EACH Winter School 2025 Started!

On Jan 28, 2025, the 10th Winter School (WS) of the Excellence in Analytical Chemistry (EACH) programme officially kicked off. This year the venue is Estonia’s winter capital, Otepää, located on the outskirts of a village called Kääriku, Valga. While the weather is windy and rainy (yes, rain in January!), the warmth brought by the participants’ enthusiasm towards WS activities burns fiercely.

As every year, WS is the moment for exchange between 1st and 2nd-year students, and also where the latter can meet up with their classmates who have chosen different paths. As always, the schedule started off with second-year students’ presentations about the study tracks and partner universities’ lectures. Day 1 ended on a warm note as well, through a well-deserved dip into Kekkonen sauna, with a promise of even “hotter” days ahead. A jam-packed list of activities in the coming days will surely test the students’ skills and minds sharp on various analytical challenges that await.

WS aims to impart and exchange knowledge on the art of analytical chemistry, metrology, and so forth. It is also a time when alumni share wisdom and offer counsel to those who will soon take their steps in industry or academia. They speak of life after EACH – the challenges to be met, the battles to be fought (to earn job/PhD positions), and the secrets to securing one’s place in the analytical chemistry world. Finally, by the end of the week, first-year students must select their second-year study track

As the week unfolds, may the knowledge gained and connections made at the WS serve as a beacon of inspiration and guidance to all participants.