Team Members

Leadership and internal organisation

President

Simone Rey

I am a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. I am a neurobiologist focusing on questions of development. Currently, I am studying the growth of the nervous system of sea slugs. I use volume EM to visualize the growth with synaptic resolution. Before, I did my Ph.D. work at the University of Münster. Here, I analysed glial cell development and morphology in the nervous system of the fruitfly. Early in my Ph.D., I started benefitting from the DGE PANOS community. I joined the yDGE from the start because I knew a working group dedicated to early career microscopists would facilitate the entrance into such vivid and helpful communities for students

President-Elect

Ivan Musil

I am currently a doctoral student in my 4th year at the University of Tübingen, in the group of Prof.
Jannik Meyer. Understanding the doping process of graphene and carbon nanotubes with nitrogen
using TEM and SEM are the main focus of my thesis.
I joined the yDGE as I like the idea of a network that brings young researchers together and offers
them the possibility to connect and exchange on various EM topics.

Past President

Johannes Müller

I am a doctoral student in Prof. Christoph T. Koch’s group at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. My main interest is method development using soft- and hardware, e.g. implementing 4D-STEM in a SEM or setting up an UTEM. My background is physics, which I studied at Ulm university. I joined the yDGE to meet like-minded people interested in microscopy and act currently as the past president.

Secretary and Treasurer

Leonie Schadt

I am a second year PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences in Göttingen. My passion for electron microscopy started during my master studies, when I started working in the EM unit of Wiebke Möbius. Since then, I have focused on investigating the influence of oligodendrocyte factors on axonal mitochondrial morphology in a neurodegenerative disease model. In addition to my usual research, I dedicate some time to play around with our sample preparation techniques and love to spend many hours at the microscope. By joining the DGE, my aim is to help strengthening the valuable network we have within the EM community and to support other young scientists to connect with each other to promote the exchange of knowledge across disciplines.

Symposium preparation

Program Chair

Raquel Aymerich Armengol

I am currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Center for Visualizing Catalytic Processes of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU). My research focuses on understanding synthesis-structure-property relationships of nanomaterials for energy applications using in-situ electrochemical liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (ec-LPTEM) and identical location electron microscopy (ILTEM). Furthermore, I am passionate about science communication and I joined the yDGE to contribute to the development of a platform for young microscopists to build a strong network among us.

Life Sciences Co-Chair

Moritz Mayer

I am currently in my fourth year as a doctoral candidate. I work at the university of Bayreuth at the institute of cell biology. My research is about the ultrastructure of mitochondria. Because of that, TEM is part of my daily working routine. As an early career scientist, I joined the yDGE to get in touch with others who work on biological questions and samples using electron microscopy. Furthermore, I like the idea that with the yDGE, we can provide a good networking access for early career scientists.

Physical Sciences Co-Chair

Chang-Ming Liu

I am currently a Ph.D. student at the Leibniz Institute für Kristallzüchtung (IKZ) in Berlin, following two years of research experience at the Ernst-Ruska Center (ER-C) in Jülich. My main research focuses include ferroelectricity, using 4D-STEM and DPC-STEM, and the characterization of light elements. I enjoy studying solid-state physics and observing atoms with electron microscopes. I look forward to engaging in further discussions with fellow microscopists!

Material Science Co-Chair

Miquel Vega Paredes

I am currently finishing my PhD at the Max Planck Institut für Eisenforschung (Düsseldorf). I am interested in studying the relationship between the structure of nanomaterials and their electrocatalytic activity, with the end goal of developing better catalysts for fuel cells or hydrogen production. 

I already had the chance to be a part of the yDGE last term as the Hiring Manager. In this new term, I am excited to take over the responsibilities of the Material Science Co-Chair. I am looking forward to further contributing to the development of a platform for young microscopists. I am really excited to learn how other colleagues use electron microscopy to study materials.

Scientific Event Co-Chair

Lydia Daum

As a PhD student in Materials Physics at the University of Münster, my research focuses on severely deformed aluminum alloys and their anodization process. Utilizing different (S)TEM techniques at cryogenic temperatures, I aim to characterize the influence and impact of precipitates upon the anodization behavior to obtain improved material coatings. 

My motivation for joining the yDGE came from the opportunity to interact with young microscopists who share the same background with advanced electron microscopes. By actively participating in planning and co-organizing of events at symposiums, I hope to create opportunities for exchanging information within the yDGE community.

Outreach and communication

Social Chair

Nina Kosian

I am a PhD student at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials in Düsseldorf. My research focuses on thin films and their application in water splitting. I want to get a better understanding of how the microstructure of thin films relates to their catalytic properties in order to design better catalysts. I am happy to join the yDGE and to meet other passionate young scientists. It is inspiring and highly motivating for me to share experience and build a strong network.

Communications Chair

Meng Zhao

I’m currently a doctoral student at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Before that, I majored in optical science at Humboldt University. My research is focused on algorithm development in 4D-STEM and ptychography. I joined yDGE to connect with other young microscopists who have similar interests and to exchange thoughts and ideas.

Communications Co-Chair

Aayush Poddar

I am currently pursuing my PhD at Thomas Mueller-Reichert Lab at TU Dresden. My research focuses on studying the mitotic spindle ultrastructure in NuMA-depleted human cells. For this, I would be utilising electron tomography, and potentially establishing a CLEM workflow. I joined the yDGE to partake in a community of passionate electron microscopists who aspire to make electron microscopy more understandable and accessible.

Regional liaisons

Currently open positions can be found here.

Former terms

First term: 03/22 to 03/23

First Speaker: Milena Hugenschmidt

Second Speaker: Johannes Müller

Secretary and Treasurer: Simone Rey

Life Sciences Co-Chair: Moritz Mayer

Communication Chair: Falk Niefind

Social Chair: Charles Otieno Ogolla

Second term: 03/23 to 03/24

President: Johannes Müller

Past President: Milena Hugenschmidt

President-Elect: Simone Rey

Secretary and Treasurer: Ruben Bueno

Life Sciences Co-Chair: Moritz Mayer

Material Science Co-Chair: Ivan Musil

Program Chair: Raquel Aymerich Armengol

Hiring Manager: Miquel Vega Paredes

Communication Chair: Hoelen Lalandec-Robert

Social Chair: Md Redwanul Islam

Regional liaisons: Keshav Goyal, Ajai Raj Lakshmi Nilayam, Changming Liu