The BOKU DocDay 2025, held at the UFT campus in Tulln/ Donau from September 25th to 26th, brought together doctoral researchers from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) for an engaging exchange of ideas, collaboration, and the presentation of innovative research.
The two-day program offered an interesting blend of scientific presentations, poster sessions, and networking opportunities. Day one focused on the PhD talks and research highlights from the participating institutes, covering fields such as wood technology, bio-based materials, crop science, and spectroscopy. The second day focused on career development and proposal writing, featuring external speakers who discussed “Life after PhD,” complemented by information booths, guided laboratory tours, and insights into the applied research facilities at Tulln.
Wood K plus researchers excel at BOKU DocDay 2025
Among the many excellent contributions, Martina Duller from Wood K plus was awarded first prize for “Best Talk”. Her presentation focused on citric acid-based melamine-formaldehyde impregnation resins, offering a promising bio-based alternative for decorative laminates aiming to replace fossil-derived materials and reduce formaldehyde emissions. The talk achieved the highest overall score among all participating PhD students, evaluated in categories such as scientific content, presentation structure, and confident handling of the discussion.
The second price went to Johanna Kreuter for developing a rapid method for extracting DNA and RNA from bacteria.
The third price was awarded to Lara Dumschat, also from Wood K plus, for her innovative work on supercritical CO₂-assisted wood impregnation using bio-based flame retardants.
Beyond the awards, DocDay 2025 highlighted the interdisciplinary strength and applied focus of the BOKU research community. The event demonstrated how sustainability and innovation come together through the joint efforts of BOKU and its partner institutions, including Wood K plus, to educate future researchers and promote sustainable development across various industries.
Press Coverage
A report and impressions from the event are available in the official article published by ecoplus: Junge Forschung im Rampenlicht: DocDay am Technopol Tulln | ecoplus.
