One of the most memorable experiences for every PhD candidate in combustion is the submission deadline for the Combustion Symposium. This morning at 9 a.m. (CET) it was that time again — the papers for the 41st Symposium on Combustion in Japan (41 ISOC, 2026) had to be submitted.

Having a paper accepted to the Symposium is a major achievement and a strong motivator for PhD candidates and postdocs alike. It is highly competitive, and the sometimes rather brutal review process is part of the story.

I would like to share the memes our team created to capture the last few days — intense, stressful, but also full of energy and team spirit. After all, it is important to step back and laugh about our little academic bubble every now and then.