Ria Rosenauer - Interim report on my research stay at the California Institute of Technology (CALTECH)

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

Since April 2025, I have been working on my master's thesis in the field of experimental quantum optics under the supervision of Professor Manuel Endres at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena. I have now been here for seven months – and I can say with conviction: I love my time at this extraordinary place!

I am deeply grateful for the experiences I am able to gain here. Caltech is a very special place, working on my master's thesis is incredibly enjoyable, and I am learning a lot while also having the opportunity to explore and get to know California and the USA better.

The main reason for my stay here in California is, of course, to work on my master's thesis, which is enriching me both professionally and personally. I love the working environment here. It is a great privilege to be able to work with the incredibly intelligent and nice people in my working group. I learn something new every day in many areas. I have also had the opportunity to attend a conference in Portland and a retreat with our department at Lake Arrowhead, which is a great privilege as a master's student. Both were special experiences.

Caltech offers an excellent learning environment. The people here are international and highly qualified. Each individual works on fascinating projects, and many have unique life stories. For example, I am particularly impressed by students from Iran or Mexico who came to America as the great hope of their families and made it to Caltech because of their tremendous personal and academic achievements. The research areas at Caltech are very diverse and, above all, very exciting: from astronomy and astrophysics to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is responsible for some well-known space telescopes. No matter who you talk to, everyone is working on an impressive project.

Caltech is an excellent place to study, work, and do research. Life on campus is optimally organized so that students and researchers can concentrate fully on their work. Everything is within walking distance (which is by no means a given in Los Angeles). There are food options on campus more or less around the clock, lots of free food at various lunch seminars, a free student health care center, and a sports field with a running track, gym, and tennis courts right next to the university. The tennis courts are even lit at night, so you can still play after work at nine o'clock.

Apart from my work, I try to get involved at Caltech and explore California, or rather learn as much as I can about California. I am on the board of the tennis club, where we organize weekly training sessions and hopefully even host a campus-wide tournament this quarter. I am also active in the Caltech Y's outdoor committee. The Caltech Y is a non-profit organization closely affiliated with Caltech. Its goal is to enrich student life and help students become responsible global citizens. As part of the Caltech Y, I helped organize several hikes in the Los Angeles area and a multi-day camping trip to Yosemite as an orientation for new students. This experience in particular was not only very scenic, but also educational, as the participating students were mainly from the US (international students unfortunately had to attend an orientation event at the same time). During the trip, I learned a lot about the American school system and culture. I also had the opportunity to take part in a start-up trip to San Francisco organized by my university in Munich. There, I was able to get to know the unique start-up ecosystem and meet interesting people. This experience was incredibly enriching.

Before my departure, I had concerns due to the coverage of American politics in the German media. However, I did not have any negative experiences during the visa process, upon entry, or in other interactions with the authorities. My close colleagues also reported no such experiences. However, there were some funding cuts at Caltech, particularly at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which caused some scientists to worry about their projects. However, we have not encountered any such problems in our field of quantum optics so far.

Finally, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the GAWC for its support, which has enabled me to have all these special experiences. My time here has shaped me not only scientifically, but also personally – and for that I am infinitely grateful.

Regina Tauscher – Final report on my semester abroad at the University of California, Davis

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

From March to June 2025, I had the opportunity to study for a quarter at the University of California, Davis, with the support of GAWC. I would like to express my sincere thanks once again!

I am studying nutritional science at the Technical University of Munich. Ever since I was in school, I dreamed of studying for a semester at an American university. In March 2025, this dream came true: I travelled to the U.S. alone for the first time to begin my semester abroad at UC Davis.

The university is in the charming town of Davis, often called the “bicycle capital of the USA”. Davis is located near the capital of California, Sacramento, and just 1.5 hours east of San Francisco. Davis is characterized by its cute cafés, small shops, and the weekly farmers’ market offering fresh, regional products.

What immediately struck me was the extraordinary friendliness and zest for life of the people in California, which may be an effect of the Californian sunshine. In Davis, there are almost no rainy days in summer, and temperatures often rise above 40°C.

UC Davis is the largest university in the UC system, and its campus is so large that students must cycle from one lecture to the next to arrive on time. The campus even has roundabouts for bikes! Alongside the students, you can find horses, cows, and lots of squirrels, which often showed great interest in our lunches.

After a long search, I finally found a room in a beautiful house on the outskirts of Davis, which I shared with three housemates. My bike quickly became my main mode of transportation, and I cycled to the university every day to attend my classes.

The quarter began with an excellent orientation event where I got to know many other exchange students from Asia and other parts of Germany. Afterwards, American students gave us a tour of the campus and answered our questions. We felt very welcome. The Global Study Program team was consistently helpful and friendly. Throughout the quarter, there were regular meetings for international students, so it was easy to make friends.

Academically, the quarter was very enriching. I took exciting courses about sports, nutrition, and health. I also joined the university choir, and we performed in the concert hall at the end of the quarter. My personal highlight was the “Design of Coffee” course, where I learned how green coffee beans are turned into aromatic coffee through various roasting and grinding processes.

On the weekends, I went on many trips with my new friends: we visited beaches in the Bay Area, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Yosemite National Park. An especially memorable trip was a long weekend in Los Angeles. At the beginning of the quarter, we met a very friendly lady on a trip who invited us to visit her and her family there. A small group of us took the trip to Southern California and stopped at Santa Barbara beach just in time to catch a breathtaking sunset that has left a deep impression on me. Once in LA, we were given a wonderful tour of the city that included popular sights and insider tips from the locals. After our stay in LA, we continued to Joshua Tree National Park, where we camped overnight. Surrounded by vast desert landscapes, the famous Joshua trees, and intense heat, it was an unforgettable experience.

One of the most valuable experiences of my time abroad was getting to know people from other cultures. Thanks to the great diversity of the student body at UC Davis, I met people from a lot of countries, each with a different history and culture. I really enjoyed telling others about my own culture and learning about new perspectives at the same time. These intercultural encounters have enriched my life in a lasting way, for which I am very grateful.

Once again, a big thank you to GAWC for supporting this unique experience!

Best regards,

Regina

Kerim Uscuplic Report of my Research Stay at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

From October to December, as part of my bachelor’s thesis, I had the opportunity to research connections between superconducting cables in nuclear fusion reactors at the Plasma Science and Fusion Center at MIT for three months. The support from GAWC greatly helped me in realizing this childhood dream, for which I would like to sincerely thank the organization.

The J1 visa allows entry into the U.S. one month before the official start of the program, which enabled me to move into the Tang Hall student dormitory at the beginning of September. Even then, I was impressed by the simplicity of the system. There is hardly a formal application process you are shown a handful of available rooms, and with practically one click and a digital signature, the room is already rented.

Overall, throughout my stay, I often felt more like I was living in a five-star hotel than on a university campus. A typical Sunday morning, for example, started with a view from the 16th floor of the beautiful sunrise between the skyscrapers of Boston’s skyline towering over the Charles River, followed by a 60-second walk to the nearest dining hall, where the usual all-you-can-eat buffet straight out of Tom and Jerry’s was already waiting. Sports, food, medical care everything was arranged in such a way that students didn’t have to worry about these things and could fully concentrate on their work without obstacles.

I used September to meet as many people as possible. I participated in numerous welcome events hosted by various clubs, which allowed me to connect with impressive students from all over the world. Since it wasn’t possible to do everything, I decided to stay with the Visiting Students Association (VISTA). As a board member responsible for sponsorship managing relationships with companies and MIT regarding funding I helped organize events for other visiting students. One of our day trips, for example, was a hike in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.

My supervisor invited me to dinner immediately after my arrival, which perfectly illustrates another aspect of life in the U.S. that stood out to me: significantly flatter hierarchies. You don’t address Director David Johnson or Professor Dr. Theodore Smith from the very first moment, you simply talk to Dave and Ted.

Although many aspects of life in the U.S. fascinated me, I often spoke to my friends and colleagues there about Germany. Parents in the U.S. bear enormous costs, for example, for childcare and higher education. My lab colleagues were impressed by our educational system, where students are paid while learning a trade and then enter their profession fully trained. Additionally, Germany has a much stronger middle class, whereas the wealth gap in the U.S. is strikingly apparent.

I was particularly fascinated by the German American Conference at Harvard, an annual event that fosters transatlantic relations. There, I had the opportunity to listen to insightful discussions on topics like cybersecurity, national security, and energy supply, as well as engage with experienced entrepreneurs about founding startups.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my experience was the inter-university collaborations, such as those between MIT and Harvard. Thanks to this, I was able to attend a musical performed by Harvard students an incredibly professional production that made me feel like I had stepped into an American movie.

Given the short duration of my research stay and the intense workload of my project, I chose not to travel and instead focused on making the most of my limited time at MIT. As a result, I was able to form lifelong friendships and, by the end of my stay, truly felt at home on campus.

I was amazed by MIT’s exceptionally supportive environment for startups, particularly the close collaboration between my lab and Commonwealth Fusion Systems the company currently building the SPARC fusion reactor. Another significant difference from Germany is the work mentality. At first, I was surprised when, at 7 p.m., after finishing a task, someone would say, alright , now let’s do this and that, but over time, I got used to 12-hour workdays being completely normal. One could view this in different ways, but personally, I found it an enriching experience to witness how much progress a group of passionate people can achieve in a short time. While it’s important not to overdo it, I do believe Germany could adopt some of this mindset.

At the end of my research project, I was invited to attend the Magnet Technology Conference in Boston in the summer of 2025 to present the results of my project. This opportunity thrilled me, and I can’t wait to return to Boston this summer.

I could write for pages more, but to keep this experience report within scope, I can summarize by saying that my time at MIT was an incredibly enriching and eye-opening experience. Once again, I extend my heartfelt thanks to GAWC for their support, thank you so much!

Best regards,

Kerim Uscuplic

Robin Landvogt - Final Report from the Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma

After spending four months in the USA, I’m excited to share my experiences during my fascinating time at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, which was made possible thanks to the support of the GAWC. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for this opportunity.

Oklahoma is primarily known for cowboys and national reserves. Fittingly, OSU has a cowboy as its mascot, many students regularly wear cowboy hats and boots, and traditional line dancing – a cultural dance that the entire bar joins in on – is a common sight in the many student bars that Stillwater offers.

At the beginning of the semester, we participated in various orientation events, which allowed us to explore the sprawling campus and meet other exchange students. As international students from all over the world, we lived together on campus, quickly forming a genuine community. One special highlight was the regular potlucks – a culinary and cultural exchange where everyone brought dishes from their home country.

During the semester, I took courses in the fields of digitalization and entrepreneurship. The fundamental difference from my studies at TU Munich was primarily in the smaller class sizes, the numerous assignments throughout the semester, and the hands-on, practical approach to teaching. The courses largely consisted of group projects, case studies, and guest lectures by professionals from various industries. Having now experienced both approaches, I would always prefer the practice-oriented teaching style in the USA.

Thanks to Oklahoma’s central location, I had the opportunity to travel extensively. Among other places, I visited Dallas and Austin in Texas, Oklahoma City and Tulsa in Oklahoma, Las Vegas in Nevada, and Los Angeles in California. I was particularly impressed by the diversity of the different cities. My roommate and I were fortunate to meet Americans early on, who hosted us during the Formula 1 weekend in Las Vegas and for Thanksgiving in Los Angeles – experiences I will never forget.

Even before my departure, I was particularly looking forward to college sports, especially football. However, I did not expect the sheer extent of enthusiasm for college sports. The atmosphere and the sense of unity on campus during a football game were incredible and definitely a highlight of my stay.

I was generally impressed by the high importance of sports at American universities. The sports facilities at OSU are state-of-the-art and offer just about everything you could imagine. I was fortunate to live right next to the fitness center, which included multiple basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, and squash courts. Additionally, there were indoor and outdoor pools and numerous training facilities spread over three floors. During the semester, my classmates and I formed a soccer team and participated in the university league. Our team consisted of Americans and exchange students from around the world.

In summary, I was able to experience four unforgettable and educational months. I met many inspiring individuals and formed new friendships. For this, I am extremely grateful to the GAWC, which made this unique time possible for me!

Best regards,

Robin

Robin Landvogt - Report from the Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma

For the past three weeks, I have been an exchange student at Oklahoma State University (OSU) in Stillwater, Oklahoma. In Munich, I am studying Management and Technology for my master's degree at the Technical University of Munich. It’s an interdisciplinary program with a focus on management and industrial engineering. Fortunately, OSU has given me the freedom to choose courses from various disciplines, so here I am taking lectures particularly related to entrepreneurship as well as technical subjects, such as Digital Transformation Strategy.

Based on my initial impressions, teaching at OSU is much more practice-oriented than in Germany. I’ve already had the opportunity to interact with founders from different industries and gain valuable insights into entrepreneurship. The professors here are also much more approachable than in Germany. What impressed me the most was that each of my professors greeted me with a handshake and showed great interest in Germany and the German education system. I experienced this not only with professors but also with fellow students. After the first round of introductions in each lecture, many students came up to me, either to talk about my exchange experience or to offer their support with various matters. This made it easier for me to adjust to campus life and helped me quickly make many connections. Just two days after arriving in the U.S., I was invited to dinner at an American student's house. Honestly, I hadn’t expected such hospitality in advance.

Unlike in Munich, I live on campus in a shared room. What initially caused me some concern before departure has now become a great pleasure. Of course, I first had to get used to the situation, but the constant interaction with my roommate brings me a lot of joy. Our dorm houses both exchange students from various countries and many American students. The dorm offers numerous opportunities for joint activities. I particularly enjoy the conversations and cooking together with fellow students from around the world in the large communal kitchen. Near our dorm, there is a large gym with a swimming pool and various sports facilities, so you can try out different sports with other students around the clock.

I’m already looking forward to the coming weeks and am excited to see what further experiences I will have at Oklahoma State University.

At this point, I would like to sincerely thank GAWC again for their support!

Marvin von Hagen Interim Report of my Research Stay at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

My ten-month research stay at the American Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which began in September, has evolved into a unique and enriching experience for which I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the GAWC Munich.

Through an invitation from Prof. Thomas W. Malone of the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence (CCI), I have had the opportunity to research in the field of Multi-Agent AI Systems. Additionally, my research led me to consult with representatives of organizations closely collaborating with the MIT CCI, such as NATO. These interactions provided me insights into the practical application of my research and significantly broadened my horizons. Besides my research focus, I expanded my knowledge by auditing courses at Harvard University in Computational Game Theory and AI Security & Policy. These academic experiences complemented my research excellently and allowed me to deepen my understanding in these specialized areas. Furthermore, there were numerous events and other opportunities to engage in discussions on current topics. For example, I was invited to a salon at the home of MIT CSAIL Professor Manolis Kellis. Participating in student initiatives like MIT AI Alignment (MAIA) was also immensely enriching. Through my involvement with MAIA, I completed an AI Governance Fellowship, attended a weekend seminar in North Massachusetts, and participated in exciting Q&A sessions with leading figures such as Prof. Max Tegmark and Prof. Yoshua Bengio. A chance conversation with an American, Rhea Karty, at a student party I was invited to via MAIA, took a delightful turn when we both mentioned being sponsored by the GAWC. This meeting also filled me with anticipation for future VDAC events!

I am also part of Prod, an initiative similar to the Munich Center for Digital Technology and Management (CDTM) but open to MIT, Harvard, and Stanford students instead of TUM/LMU students. With this initiative, we spent a welcome weekend on Cape Cod, east of Cambridge, and thanks to Sequoia sponsorship, we could visit the members at Stanford. There, I could also meet two friends from Stanford with whom I am currently collaborating on a research project. Additionally, the MIT Independent Activities Period (IAP) is approaching, during which regular classes are suspended, and MIT students are offered trips and other activities by various organizations. Thanks to Prod, I will be able to spend the first weeks of January with my classmates in Rome and continue working from a co-working space there, while others from the CCI, for example, will head to Singapore during the IAP.

Another highlight was the German-American Conference at Harvard. Ten German friends visited me there, all of whom traveled from Stanford, Berkeley, Cambridge (UK), Zurich, and Munich to join me, staying in my room and the shared living room of my apartment. This transatlantic exchange, which not only involved my ten friends but also many other acquaintances who traveled to the Boston area, whom I reunited with at the conference, delighted me and further increased my gratitude for being able to experience the other side of the Atlantic. We then made day trips to New York City and Washington D.C., where we visited the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and many other landmarks. My living situation right at Harvard Square, as well as the strong interuniversity cooperation, allowed me to play Futsal regularly at Harvard facilities and to utilize the extensive opportunities of the "Borrow Direct" program. This program grants students from the top 13 universities in the USA access to the libraries and other facilities of the other twelve elite universities, for example, during my visit to Stanford and during my weekend in New Haven for the traditional American football game between Harvard and Yale.

In summary, I can say that my stay at MIT has been an enriching and incredibly horizon-expanding experience. I am deeply grateful to the GAWC Munich for the support that has enabled me to seize this unique opportunity. This time at MIT not only allows me to develop academically but also to grow personally immensely.

I hope you have had an equally good time and wish you a wonderful start to the new year – Thank you very much!

Marvin

Simon Knauer – Final Report on my Study Semester at the University of California, San Diego

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

Dear Ladies of the GAWC,

I am pleased to report to you about my study semester at the University of California, San Diego. I had the opportunity to study there for a semester from September to December 2023 as part of my master's degree in Electrical Engineering. The challenging coursework, the beautiful area of California, interesting people, and the Californian way of life made it a perfect experience for me.

San Diego is located in the southern part of California, adjacent to the Pacific coast and the border with Mexico. As the second-largest city in California, San Diego is known for its beaches, parks, and pleasant warm climate. In addition to its geographical charm, the University of California, San Diego, was also an excellent choice academically. The courses offered were demanding and intriguing. I attended courses from various fields of electrical engineering, with a particularly exciting course for me being one in the field of artificial intelligence. UC San Diego conducts significant research in this area and has a very good reputation. Here, I gained insights into the highly relevant field and discussed the latest developments in AI with professors. Additionally, it was exciting to familiarize myself with the American education system and the campus.

A significant portion of time was spent on campus outside of classes. Particularly, trying out new sports and attending sports events on and off-campus were thrilling for me. San Diego's warm climate and consistent waves offer year-round opportunities for surfing. I couldn't miss the chance to try surfing myself. UCSD offers various opportunities to learn surfing through courses or joining a surf club. It was also an excellent way to make contacts and friendships.

UCSD generally has a strong connection to the sea. The Scripps Institution of Oceanography, as part of UCSD, is one of the oldest, largest, and most significant research centers for oceanography in the world. The vast campus of UCSD includes its own beach area and a pier for research purposes. Through fortunate connections, I was able to get a tour of the normally inaccessible pier and gain insight into the marine research conducted there.

In my free time, I attended baseball, basketball, and football games. However, it must be said that San Diego State University is significantly superior to UC San Diego in sports. Therefore, we sometimes switched universities for sports events. I found it fascinating how significant a role sports play at the university, both in general and for many students.

Unfortunately, it was not possible for international students to secure a spot in one of the campus dormitories. Instead, we had to find our own accommodation. Ultimately, I lived in a four-person shared apartment in a large housing complex. Despite not being on campus, the apartment was close to the university and well-connected by bus and tram, which made me very happy.

San Diego, California, and the surrounding area offer many opportunities for leisure activities and excursions. On weekends, I explored San Diego itself, Los Angeles, or Joshua Tree National Park with my classmates. Due to the proximity to Mexico, we also had the opportunity to spend a weekend there. That was also very interesting, although one must travel cautiously in the adjacent city of Tijuana and avoid certain unsafe areas. Additionally, I visited San Francisco, Las Vegas, Yosemite National Park, the Grand Canyon, and others on two longer trips over Thanksgiving and after my studies. The national parks in California fascinated me the most personally, and the surrounding cities and San Diego itself are also worth seeing.

I have had the pleasure of meeting many nice people, both at the university and beyond. The study has propelled me forward, and experiencing the local culture and way of life has been very enriching. I would like to thank you for supporting my semester abroad at UCSD.

Best regards,

Simon Knauer

Anselm Krauss - Final Report of My Research Stay at Stanford University

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

Anselm Krauss - Interim Report of My Research Stay at Stanford University

Supported and Sponsored by GAWC

I am currently relishing the excellent atmosphere of the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory as a visiting scholar. Under the guidance of Prof. Siegfried Glenzer and Dr. Benjamin Ofori-Okai, I am deepening my knowledge in the High Energy Density Department, with a specific focus on investigating Warm Dense Matter (WDM) and its interaction with light.

WDM, an exotic phase of matter occurring in extreme cosmic environments such as stellar cores and during nuclear fusion, is at the core of my scientific interest. Its characteristics include immensely high density and temperature. My research is primarily centered on terahertz pulse generation and Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations—two fundamental research areas aimed at better understanding and controlling this extraordinary phase of matter.

Having previously worked as a student employee at Marvel Fusion, a promising fusion startup in Munich, I can leverage my practical skills and scientific knowledge to directly impact the future landscape of fusion research.

The successful completion of our terahertz pulse optimization experiments involved precise examination of various crystals and their spatial orientation. Through these tests, we acquired valuable data to generate a significantly stronger pulse than before optimization, thereby enhancing future WDM experiments. By enhancing my Python skills and benefiting from collegial support at SLAC, I transformed the collected data into visually appealing and comprehensible diagrams.

I am currently in the final phase of my research work, dedicating myself to writing my bachelor's thesis. The previous experiments have been successful, and I am confident in completing my work within the specified timeframe.

Apart from my intensive scientific work, I take pleasure in discovering the vibrant life on the Stanford campus. Engaging with inspiring personalities, exploring the culinary diversity in the Dining Hall, and participating in sports offerings like the Olympic Weightlifting course enrich my daily experiences.

My time at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory represents a fulfilling and horizon-expanding experience. The opportunity to expand my scientific competencies while being part of the vibrant Stanford community is a privilege I deeply appreciate.

Lastly, I want to express my gratitude to GAWC for making this fascinating journey possible through their generosity. Their support not only allows me to broaden my scientific horizons but also contributes significantly to the dynamic community at the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory.

Anselm Krauss