2025: Research career kick-off for our PhDs

As 2025 draws to a close, so does the first year of the GO-Chains Research Space. We look back on a year shaped by intensive exchange, growing team spirit, and a deep dive into the sustainability governance of global value chains.

For the early-career researchers involved in the GO-Chains research cluster, this year was special in another way as well: the launch of the Research Space also marked the beginning of their academic careers. Over the past year, they have refined their research questions, engaged deeply with the topic of global value chains, and collected their first data as well as many new experiences.

Many of the PhD researchers had the valuable opportunity to collaborate with other researchers in the consortium on joint projects. For instance, Henrike Jost, Kathleen Evers, Finn Bongert and Michel Ortland were able to work with their supervisors or in research groups on collaborative publications.

Others can proudly report that their first papers were accepted, such as Sofiya Pohurskyy. She published work on digitalisation, AI, and sustainability, an important milestone in developing her research profile and a strong starting point for further expanding these focus areas.

Jia Zuo and Frederik Kamphues had the opportunity to conduct their first fieldwork in China / Ghana, respectively, gaining new insights along the way. Jia reports valuable practical insights through interviews and informal conversations with professionals and experts on critical minerals in China. Frederik travelled to Ghana to explore the cocoa sector on the ground. There he gained not only fascinating insights into the work of cocoa farmers but also learned about the local culture and encountered new perspectives and ways of thinking.

For many, though, the real highlight was the chance to connect in person, as Barbara Ehbauer and Nora Große describe. These included the meetings within the Research Space, where members were able to get to know each other better and present their research focuses and interests. These encounters already set the course for future collaborations. The many impulses and the exchange within the PhD and postdoc network were also greatly appreciated.

Conferences and summer schools were also among the highlights for many. The PhD researchers actively participated in events such as the European Consortium of Political Research (ECPR) conferences in Berlin and Thessaloniki, the “Politics of Supply Chains” conference at HWR Berlin, and the Lower Saxony–Scotland Joint Forum. Jelto Makris recounts inspiring conversations with fellow PhDs and the feeling of being part of a large research community. Michel Ortland also reflects on the political developments, saying: “What really gave me hope was seeing how many people continue to push for sustainability and fairness in supply chain legislation, even in the face of major challenges and political pushback."

We are delighted with the PhD researchers’ successful first year in the GO-Chains Research Space and look forward to an inspiring and productive 2026 - with even more exchange and an even deeper engagement with their research!