The Jyväskylä Condensed Matter Theory group, part of the QMAT Centre of Excellence, left the university behind for a day in June to enjoy a relaxing retreat at Konnevesi Research Station.

The PhD student Natale Matranga wrote this short piece about the day’s events – as you can see, quantum materials were still very much on their minds even in the midst of nature...

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Our group recently left the office behind for a retreat filled with physics, hiking, sauna, food and conversations moving in several directions at once. For those of us who came to Finland from abroad, the entire concept was also a cultural experience.

“The idea that I get to hang out with people I work with, outside of work, perhaps in a sauna, perhaps while having a brew? Insane. Ridiculous. Love it.”
— Ewa Swierkosz

Physics inevitably followed us there. Instead of limiting ourselves to project updates, we had time to properly explain ideas to one another, from strange metals and moiré patterns to superconductivity. We also held a communication session in which everyone presented a topic and received honest feedback on how clearly they structured and communicated it.

“Some of the best scientific discussions happen outside the office, when there’s time to slow down, ask questions, and learn from each other with relax.”
— Natale Matranga

One of the highlights was our hike in Southern Konnevesi National Park. The quiet forest and beautiful scenery gave us a welcome break before we returned to the considerably less quiet business of coordinating physicists.

“As someone who studies superconductivity for a living, I thought I understood collective behavior. Then I watched a group of physicists organize a sauna, hiking plans and multiple conversations simultaneously.”
— Maryam Darvishi

For several people, the retreat also included their first Finnish sauna. Afterwards, we had a barbecue and played “Two Truths and a Lie” about our home countries. With people from so many different places, the game became a particularly entertaining way to learn more about one another.

“My first sauna experience since arriving in Finland was already special but sharing it with my teammates made it even more memorable. The barbecue, games and stories about our home countries made the whole evening a lot of fun.”
— Devesh Vaish

The retreat gave us something we do not usually get during meetings and lunches: enough time to talk, wander, explain things properly and enjoy each other’s company without watching the clock.

Many thanks to everyone who organized it. We are already looking forward to the next one.

Final assessment:

Drivers: 3/3, although they respected the speed limits too much
Discussions: 5/5
Experience: 5/5