December 22, 2022 | News | Season’s Greetings

Begin 2023 with new Courage and Energy

In 2022, we saw many accomplishments, new beginnings, and reasons to celebrate at the Institute. Just last week, we hosted more than 100 participants at the Annual Academy of the International Max Planck Research School for Population, Health and Data Science (IMPRS-PHDS) at the MPIDR, more than in any previous year.

This summer, two new independent Max Planck Research Groups began their work. Nicole Hiekel is leading the “Gender Inequalities and Fertility” and Diego Alburez-Gutierrez is leading the “Kinship Inequalities” research group. In addition, a number of new scientists, students and support staff joined the MPIDR in 2022. 

For the first time, the Population and Social Data Science Summer Incubator Program organized by Director Emilio Zagheni's Department of Digital and Computational Demography in collaboration with our Sabbatical Awardees Rumi Chunara and Monica Alexander  took place. Twelve young scientists spent three months in Rostock to learn from and collaborate with each other.

In the fall, we received great news about new research funding. Director Mikko Myrskylä received funding for two international research projects: the ERC Synergy Grant for the BIOSFER project which includes colleagues in Oslo and Aarhus, and MPG funding for the establishment of the Max Planck - University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health.

We also redesigned our databases this year; they have an updated look and are more user-friendly now. First and foremost, the Human Mortality Database (HMD), our largest and oldest database, which we maintain and expand together with partner institutions worldwide. The Human Life-Table Database (HLD), the Human Fertility Database (HFD) and the COVerAGE Database also received refreshed or new web presences this year.

Sad news reached us in March from Odense. Founding Director James W. Vaupel passed away at the age of 76. His sudden loss was a deep shock for us and his colleagues worldwide. In Rostock, we will remember him as a shining beacon of demography and one of the Institute's greatest advocates. We plan to honor him with an event on March 27, 2023. Please save the date in your calendars already. More information will follow early next year.

We have now taken a look back and want to gather strength for all the new and exciting opportunities ahead of us in 2023. We also want to meet with our loved ones, celebrate the holidays, and eat, drink and be merry.

In this spirit, we wish all our staff, our alumni, and everyone connected to our Institute, happy holidays and a healthy start to the new year.

The Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research (MPIDR) in Rostock is one of the leading demographic research centers in the world. It's part of the Max Planck Society, the internationally renowned German research society.