Connecting Early-Career Researchers in Plant Phenotyping

On 4 November 2025, the Zurich–Basel Plant Science Center hosted the PhD Exchange Mini-Symposium at ETH Zurich, bringing together doctoral researchers from Zurich and a visiting delegation from Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany). The event provided a platform for early-career researchers to exchange ideas, present their work, and build connections across institutions.

With a strong emphasis on plant phenotyping as a central theme, the programme also covered complementary areas such as remote sensing and biomass production. Across four thematic sessions, around 30 PhD researchers contributed through talks and posters, showcasing a range of experimental and data-driven approaches in contemporary plant science.

The symposium was organised in collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich and promoted through the Swiss Plant Phenotyping Network (SPPN), of which PSC is a member. By embedding the event within this network, PSC contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen connections within the Swiss and international phenotyping community.

A keynote by PD Dr. Andreas Hund (ETH Zurich) opened the programme, followed by presentations addressing topics such as crop stress responses, field-based phenotyping, UAV-supported sensing, and phenotyping of roots.

The poster session and extended networking lunch formed a central part of the day, enabling in-depth discussions and direct exchange between participants in an interactive setting.

This PhD Exchange reflects PSC’s core mission to foster training, networking, and scientific exchange among early-career researchers, while actively contributing to key research areas such as plant phenotyping. In this context, the event also highlights PSC’s role within the SPPN landscape as a hub for community building and knowledge exchange.