Celebrating the Journey: Max Planck Schools Graduation Ceremony 2026

July 06, 2026
Insights

On 19 June, the Max Planck Schools came together at Bildungscampus Heilbronn to celebrate the graduation of their PhD candidates from Matter to Life, Photonics, and Cognition. The festive day combined an inspiring alumni workshop with a ceremony full of personal stories, proud families, and a look ahead at what comes next.

A doctoral dissertation is a long winding road interspersed with surprise detours and challenges. As you travel along this path, the destination might seem like a mirage but you never lose sight of the goal. We got together at Bildungscampus, Heilbronn, to celebrate not just the final destination, i.e., the graduation of our PhD candidates from three Max Planck Schools, but also the beautiful, and sometimes tricky journey that brought them here.

It was indeed a festive occasion where the Deans and members of the Schools (Coordinators and Fellows) and friends/ families of the graduates, cheered on the freshly minted ‘Doctors’ as they took center stage and received their certificates.

Sieben professionell gekleidete Absolventen des „Matter to Life“-Programms posieren in einem Raum auf einem Holzboden, fünf von ihnen halten ihre Zertifikate in den Händen, vor einem schlichten weißen Hintergrund bei der Abschlussfeier der Max Planck Schools

Building Bridges at the Alumni Workshop

A woman giving a presentation in a conference room equipped with tables, chairs, laptops, and a large screen displaying "Shaping our Alumni Community" by Max Planck Schools.

The day started with a brainstorming session on Alumni, including a talk by the current ETH Alumni Director, Cathrin Anna Jerie, and a workshop steered by Nina Spiri. Twelve PhD graduates from MPS of Cognition, Photonics and Matter to Life actively participated in this discussion round brimming with ideas and initiative as to how to tap into our network beyond their time with us, and most importantly stay connected.

The coordinators of the three schools were struggling to keep pace and note down all the brilliant suggestions, which we hope to implement in the near future to build a strong Alumni network that serves our PhD candidates and meets their needs.

The Ceremony: Speeches, Stories, and Certificates

Aysecan Ünal and Sophie Holtz stand on a stage delivering a presentation to an audience, accompanied by a large screen featuring a collage of diverse portraits and photographs.

Later in the afternoon, we assembled at Forum for the reason we had all gathered: the graduation ceremony. A warm welcome by the Deans, Jan-Michael Rost and Joachim Hornegger, who also nostalgically reminisced about their own graduation (decades ago!), set the celebratory and light-hearted mood. The chief guest of the event, former German Federal Minister of Education and Research Johanna Wanka, who was instrumental in establishing the Max Planck Schools, delivered a poignant speech on how science shapes society and reminded the graduates of their responsibility as they navigate their career. The highlight of the day was definitely the talks by representative graduates of all three schools: Katsuya Tanaka (MPS Photonics), Sophie Holtz (MPS Cognition) and our very own Aysecan Ünal.They wove their journeys, motivations, doctoral work, and their aspirations into one seamless, riveting talk that had the audience completely captivated.

Diverse group of six people dressed formally and casually, gathered indoors by a Max Planck Schools banner, with one person taking a selfie and others smiling or waving.
Aysecan Ünal smiling holding a Max Planck Schools certificate, standing beside Jan-Michael Rost in formal attire during an award ceremony.
Michelle Kemper holding a certificate standing next to Jan-Michael Rost in a suit.
Numerous individuals gathered in small groups, talking and holding drinks at a standing reception inside a modern venue with wooden floors and large glass windows.
I Chen in a blue dress and gray blazer stands next to Jan-Michael Rost in a suit; I Chen holding a certificate on stage.
Yixin Chen and Jan-Michael Rost posing on stage during the graduation ceremony, with Yixin holding a certificate.
Three women engaged in conversation around a high table with drinks and brochures in a busy indoor setting.
Stephen Casale and Jan-Michael Rost in suits stand side by side, Stephen holding a folder labeled "Max Planck Schools."
Attendees capture images of a projection displaying a map with colored markers indicating different Max Planck Schools across Germany during a graduation ceremony.
Miriam Biller in a dark blazer addresses an audience from a podium with the logo Bildungs Campus Dieter Schwarz Stiftung.
Two professionally dressed men engaged in conversation at a networking event with others in the background.
Johanna Wanka stands at a podium delivering the keynote speech at the Max Planck Schools graduation ceremony
A group of three men conversing at a high round table with bottled beverages, one wearing a turquoise shirt, another a red floral shirt, and the third in a white shirt with glasses.
Aysecan Ünal and I Chen wearing formal attire standing side by side, smiling, with a Max Planck School banner behind them and a wooden wall background.
Attendees gathered around a cocktail table during a social event, with beverages and informational materials visible, set against a wooden-paneled background.

A Toast to the Future

Several Max Planck School graduates in business attire socialize and network at a standing table during the graduation ceremony, with drinks, snacks, and informational materials visible.

The certificates were handed out by the Deans, with of course some struggle pronouncing the more exotic names, as the audience applauded and captured the moment. The event wound down over a ‘Sektempfang’ and the beaming graduates mingled and reflected on the road travelled and looked positively into what the future holds.

Although this celebratory event could be interpreted as bookending their time with the schools, it was indeed a glimpse into the endless potential that our PhD graduates have as they go out and make their mark in the scientific world!

 

 

 

©Photos: Matt Stark/Max Planck Schools

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