Lab visit: Oldenburg PhD student conducts research at Amsterdam UMC
With the Joint Research Academy (JRA), Hearing4all has its own framework dedicated to the career development of junior scientists. This includes support for stays abroad, enabling researchers to expand their knowledge and professional network.
For example, the JRA funded a three-month research stay in the Netherlands for Kristin Sprenger, a PhD student in the Cluster of Excellence. From April to June 2025, she worked in the Ear and Hearing Research Group of the Department of Otolaryngology at Amsterdam UMC, headed by Prof. Dr. Cas Smits. In this interview, Sprenger explains her research work and shares her experiences during the lab visit.
Kristin Sprenger, please introduce yourself briefly!
I am a research associate and PhD student in Medical Physics at the University of Oldenburg. In my PhD, titled “Towards Data- and Model-Driven Standards of Hearing Aid Benefit Assessment,” I am comparing empirical and model-based speech test results, particularly with regard to the hearing aid benefit of people with hearing loss. With my research, I want to help set standards for the individual fitting and functionality of hearing aids. My research focus is part of Research Thread II “IT-based diagnostics and rehabilitation” in the Hearing4all Cluster of Excellence and contributes to the evidence-based development of diagnostic and rehabilitation procedures in audiology.
What motivated you to apply for a lab visit?
I had already heard a lot of positive things about lab visits during the PhD, which made me curious to get to know another research group outside my usual university environment and experience new ways of working. I read up on the available funding opportunities and how to apply, and targeted a group that matched my interests. Amsterdam as a city, as well as working in a clinical research environment and the shared interest in measuring and understanding speech recognition in noisy environments, immediately appealed to me. The aim of my lab visit was to start a study investigating the hearing aid benefit using Dutch speech material and participants.
What experiences did you have in Amsterdam, both professionally and in everyday life?
I gained valuable experience in Amsterdam, both professionally and personally. In everyday life, you quickly realize that a bicycle is almost more important than in Oldenburg, and that speaking English is perfectly sufficient, even without speaking Dutch. Professionally, it was particularly exciting to get to know a new research group and to be an active part of it. I had the opportunity to work with new measurement methods in the lab, improve my English communication skills in a scientific context, and gain a lot of experience in recruiting clinic patients for my study. In addition, I got to know Dutch culture, food, and the city itself, and gained valuable contacts and insights by networking with colleagues.
What are the next steps for your PhD thesis and what are your plans for the future?
I would like to finish my PhD thesis next year, but there is still some work to be done before then. For example, I am currently revising further articles for submission and publication. The data collected in Amsterdam complements and enriches my previous research, and I am already in the process of analyzing it so that it can be published. In the long term, I would like to continue contributing to hearing research, especially to the further development of hearing aids.
Fig.: Kristin Sprenger and her research team in Amsterdam (back row, 5th person from left). Photo: Ear and Hearing Research Group / Amsterdam UMC
