The annual PhD retreat took place this year in Bordeaux, France. Our cohort of PhD students were introduced to the rich French culture which included traditional cuisines, historical tours, variety of exhibitions, and also special insights to wine tasting like a sommelier.
The academic schedule of the retreat fostered discussions around personalised research questions, as well as a grant writing workshop organised by postdoc fellows of the IBME.
A highlight for many was the ice breaker activity of 2 truths and a lie, where each student presented 3 wild statements about their research topic – 2 of which were true and 1 was a lie.
The 3-day retreat provided a much-needed opportunity for students to meet one another (especially for the new cohort of PhD students), and facilitated an environment where ideas could be shared, and new connections built.