DOT 15

The 15th meeting of German speaking ostracodologists 

For this year’s scientific exchange, German-speaking ostracodologists gathered in Bremen-Vegesack aboard the training ship Deutschland. Following an invitation from Burkhard Scharf, 15 scientists came together at this wonderful location to present their current work in lectures and open discussions. As at last year’s meeting in Cologne, international guests also attended, so the exchange took place in English. The participants listened particularly attentively to the presentation by Ariany de Jesus e Sousa, a micropaleontologist at Petrobras in Rio de Janeiro, who provided an interesting insight into her work. Master’s candidates from Halle and Berlin presented their initial results and benefited from an intensive discussion. 

The meeting was sponsored by the Förderverein für die International Research Group on Ostracoda e. V. (FV*IRGO, or SF*IRGO in English). The association was founded in 2012 to provide content and financial support to IRGO.

Half a day was reserved for an excursion to nearby waters to take sediment samples containing living and subrecent ostracods. Burkhard Scharf demonstrated his equipment, which he has perfected over the years, and explained all the steps involved in sampling; many participants were happy to take home one or two ideas – and the samples, of course. The historic Valentin submarine bunker in Bremen-Rekum was also viewed from the outside, as access to the interior of this gigantic and oppressive structure of Nazi forced labor is not permitted.

During dinner together in the captain’s room of the Vegesacker Havenhaus, the participants not only continued to talk, but also honored two birthday boys: both the organizer, Prof. Dr. Burkhard Scharf, and Dr. Dietmar Keyser (Hamburg) recently celebrated their 70th birthdays.

The meeting came to a pleasant close with a visit to Burkhard Scharf’s private ostracod collection, where a few samples were quickly examined and discussed. 

(Report: R. Matzke-Karasz)