From September to December 2024, I spent three months in Australia for a research stay at the University of Queensland in Brisbane. First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank Prof. Cliff Mallet for offering me this opportunity and Dr. Vanessa Wergin for her continuous support and guidance throughout my time there. Some of the highlights at UQ included making significant progress in my doctoral research and giving a presentation on my Master’s thesis at the School of Psychology.
I also had the opportunity to attend keynotes and symposiums led by internationally renowned scientists. Of particular remembrance were talks by Prof. Jason Tangen who gave a keynote on the latest developments in Generative AI in Psychology, and Prof. Alex Haslam, the world’s leading expert in Social Identity Theory, who delivered a thought-provoking talk on dealing with rejection. Additionally, I’m grateful to Prof. Kyra Hamilton for inviting me to the Health and Psychology Innovations Research Laboratory at Griffith University, where I had the chance to discuss the latest insights on habit formation and behaviour change interventions.
The Australian culture of mutual respect, openness and cooperation - both at the university and in everyday life - was deeply inspiring. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to making this research stay truly unforgettable.