During the week of September 22nd, our group enjoyed a lab retreat in the peaceful and inspiring surroundings of Steingaden. Over three intensive days, we shared project overviews, reflected on lab well-being, and exchanged ideas about our future direction as a team.

A highlight of the retreat was our alpaca walk on the afternoon of the second day—a surprisingly effective and thoroughly enjoyable team-building experience. Guiding an alpaca, much like conducting a scientific project, demands patience, strategy, and a sense of humor—but the rewards are well worth the effort. The walk brought plenty of laughter, positive energy, and, of course, a flood of photos.

Fulfilling as it was, the lab retreat also helped us define our direction for future work, both as individual researchers and as a team.

Text by Anastasiia, photos by Dorsa