ATMOchange Activities

ATMOchange PhD Days

Since the beginning of the new funding phase (PoF IV, 2021-2027), the so-called ATMOchange PhD Days take place once a year. These PhD days are a continuation of the ATMO PhD Days (PoF III, 2015-2020) and promote a exchange between doctoral researchers from the Helmholtz centers involved in Topic 1 "The Atmosphere in Global Change" of the program "Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future". In 2021 the event was held as a virtual meeting due to the corona pandemic. The focus of the event was on the methodological orientation of the PhD theses and allowed the doctoral researchers to present and discuss the methods they use in their PhD work. The event was complemented by a workshop on stress management. The ATMOchange PhD days 2022 took place again in presence. The venue was the KIT's Campus Alpin at the IMK-IFU. The doctoral researchers presented their research topics and worked in small groups to identify the intersections of their research and how these contribute to the "Changing Earth - Sustaining our Future" program. There was also a panel discussion on possible post-doctoral career paths within and outside of research.

MHFA courses

The so-called Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is a global program developed along the successful lines of physical first aid, but aimed at mental health first aid. The course wants to enable lay people to recognize and address mental health crisis or problems in people in their environment, e.g. colleagues, in good time, to encourage them to seek professional help and activate further resources. The working group for talent management in the research field "Earth and Environment" at KIT organizes these courses for IMK employees. In this framework, a virtual MHFA course was offered for the first time in January-March 2023.

ATMOchange Career Days

Starting in 2024, two-day ATMOchange Career Days for IMK doctoral researchers and postdocs will be held annually. They will inform on potential non-academic careers and employers, on application and career entry, on current issues and decision-making processes. In 2024 the Career Days will be hosted by IMK-IFU in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in the years following they will be held alternately in Karlsruhe and in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.