MINGZ funded Conference Participation: Stella in Nanjing

13. April 2026

Foto: UHH/Buchwald

The MIN Graduate Center supports doctoral researchers by travel grants for conferences and research stays. The experiences on these trips are diverse and very interesting. Here is a report by Stella Zora Buchwald about attending the International Workshop on Mesozoic-Palaeogene Hyperthermal Events in Nanjing, China:

In August 2025, I attended the International Workshop on Mesozoic-Palaeogene Hyperthermal Events & Fifth IGCP 739 Workshop in Nanjing, China. Traveling to China was noticeably smoother in 2025, as several countries had established new visa-waiver agreements that allowed visitors to stay for up to 30 days without the need to apply for a visa in advance. This greatly simplified the preparation process usually associated with travels to China. The conference took place at the Nanjing University, where the organizing committee provided support, especially for international participants. They arranged transportation from the airport, coordinated accommodation on the university campus, and assisted with local logistics, which ensured that everyone could focus on the academic program.

The scientific program consisted of several keynote talks and a full schedule of both oral and poster sessions. These presentations covered a wide range of topics within the overarching theme of climate and environmental change in Earth’s history, with particular emphasis on episodes of rapid warming during the Mesozoic and Paleogene. I
especially appreciated that there were no parallel sessions, allowing all participants to attend the talks without missing content due to overlapping schedules. This format also ensured that we all shared the same scientific foundation for later discussions. On the second day, I presented a part of my ongoing PhD research. Sharing my work with an audience of specialists was a valuable experience, and I received thoughtful questions and suggestions. The tea breaks offered additional opportunities for exchange, allowing me to connect with researchers from around the world.

A particularly memorable highlight was the conference dinner, which included an evening cruise on the Yangtze River. It was a fantastic opportunity to exchange ideas with colleagues and make new friends while trying the local cuisine and viewing the sunset behind the skyline of Nanjing. Overall, attending this conference was a great
experience both scientifically and culturally. I gained new insights into the current state of research in my field, and expanded my professional network. I am very grateful to the MIN Faculty for supporting my participation and making this stay abroad possible.