Here, participants in the Voluntary Scientific Year (FWJ) report on their experiences in the Department of Media Informatics and Multimedia Systems at the University of Oldenburg.

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

I am completing my FWJ at the Department of Computing Science in the Department of Media Informatics and Multimedia Systems under the direction of Prof Susanne Boll.

The University of Oldenburg and the affiliated OFFIS - Institute for Computing Science are partners in the AHOI_MINT education project (2020-2023). The aim of the project is to establish a high-quality, innovative STEM cluster in the north-west of Lower Saxony: the extracurricular programmes in the STEM field are to be expanded and the learning locations networked with each other. My tasks in the project cover various areas of activity - for example, I support the social media team or help with the evaluation by transferring data from interviews into databases and carrying out analyses.

In addition to my work at AHOI_MINT, I also take on smaller programming tasks from time to time, where I can apply my existing knowledge but also learn a lot. I have also been able to take on some smaller tasks in the field of virtual reality. In the walls of OFFIS - including in the real-world laboratories - studies are also often conducted with test subjects, so I can support my colleagues in the implementation and documentation if necessary. I also sometimes help out when scientific papers need to be written and prepared for submission. In addition, I attend several project and group meetings every week to find out about the latest news in my working group and to offer my support.

Why did you decide to do a Voluntary Scientific Year?

My main motivation for applying was the desire not to have to attend my first semester of university digitally. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, I wanted to bridge the gap before starting my degree programme.

But the FWJ also appealed to me as a kind of intermediate step between A-levels and university, as you experience something completely new and find out what academic appointments you have in research after graduation.

What do you think this year will bring you?

I think the year will help me to recognise my interests. Until now, my answer to the question of what I would like to do later was: "Something to do with Computing Science". However, as the research field of Computing Science is extremely broad, I hope that I will be able to concretise my answer by the end of the FWJ.

I also believe that my self-confidence will be boosted by working in groups with lots of new people who are interested in the same things as me. In addition, I expect to learn many methods from research that can be of benefit to me in my studies.

What advice would you give to future volunteers?

Be open and communicative - that's the most important thing in my view. The best insights and opportunities to get involved at the end of projects come when you are involved in conversations in the corridor, during lunch breaks or in meetings and are generally present. Beyond that, you should value the limited time you have and make the most of it. I would also recommend documenting everything you have done and learnt in a structured way so that you don't lose sight of the many valuable experiences you have had throughout the year.