The green City of Berlin and its Influence on my Research Project
A post by HZB summerstudent Rodgers Otieno: For the past four years I have been living in Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, a place described by the locals as the green city under the sun. Having lived in such a place, my love for trees and nature in general grew immeasurably, think of it as an addiction. Trees are very significant in our everyday life, apart from their aesthetic appearance, studies have also shown that spending time around trees and looking at trees reduces blood pressure as well as stress related hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
The Wow! moment
Coming to Berlin and seeing so many trees and bushes in most parts of the city was a delightful surprise and it instantly reminded me of home, Nairobi, and its reputation as the “green city under the sun.” This connection to nature brought me a sense of comfort and familiarity, despite being thousands of miles away from Kenya. Walking through the streets of Berlin, I could see the abundant green spaces that are systematically blended into the city landscape. Avenues lined with trees and parks that stretched throughout the city, offering a refreshing variation to the steel and concrete structures.
Why I needed to visit the parks
Laboratory work sometimes can be stressful, in our case, the research work on solar cell. Preparing two batches of solar cells per week required that I had to spend most part of my day working in a glove box, carrying out the preparation of the perovskite solutions, spin coating, evaporation and measurements. Still, making perovskite solar cells has been an enjoyable process especially because we were able to synthesize solar cells that actually work. We were also able to observe tremendous progress in device performance one batch after another. We achieved continuous improvement in power conversion efficiency in the order of 8.5%, 14.4%, 16.8%, to a final of 18.5%. However, it was tiresome to repeat the same procedure over and over again, throughout the week.
My favorite hiding place on the weekends
And so, I spent most of my weekends exploring the city’s greenery, One of the most outstanding place was the Treptower Park, a sprawling park alongside the river Spree in Alt-Treptow, in the disctrict of Treptow-Köpenick, south-east of Central Berlin. It hosts a lake, tree shaded pathways, rose garden, diverse vegetation and the Soviet war memorial. Walking, cycling, sitting in the shade close to the river while enjoying the beautiful view of the river and boats and exploring the monuments gave a sense of relaxation and relief from the normal day routine. Observing the intricate designs of leaves, and admiring the interplay of colors in the natural world sparked my imagination. The serene atmosphere and the absence of urban noise allowed my mind to wander freely, leading to novel ideas and innovative approaches to problem-solving.
My take home message?
My time as a summer school student in Berlin exposed me to hand-on skills and knowledge especially in perovskite solar cells, while still allowing me to appreciate its vibrant and abundant green spaces. The prevalence of trees and parks served as a reminder of the importance of nature in our every-day lives and reinforced my belief in the positive influence of a green environment on our well-being. It was inspiring to witness a city that valued and prioritized green spaces as an essential part of its identity, fostering a stronger connection between people and their environment.
About the Author: Rodgers Otieno, recently finished his course work for Bachelor of Technology in Applied Chemistry (Industrial Chemistry) at the Technical University of Kenya. With the experience he has gained during the summer school program, especially while working at integrated research Institute of Sciences (IRIS) ADLERSHOF, he is now highly motivated and plans to do his master’s thesis on solar cells.
Readers comments (22)
Ouko Robert
Its amazing, especially how you have described your area of expertise, also how you have described the nature of the beautiful city is out of this world. The performance deserves an Oscar Award 👍
Rodgers Otieno
Robert Thank you for taking your time to read
Taphline Matunga
WOW,good job Rodgers.Youre such a storyteller i felt much as if im in Berlin, take your time and learn more.
Thanks , congratulations too.
Josleen
Congratulations Rodgers keep on moving, sky is the limit 🥳🙏
Harrison
Hello Rodgers, congratulations on your incredible research work! Your dedication and hard work truly shine through in the tremendous progress you’ve made. Wishing you all the best for the future ahead. Keep reaching for the stars! 🚀
Monica Ngito
the project is wonderful Rodgers indeed you have represented us we’ll continue shining like a star boy😘 whenever u are proud of you🤗.
Solomon Ongoro
Congratulations walking chemical. Keep scaling the heights. I am very proud of you.
Candy Otieno
This is quite a very good work, nothing is left out and it’s all in abundant👍this for sure raises a desire for all students to work smart,,,, congratulations and keep the good work brother.
Bonny
Keep up the good work, we the Odago’s are proud of you
Barasa kizito
so amicable experience and exposure of how you have brought out the correlation between these two different environment(Kenya and Germany), interesting of it , is how you have ventured and incorporated them bringing a strong relationship to your research till to its horizon.
so encouraged with your next move , that is proceeding with a masters in that field of research.Big up brother🏅🏅,we are proud of you💯🔥
Rodgers Otieno
Kizito, thank you for taking your time to read the blog, and for providing such a great feedback
Barasa kizito
That’s great work Rodgers,amicable experience and exposure that is so much overwhelming in your research work.keep it 🔥💯brother.
Karian
Never doubted your ability but I’m mesmerized by the storytelling but of it. It’s top bro.
Keep scaling high bro💯
SIMON KARUMEH
Hello Rodgers . I just loved what you have done. Writing such a blog shows how good and dedicated to your work. May you continue with the same spirit and achieve the impossible.
Samwel Odago
Feeling so refreshed and attracted to the Green beauty of Berlin city, How beautiful to keep and maintain our Environment in such an ambient manner we can see there!, very fulfilling. Back here in Nairobi we are happy and praying for your success in your studies there. keep up brother
John macharia
It was just the other day Rodgers I congratulated you for your successful enrollment, i could see a very determined young man in you, i like the firm confidence that you have in you ,I remember you video called me multiple times and indeed what you hve already expressed is very clear and true,i am happy for the good news of your successful project and congratulations.
Fredrick Ochieng
so many might be skeptical but never for once did I ever doubt you ability buddy,,,,you always resilient, persistent, dedicated and above all , competent in all your doings,,,you gonna do great bro just keep on pushing
Paul Ooko
Wow, the Berlin’s abundant green spaces, reminiscent of Nairobi’s “green city under the sun,” showcase the city’s commitment to integrating nature into urban life. These lush trees, bushes, and parks offer a refreshing contrast to concrete structures, providing not only visual delight but also improved air quality and well-being. Berlin’s approach sets a global example of harmonious urban planning that connects people with nature even in bustling metropolises.
Dennis
A wonderful piece Rodgers. It evoked in me memories of the visits we did together while in Nairobi where you were always our “tour guide” as we explored the city. Keep the dream alive. Keep soaring bro. All the best in your future endeavors!
Rodgers Otieno
I appreciate all of you for taking your time to read my blog and for the generous comments,
It was very green in Berlin this summer, I enjoyed my stay.
Fanuel Mwita
Very nice piece of writing,real experience and keep up the good work bro 👏
kevin njuguna
congratulations for making it to berlin it’s such a nice place to be.
aim higher for more achievements.