Science communication (SciComm) is when scientists themselves bring their work to life for the public, using formats like social media, blogs, radio, television, science slams, or events such as the Long Night of Science. This year, we especially want to highlight WissKomm projects in biological psychology and neuropsychology. We are awarding one prize of 1,500 € to a member of bioDGPs or DGPA. It recognizes outstanding achievements in bio- and neuropsychological SciComm and highlights work that has made a significant impact in the field.

We are offering two workshops in the run-up to the conference. We recommend early registration, as the number of participants per workshop is limited. Places will be allocated in the order of registration. Workshops will be held in English.

Workshop 1 (Using Virtual Reality (VR) – A practical Workshop on using the Open VR package EDIA) will take place on Tuesday, June 2nd, 2026 (9:00-18:00) and Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026 (9:00-13:30).

For Workshop 2 (Functional Neuroanatomy – A hands-on Workshop to interact with the Human Brain) there will be two identical options to participate: either Tuesday, June 2nd (14.30 – 18 Uhr) or Wednesday, June 3rd (9.00 – 13.30).

The functional neuroanatomy workshop is now fully booked, but you can still sign up for the waiting list.

The cost for Workshop 1 is 20 euros for members of both bioDGPs (section Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology) and DGPA members, 70 euros for members of either bioDGPS or DGPA, and 120 euros for non-members, and includes participation and coffee breaks.

The cost for Workshop 2 is 10 euros for members of both bioDGPs (section Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology) and DGPA members, 35 euros for members of either bioDGPS or DGPA, and 60 euros for non-members, and includes participation and coffee breaks.

You can also become a member during workshop registration. To register, please fill in this google form: You will be asked to indicate (a) which workshop you want to participate in, (b) your current status (PhD, PostDoc, etc.) and (c) a proof of your DGPA/bioDGPS membership status (if applicable). For questions regarding pre-conference workshops, please email pug.workshops@gmail.com.

The meeting of ECRs will start on Wednesday, June 3rd at 14:15 (Psychologisches Institut, Hauptstraße 47-51, 69117 Heidelberg). The meeting is open for master students, doctoral candidates, post-docs and junior professors. It serves to exchange ideas and network amongst all early career scientists.

First, the ECR representatives of the DGPs Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology Section (bioDGPs) and the DGPA will report on their activities in the past year and give an outlook on the activities planned for the coming year. We always highly appreciate your ideas, suggestions, and feedback!

Following the introduction, there will be two consecutive sessions. First, we are welcoming Prof. Dr. Andrea Kübler (University of Würzburg) as a guest, who will be discussing power abuse in academia. Afterwards, we will offer two round tables in an open format.

1. For newer researchers and PuG first-timers, we will host roundtables on topics such as “how to conference”, networking, and other topics that are especially relevant to ECRs.

2. For more senior ECRs, we will host a round table around “how to grant write” – sharing tips, tricks, and pitfalls.

At the end, we will all reconvene for a short wrap-up. Following the ECR Meeting, we will set off together for the conference welcome evening around 17:30. We look forward to seeing and getting to know you at the meeting!

Our Posterblitz Symposium offers a stage for early career researchers. Here, innovative research projects by you ECRs are presented to as broad a professional audience as possible. Specifically, the symposium consists of ten five-minute short presentations, each followed by three minutes of questions.

You can apply for participation in the poster flash when submitting your poster contributions. Simply check the appropriate box in the online form when submitting your abstract. So that we are not influenced by your results in our selection, we ask you to write a results-blind abstract for the poster flash.

Among the submissions, a jury consisting of ECRs of the DGPA and the DGPs Section Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology, will select the best ten abstracts in a double-blind review procedure. We will then inform you in a timely manner about the selection.

Our evaluation criteria are: clarity of presentation, study design, theoretical derivation of hypotheses, and incorporation of open and reproducible science practices. We look forward to reading your abstracts!

The Buddy Program will take place for the fifth time at the PuG and connects PuG newcomers (mentees) with experienced PuG participants (mentors) in so-called “buddy teams”. The program is designed to help mentees get their bearings at PuG, meet nice people, and expand their network. During conference registration, you have the option to sign up for the buddy program. Please ensure you register at least four weeks before the conference, as for later sign-ups we cannot guarantee a mentee or mentor pairing.

The basic idea

When attending a conference for the first time, it’s easy to feel lost. It’s not just a matter of mastering the logistics and finding the right lecture rooms at the right time. Making contact with other colleagues can also be a challenge. And then there’s the social program – what should I take part in?

In our buddy program, mentors can be a helpful support: they introduce their mentees to the PuG world, give tips, provide an overview, and give a little push when it comes to networking. Conversely, the mentors also expand their network through their mentees and possibly get to know PuG from a different perspective.

What tasks do the mentors have, and what can the mentees expect?

There are no fixed requirements for the individual buddy teams. We recommend at least one personal meeting before or at the start of the PuG, for example, during the welcome evening. Mentors can share tips and tricks about the PuG process (e.g., “How do I decide which sessions to attend?” or “How do I minimize stress during a packed PuG day?”), recommend events (e.g., the ECR meeting), or introduce their mentee to colleagues. Informal exchanges about research topics or introducing other colleagues are also ways to help mentees get off to a good start in the PuG community. Mentors can also be available to answer questions during and before the PuG. ECRs who are already receiving support through their research group can benefit from the additional perspective that “external” mentors can provide.

Please note that to become a mentor, you do not necessarily need to be a senior researcher or postdoc already. There is no formal requirement. If you have already attended the PuG  a couple of times, you likely already qualify as a mentor and can share useful tips to PuG newbies.

As in previous years, we are again honoring outstanding supervisors with the Supervisor Award of the DGPA and the DGPs Division Biological Psychology and Neuropsychology. Nominations can be made by filling in an online survey, which covers questions about supervision during the PhD. The prize will be handed over during the PuG social event.

Who can nominate supervisors?

The nomination survey is open to all individuals who are currently doing their doctorate (supervision relationship of at least 6 months) or who have completed their doctorate within the last 24 months. For a valid nomination of a supervisor, at least two independent evaluations must be received.

In order to complete the survey, the nominated supervisor must verbally agree to the Privacy Policy Information. This document is linked in the survey. Please forward the document to your nominated supervisor. A signature or other written confirmation is NOT necessary; it is sufficient to show the document.

The survey is available here  and will additionally be circulated via mailing lists and social media.