Overview

_{Disclaimer: This club is NOT (!) part of the formal UT education program. There are no ECs attached. This is purely for fun.} 

An informal club of curious minds to raise scientific thinkers

The informal club was first founded by Maximilian A. Friehs towards the end of 2023. Since then, the club has met every couple of weeks either in person or online, worked on projects together and written papers. But mostly just discussed research. For a full list of student publications from PCRS students, please refer to this website. If you are a student interested in research and want to join our group then please reach out to Max and get invited to the Teams environment!***^{see at bottm of the page}*** 

We are open for all students from all programs; no prior knowledge or commitment required ! 

The Goal. A scientist is somebody with an academic mindset, that can evaluate what they are being presented and carry out systematic observations to find an answer to a question. Although usually students are not considered ‘academic staff’, in this club students are the main researchers. They are the ones asking the questions and looking for answer. Here a student can gain a guided insight into the world of academic publishing. 

The Problem. In todays society in general and even in the universities people are bad at judging the soundness of academic literature and have difficulties understanding the publication process. To the outside observer all journals and all papers may seem alike, but what differentiates good and bad research? How does peer-review help self-regulate the scientific community and act as a quality control process? This also leads to an increase in scepticism in science and a devaluation of fundamental research. During their studies, many students feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the prospect of independent research.

A _{potential step towards a} Solution. The Research Enthusiasts Club can provide a supportive environment where students can gain confidence in their own abilities; either through publishing their work, participating in discussions or joining a conference. Workshops on research methodology, data analysis, and scientific communication empower students to tackle their projects with confidence. Additionally, participation in supervised peer review allows them to receive and provide constructive, high-level feedback, a valuable skill for any aspiring scientist.

The Benefit. Ultimately, this club empowers the next generation of scientific thinkers, but mainly it brings like-minded and curious people together to discuss research in a safe environment. This is as much a social club as it is a research focussed endevour.