Students, doctoral candidates and staff from various disciplines exchanged ideas at an "aluMNI Forum" at the Center for Micro- and Nanotechnologies (ZMN). Three alumni who studied and earned their doctorates at TU Ilmenau shared their experiences from their time at the university in an open round of presentations.
What demands does a doctorate place on young scientists and how do you find your doctoral topic? How do you manage your own work and project management, and what career prospects does a doctorate open up? Participants discussed these and other questions at the first aluMNI forum organized by the The Association for the Promotion of Micro- and Nanotechnologies Ilmenau e.V. and the IMN Graduate School at the ZMN.
The organizers initiated the format to provide students and doctoral candidates at the Institute for Micro- and Nanotechnologies (IMN) with an interdisciplinary platform for exchange, to support them in their scientific work and to show them possible career prospects after their doctorate. Three alumni of the Institute of Micro- and Nanotechnologies looked back on their own doctorates and shared their perspectives during their time as PhD students.
Dr. Marc Schalles began his doctorate in 2003 at the Institute for Process Measurement and Sensor Technology at the TU Ilmenau. By a "stroke of luck," as he puts it, the then electrical engineering graduate was offered a thematically suitable doctoral position thanks to the topic of his thesis. For six years, he conducted research on "triple fixed-point radiators for the calibration of radiation thermometers". His project position was initially limited to three years, and he decided late on to pursue a doctorate. He worked for another three years as a research assistant at the TU Ilmenau and during this time he wrote his doctoral thesis in the evenings and on weekends:
This was very time-consuming and exhausting. I would recommend all doctoral students to complete their doctorate in the time allotted.
However, he says the hard work was worth it. Today, Dr. Marc Schalles is an expert in basic developments for thermometry at the internationally active supplier of measuring instruments "Endress + Hauser AG":
The doctorate is a good path for graduates and opens the way for them to positions where highly qualified specialists and managers are sought after
,he told the participants of the aluMNI forum.
Publications, conferences and professional exchange
Dr. Steffen Leopold, technical director of "XFAB MEMS Foundry GmbH", now heads a development department at the company. Even though his doctoral period at the Institute for Micro- and Nanotechnologies was "marked by ups and downs", he knows today that a doctorate is worthwhile. Not only technical expertise, but also the ability to lead a project team and have an eye for priorities are among the skills he acquired during his doctorate:
Doctoral students have an advantage in their working lives in many ways. They have in-depth knowledge of a research topic and a basic technical understanding that serves as a basis for solving problems. Personally, it helped me a lot that I conducted experiments in the clean room during my doctorate and made mistakes in the process. That's how I was able to really grasp many scientific correlations.
Dr. Leopold recommended that doctoral students interested in a scientific career should attend international conferences early on, publish in scientific journals and participate in DFG exchange and funding programs. Especially for a career as a professor, building up one's own network is also very important, Dr. Leopold said.
Getting off to a flying start as a successful founder during promotion
Dr. Boris Goj, deputy managing director and head of the research and development department of "5microns GmbH" as well as chairman of the board of the Association for the Promotion of Micro- and Nanotechnologies Ilmenau e.V., used his own example to show how to successfully found his own company as a doctoral student. In 2014, he completed his doctorate at the Collaborative Research Center "Nanopositioning and Nanometrology Machines" on the topic of "Development of a three-axis tactile micro-measurement system in silicon technology". In the same year, together with four young scientists, he set up his own company, "5microns GmbH". Looking back, Dr. Goj appreciates the opportunities he had during his time as a doctoral student - including the freedom to develop his ideas, trips to the USA and Europe, and the chance to be active in teaching. Today, he says, his company benefits from a large network of local partners in science and business that Dr. Goj built up during his doctorate.
Not only did I gain deep insights into science, but I also gained long-term cooperation partners and customers for 5microns. My doctorate has opened many doors for me.
But alumni also discussed the difficulties that come with a doctorate. For example, a professional exchange with other doctoral students was sometimes difficult due to too different topics within a subject area, the scientific supervision could not be implemented as hoped for or the effects of the doctoral degree on the job market were difficult to assess beforehand.
Doctoral students at TU Ilmenau can benefit from the experience of alumni, including Julian Wüster, a doctoral student at the Optical Engineering Group:
From the alumni I have learned perspectives on the doctorate that go beyond the technical and one hears so collected only rarely. In particular, their input on the skills you need to be successful in your career after earning your doctorate has helped me personally.
Impressions of the first aluMNI forum
Contact
Rebecca Petrich
Vice Chairwoman of the Board of The Association for the Promotion of Micro- and Nanotechnologies Ilmenau e.V. and Speaker of the IMN Graduate School