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By Noor Hasan

From January 2026 to April 2026, I was part of the POLISES group at the department of Ecological Modelling, UFZ. It was really an insightful experience to see how abstract ideas in research take shape as working models. My work involved using the SNAg ecological economic modelling framework to look into the trade-offs of nitrogen policy choices while maintaining yields, limiting N-surplus and ensuring the economic well-being of the farmers. Previous work on this project had focused on wheat and maize. I decided to work on rapeseed and examined whether similar patterns emerged for a different crop. 

My interest in socio-economic modelling began in a BTU course with Prof. Birgit Müller and Dr. Gunnar Dreßler and this Hiwi-job gave me the opportunity to actually go beyond the classroom ideas. A key part of this experience was learning how to translate model outputs into meaningful interpretations, which was one of the most challenging parts: connecting the model results to real-life situations, especially understanding what the outputs actually mean for farmers and policy decisions in practice.

I also enjoyed the weekly group meetings on Monday. Listening to the discussions about ongoing work and plans for the coming weeks gave me a glimpse of everyday academic life. I found the working atmosphere really warm, relaxed, and supportive. I admired the dedication everyone showed towards contributing to science. I felt welcomed and enjoyed being part of such an open environment.

Traveling to Leipzig from Cottbus once a week was also an amazing experience. I enjoyed the train journeys and the beautiful countryside around Leipzig, which was especially charming when covered with snow. I also have fond memories of spending time at Leipzig's wonderful central station, which became a familiar and pleasant part of my weekly routine.

I am grateful for the opportunity and especially for the guidance and support from Kaja. I also appreciated the independence I was given and learnt through my exploration.