Testimonials
trusted perspectives / feedback & experiences
Frantisek´s experience
I am sincerely grateful for the entire week spent at the German Sport University Cologne and for all the opportunities, valuable experiences, and insights provided to me during my stay. I learned a great deal about HRV and cognitive testing procedures, while also having the opportunity to contribute to the research through my participation and feedback.
I have already started raising awareness about HRV and the research activities of the HRV Lab at my faculty and within my professional network in Slovakia. It was an incredibly inspiring experience for me, both professionally and personally.
I would also like to add that everyone I interacted with during my stay was exceptionally friendly, helpful, and supportive, which made me feel truly welcome in Cologne.
It was also an honour to meet Sylvain Laborde. Despite being a highly respected, successful, and busy researcher, he remains very humble and invests a great deal of time in supporting young colleagues and helping them begin their research careers.
Thank you once again for your support, openness, and willingness to share your expertise. I sincerely appreciate it and already look forward to future cooperation
Pedro´s Experience
Overall, this experience has been really positive and rewarding. Right from the start, I was impressed by the friendly atmosphere within the department, both from the supervisors as well as the other interns, with whom I've made some great friends.
As for the supervisors, in my experience they always try to make time to get to know you and find out what your interests are, and they make an effort to give you the opportunity to work on projects and tasks that match your expectations as closely as possible, which has given me the feeling that I am really part of a team and that I am valued within it.
On a professional perspective, I have been involved in a wide range of projects, such as developing research projects, writing popular science articles, learning about and participating in experiments alongside elite athletes, and much more... All of this has allowed me to develop skills such as critical thinking and teamwork, and has boosted my professional career by expanding my scientific background with popular science publications.
As an international student, I found it very easy to fit into the team, as the department is very international and everyone tries to speak English, making me feel included. Furthermore, working in such a multicultural environment helps to develop soft skills and social communication.
Although my internship has come to an end, I am certain that I will continue to work and collaborate with the department on future projects. I would like to give special thanks to Sylvain Laborde for being my internship supervisor and for giving me the opportunity to work on such interesting projects during my time there.
Rene´s experience
My internship at the institute gave me valuable practical insights into psychophysiological research and everyday scientific work. I especially appreciated the combination of hands-on laboratory experience, teamwork, and the opportunity to contribute to exciting research projects. During my time there, I was able to deepen my knowledge in areas such as HRV, EEG, TMS, and respiratory research, while also gaining experience in study organization, data collection, and scientific analysis.
Overall, the internship was a very enriching experience that further strengthened my interest and knowledge in psychophysiology and cognitive neuroscience.
Laura´s experience
In the Winter Semester 2025/2026, I completed my internship here at the HRV LABorde, where I gained various insights into ongoing research projects. I supported data collection, data analysis and literature research. Moreover, I had the opportunity to contribute to the Science Communication of our LAB, which was my favorite part: creating and maintaining this website, Content Creation for Social Media, lecture- and workshop preparation.
What I highly appreciated during my internship: I got hands-on experience and substantial work to do. Additionally, one's own ideas and own initiative were always supported. My tasks were enabling me to widen my horizon and learn new skills. Furthermore, I liked the open-minded and outgoing atmosphere here. I am grateful for the time that I spent here and for everything I learned!
Maya´s experience
During my 5th semester of my Bachelor in Psychology, I completed an internship at HRV LABorde, where I had the chance to work closely with the researchers exploring HRV and performance. I supported ongoing projects by assisting with data collection, ECG measurements, literature research and data analysis. Throughout my time at the lab, I learned about HRV methodology and breathing-based interventions in depth.
What stood out to me most was the warm and supportive atmosphere within the team and the whole institute. I felt encouraged to ask questions, take on responsibility, and contribute my ideas. This experience not only strengthened my practical skills, but also deepened my interest in performance psychophysiology and inspired me to continue working at the intersection of psychology and physiology.
