taking measurements with various probes and instruments, the basics of using Grapher and Excel, preparing solutions, and combining lots of test results to form an overall picture. Working in the lab, in particular, constantly presents new challenges that need to be overcome, and thanks to our chemist, I’m also able to help with solid-phase extractions to recover veterinary medicines from water, for example. The great thing is that I can ask anyone whenever I need clarification and always receive help and support when necessary. At the same time, I feel like part of the research group and can assist the PhD students by, for example, carrying out particle size analyses, mixing a cocktail of medicinal substances for column experiments, or working in the field, whilst also gaining fundamental knowledge for myself. There’s also plenty to do at the lysimeter. There, for example, I’m learning to correlate the sample results and try to explain, research and discuss puzzling phenomena within the research group during the analysis. One of the most important things I’ve learnt so far is that good organisation is often the be-all and end-all. Often, various tasks from different sub-areas have to be tackled in parallel, and a good timetable and schedule are very helpful for keeping track of everything.

Why did you choose to do your voluntary service at the University of Oldenburg of all places?

It was actually through my grammar school’s sixth-form coordinator that I first became aware of the Voluntary Academic Year in Oldenburg. Before that, I had no idea at all that it was possible to do a voluntary service in the sciences, and I discovered that it was still relatively new and was only offered in Oldenburg (from 2015) and Hanover. As Hanover was mainly advertising physics and mathematics research groups at the time, but I wanted to try something in the field of biology and geography, I came across the vacancies at the University of Oldenburg, applied by 31 December 2016 and received an invitation to an interview shortly afterwards. I hadn’t heard of Oldenburg at all before; after the interview, I explored the lovely city centre a bit and, once the research group had accepted me, decided to move to Oldenburg in the summer of 2017 to start my FWJ.

What advice would you give to future volunteers?

Make the most of this academic year to gain an insight into research work and give everything on offer a go! Even if the technical terms, experiments and working methods seem quite unfamiliar to you at first – you’ll see that, over time, you’ll understand more and more and be able to work independently. One thing should always be clear to you, as my former German teacher used to say: “You’re not sheep!” So ask about anything that seems illogical, and you’ll soon realise that you’re learning a lot or sparking new ideas within the research group!