It is common for a PhD student to leave for a few months mobility program.
Good luck to those who have embarked on this experience!
In our lab, Janisse left to Germany for a three months experience. Her words on the adventure that has just begun below. 
Goodbye Lausanne, hello Freiburg!
What could be better than a view of the Black Forest while diving into scientific literature?
My adventure as a visiting student at the Chair of Silviculture at the University of Freiburg, in Germany, has just begun, and I already feel inspired. Over the next three months, I’ll collaborate with Prof. Jürgen Bauhus, Dr. Florian Schnabel, and their team – experts in biodiversity, forestry, and climate change ecology. Their interdisciplinary approach brings together foresters, anthropologists, and stakeholders, bridging the gap between research and practice.
With their guidance, I aim to better understand how tree species interactions and forest management strategies impact forests’ resilience to a warmer and drier climate. While increasing tree diversity is often recommended to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on forest ecosystems, we still know little about how to create these diverse forests effectively.
Through an extensive literature review, I hope to answer key questions: What do we know about mixed forests? What are their characteristics? Where do they occur? How are they managed today, and how should we promote them for the future? My focus will be on two widely distributed tree species in Europe, that are known for their high ecological and economic relevance, and their contrasting drought-tolerance: European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) and downy oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.).
A big thank you to my supervisors, Charlotte and Christoph, and the PERL members for their support, as well as the EDCE committee for awarding me the EDCE Mobility Award and making this visit possible (check it out here: EDCE Awards laureates ‒ EDCE ‐ EPFL). Thank you also to Jürgen and Florian for welcoming me in their group. I look forward to this experience!
Sending warm greetings from Germany’s sunniest city (or so they say)!
Contact: janisse.deluigi@epfl.ch
The same day Janisse left, Christopher arrived. Welcome Christopher!
His words to describe himself a little, below.
My name is Cristopher Fernández de Blas. I hold a degree in Biology and a Master’s in Ecosystem Restoration. I am currently a PhD candidate at the University of Alcalá (Madrid, Spain). My research focuses on the causes and consequences of drought-induced die-off in Iberian conifer forests. During my stay at EPFL, I will characterize the physiological response at the individual level and I will try to determine what functional traits best forecast forest die-off events.
