On Friday, February 28, the official graduation ceremony of the Physics Department at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) took place. The event was held in the Rudolf Mößbauer Lecture Hall and the foyer, where numerous graduates, their families, friends, and faculty members gathered to celebrate the successful completion of their studies.
A Festive Opening
The ceremony began at 4:00 PM with a musical performance by the Campus Choir Garching. Choir director Markus Teutschbein opened the event with the words: "Rhythm defines our lives. In the beginning, there was rhythm."
Following the musical introduction, Prof. Reinhard Kienberger, Dean of Studies at the TUM School of Natural Sciences, welcomed the attendees. In his speech, he thanked the Campus Choir and emphasized the consistency of high-quality education despite changing times. "We are here today because of you, dear graduates," Prof. Kienberger highlighted. Prof. Julia Herzen, Deputy Academic Program Director for Physics, also welcomed the attendees and introduced the diverse program.
Inspirational Talks
The first lecture was given by Dr. Felix Bischoff, a TUM Physics alumnus from Accenture GmbH, on the topic "An (Un-)Typical Career Path? A Physicist in Technology Consulting." He shared insights into his professional journey and emphasized that there is no predefined career path for physicists. Instead, he encouraged graduates to explore "what brings them joy and fulfillment." In conclusion, he wished all graduates great success in their future endeavors.
A humorous and personal touch was added by Hassan El Hadidy, a bachelor’s graduate of the 2024 class, in his farewell speech. He reflected on the early days of studying physics, the challenges faced, and the invaluable support of fellow students. "It’s not an easy degree, but we made it! You can be proud of yourselves and look forward to the next chapters," he encouraged his fellow graduates.
Exciting Insights into Research
The event continued with two scientific presentations. First, Adelina Bärligea, a master’s graduate of 2025, presented her research on the scalability of current quantum algorithms in solving optimization problems. This was followed by Dr. Lucas Tröger, a PhD graduate of 2024, who spoke about the search strategy of a giant cell under the title "Without a Brain, but Not Headless." Both presentations demonstrated the versatility of physics research and captivated the audience.
Honoring the Graduates
After a musical interlude by the TUM Campus Choir, the highlight of the ceremony took place: the honoring of the graduates. Professors Julia Herzen, Reinhard Kienberger, and Peter Fierlinger presented awards from the "Friends and Sponsors of Physics at TUM" association to outstanding graduates.
The ceremony concluded with another musical performance by the Campus Choir before attendees had the opportunity to engage in personal exchanges at a champagne reception with refreshments. The 2025 graduation ceremony provided a fitting setting to honor the achievements of the students and to look optimistically toward the future.
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