News
03-04.02.2025 Communication workshop with Dr Silke Oehrlein-Karpi
Communication challenges - mastering difficult conversations
Dr Silke Oehrlein-Karpi's workshop offered participants valuable insights into effective communication, even in difficult conversations.
The focus was on topics such as attitudes, challenges and the role of psychological safety. The participants learned how to conduct respectful dialogues and the importance of self-management.
The SAY IT formula was used to tackle difficult topics constructively. It was also shown how to give and receive feedback and how to set clear boundaries in conversations. The workshop will strengthen all participants' communication skills in the long term.
Caroline Müller is honoured with the Silverstein-Simeone Award 2025 of the International Society of Chemical Ecology
Congratulations to our research group leader Caroline Müller for being honoured with the prestigious Silverstein-Simeone Award 2025 of the International Society of Chemical Ecology! This great honour recognises her many years of dedication and outstanding contributions to research in chemical ecology. A well-deserved recognition of her hard work!
To learn more visit: https://chemecol.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/vol_41_3.pdf.pdf
07.01.2025 Congratulations on your doctorate: Dr. Lina Ojeda-Prieto!
Successful PhD in the field of chemodiversity
We are pleased to announce the successful defence of Dr. Lina Ojeda-Prieto's PhD thesis from Terrestrial Ecology Department of Ecology, TUM under the supervision of Dr. R. Heinen and Prof. W. Weisser.
With her research in the field of chemodiversity in plant-plant and plant-animal interactions, she has made a significant contribution to the understanding of complex chemical interactions in natural ecosystems.
Lina Ojeda-Prieto has faced the challenges of her research field with impressive dedication and scientific curiosity. Her work opens up new perspectives in the understanding of chemodiversity.
May this milestone mark the start date of a successful and inspiring career. All the best for the future!
6.11.2024 "Mindful Scientific Writing and Productivity" workshop with Ana Pineda
First workshop for young researchers of the second phase of the research group in Munich
The workshop focussed on establishing effective time management and improved concentration through the "Pomodoro technique", which involves structured work units with regular breaks to avoid burnout. The importance of identifying personal peak times, the so-called "golden hours", was emphasised. To overcome writer's block and procrastination, it was recommended to develop routines such as starting with the last paragraph of the introduction and practicing free writing. Effective writing techniques include maintaining an optimal paragraph length and focussing on clarity. General productivity tips emphasised limiting daily tasks, reading strategically, avoiding distractions and using white noise to improve concentration. The overall approach sponsored a balanced and mindful work style to increase productivity and creativity.
4-6 November 2024 Research unit workshop "Phenotypic plasticity and chemodiversity"
First research group workshop at the Helmholtz Institute Munich
From 4-6 November, research unit 3000 met at the Helmholtz Institute in Munich for our first workshop on "Phenotypic plasticity and chemodiversity". The event was hosted and organized by Prof. Dr. Jörg-Peter Schnitzler (Helmholtz, Munich) and Dr. Robin Heinen (TUM).
Guest speakers included national and international researchers as well as former members of the research group from the first phase of FOR3000.
We would especially like to thank the keynote speakers:
- Prof Dr Hannah Schneider - Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research, Gatersleben
- Prof Dr James Blande - University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu Kuopio, Finland
- Prof Dr Dorothea Tholl - Virginia Tech, Blacksburg (VA), USA
- Prof. Dr Riikka Rinnan - University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Asst. Prof. Dr Benjamin Delory - Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Prof. Dr Thomas Nägele - Ludwigs-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany
- Agnes Meyer-Brandis - ffUR
21-23.10.2024 DataPLANT Online Workshop with Dr. Bianca Laker (Bielefeld University)
Dr. Bianca Laker (Bielefeld University, Computational Biology) explained the benefits and application possibilities of DataPLANT in this 3-day workshop. This platform enables our research group to simplify the tracking, contextualization and storage of research data, experimental workflows and computational analyses. The ARC framework follows the FAIR principles by combining the experimental data with downstream computational analyses (workflows) and adding metadata annotations (description) to all research parts. A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) can be provided and raw research data can be automatically uploaded to public repositories, e.g. MetaboLights or NCBI.
October, 2nd 2024 Online workshop: Introduction to research data management
carried out by the Competence Centre for Research Data at Bielefeld University
The workshop dealt with the basics of research data management (RDM), including the definition and importance of RDM in scientific research and the need for structured organisation, storage and maintenance of research data.
Data organisation and documentation: best practices for organising data, e.g. through uniform file structures and naming. Importance of metadata and detailed documentation for the traceability and reusability of data.
Strategies for the secure and long-term storage of data. Introduction to storage options such as institutional repositories or external databases.
Legal and ethical aspects were also emphasised: Copyright, data protection and ethical guidelines for handling research data and Data protection requirements.
Data release and re-use: options for publishing research data, e.g. through open access platforms. Licensing and sharing data to promote scientific collaboration.
A presentation of software tools to facilitate data management. Recommendations for further resources and tools to help researchers manage their data.
Thanks to the team of the Competence Centre for Research Data at Bielefeld University for the informative workshop on research data management!
New installation of our experimental field in the community garden at Bielefeld University
After pipe burst caused by a construction measure in October 2023
On 9. September 2024, we had to renew our trial field due to water damage caused by construction work last year.
In a joint effort with many helpers, we were able to remove all the planting tubes within one day. Many thanks to all the hard-working helpers for their energetic efforts!
Once the trial area has been refurbished, we will create a new trial area in a modified version in spring 2025. We hope that all the plants will then grow again and that we will be able to carry out many new scientific experiments in the common garden.
Congratulations on your doctoral thesis: Dr. Rohit Sasidharan and Dr. Dominik Ziaja
On July 4th and 5th, 2024, we were able to celebrate two disputations of our research unit, from the Chemical Ecology working group at Bielefeld University.
Rohit Sasidharan successfully defended his doctoral thesis with the title: "The role of chemodiversity in flower interactions with pollinators and florivores".
Just one day later, we were also able to congratulate Dominik Ziaja on his doctorate; his doctoral thesis on the topic: "Multiple levels of chemodiversity and their impacts on an aromatic plant species".
Congratulations to Dr Rohit Sasidharan and Dr Dominik Ziaja on these exceptional academic achievements! We look forward to seeing your further contributions to science and celebrating your future successes.
19.-20.6.2024 Kick Off Meeting at University Bielefeld
First in person meeting of all members of the 2nd phase Research Unit 3000
The first Kick Off Meeting of the second phase of our research unit focused on welcoming the new members, giving a review of phase one and discussions of the goals for phase two.
Robert Junker presented an overview about his and Hampus Petrén developed chemdiv R script and Maximilian Hanusch provided a hands on workshop for all participants.
We also agreed on best practices to ensure quality and consistency in research and appointed data officers to ensure our research data management.
13.11.2023: We are hiring!
Are you as excited about research on chemodiversity of plants as we are?
Join our research unit as Postdoc or PhD student.
We have several vacant positions at Bielefeld University in the department of Chemical Ecology:
- Postdoc combining research and teaching
- Postdoc working on a big collaborative project of the research unit
- PhD student
30.10.2023: Call for Papers
Special Issue in Plant Biology
The “Ecology and Evolution of Plant Chemodiversity” is a fascinating! So fascinating that Plant Biology will have a special issue on this important research topic. As editors we welcome contributions considering different levels of chemodiversity. This includes research articles - ranging from laboratory work, over greenhouse studies and field observations to modelling approaches, well as reviews. For more info, see https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14388677/homepage/cfp-chemodiversity
Deadline for submission: 31st May 2024
21.09.2023: Celebrations!
DFG granted us a second phase of the Research Unit
We are very grateful that the DFG granted us another three years of funding for our Research Unit. We are very much looking forward to continuing our joint effort to disentangle the fascinating world of chemodiversity.
29.09.2022: Young Investigators Module on Storytelling
Using Lego to talk about science
In a workshop on storytelling by City2Science our Young Investigators talked about their research using new methods. For example, they enjoyed using Lego to tell their scientific stories.
26.-28.09.2022: Conference - Synthesis: Ecology and Evolution of Intraspecific Chemodiversity of Plants
Meeting of FOR 3000 with international and national keynote speakers
We enjoyed a great conference with wonderful contributions and fruitful discussions.
A big thank you to our keynote speakers:
- C. Robin Buell
- María-José Endara
- Adela González-Megías
- Robert A. Raguso
- Sergio Rasmann
- Maaria Rosenkranz
- R. Uma Shanker
- Eva H. Stukenbrock
- Martin Volf
- Tobias Züst
07.-10.03.2022: Workshop on Evolution of Chemodiversity
Meeting of FOR 3000 in Leipzig
Our second Research Unit Meeting in Leipzig was held at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv). In the workshop we focused on different perspectives from evolutionary biology, ecology, genomics and chemistry to discuss the evolutionary emergence and maintenance of chemical diversity in plants.
We had exciting and insightful talks by our invited guest speakers Omer Nevo (idiv), Susan Whitehead (Virginia Tech), Dietrich Ober (Christian-Albrechts-Universität, Kiel), Mike Speed (University of Liverpool), Pengjuan Zu (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich).
News
04. and 05.10.2021: MetaboLights Workshop with Steffen Neumann and EMBL-EBI Team
Workshop for FOR 3000 and associated groups
Steffen Neumann from IPB Halle gave us a great introduction into MetaboLights and ChEBI. We also got first hand insights from Claire O'Donovan and Thomas Payne of the Metabolomics team at EMBL-EBI.
Make your data FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and open!
03.09.2021: Workshop by Sabine Blackmore on "Gender and the Academic Career"
Workshop for PhD students and Postdocs
The online workshop with Sabine Blackmore dealt with challenges, ways and chances of an Academic Career and the implicit gender stereotypes and biases in academia. After insightful discussions there was also time to reflect on the FOR 3000, own biases and how to raise awareness and improve.
04.08-06.08.2021: Workshop "Plant Chemodiversity"
Meeting of FOR 3000 Research Unit in Marburg
For the first time (almost) all members of the Chemodiversity Research Unit met in Marburg. The goal of this workshop was to discuss and develop a general framework of chemodiversity.
We had inspiring talks by invited guest speakers Renee Borges (Indian Institute of Science) and Tobias Köllner (Max-Planck-Insitute for Chemical Ecology).
02.-03.08.2021: Young Investigator Module on Scientific Illustration Workshop byJohannes Richers
How to illustrate your science well
The scientific illustration workshop with Jo Richers provided the Young Investigators of FOR 3000 with a hands on experience of how to improve the ability to analyze and create useful illustrations.
Solanum dulcamara plants at the experimental station
The Solanum dulcamara plants at the experimental station in Bad Lauchstädt are already visited by pollinators and flea beetles. We are looking forward to see what the team around Nicole van Dam and Redouan Adam Anaia will find out about the ecological consequences of chemodiversity in this fascinating plant species.
27.05.2020: Setting up the common garden in Bielefeld
Group effort for science
We are excited that after days of hard work our common garden experiment in Bielefeld is set up. We’re looking forward to learn more about the ecological consequences of chemodiversity in Tanacetum vulgare on aphids, florivores and pollinators.
02.04.2020: We are now on Twitter
You can now find us on Twitter under @chemodiversity