Hall of Femmes

(1) What I love about my current job is...
...not having any superiors to answer to, because I’m passionate about being self-employed. In the digital world, it’s vital to keep up to date at all times. So, my job as an online media consultant is never boring and I’m always learning something new. It makes my day-to-day work extremely diverse.

(2) My current job suits me perfectly because...
…being self-employed in online business satisfies my quest for independence and constantly feeds my insatiable appetite for learning. I also have clients who are a good fit for me and broaden my horizons – and hopefully I’m able to broaden theirs, too.

(3) One of the highlights of my career so far has been...
...having the opportunity to spend several years on in-depth research into just one complex topic for my dissertation – and to write a book. Never before or since have I been able to research anything so intensively. The second highlight for me has been discovering that I’m successful at my job as a self-employed individual and can hold my own on the market.

(4) When I look back on my career to date, I’d say that what has particularly shaped me has been...
...the fact that my search for the interesting and for intellectual stimulation always won over any (material) fears or doubts. Neither completing my doctoral degree nor being self-employed came naturally to me, but I was brave and seized any opportunities available to me.

(5) I’d advise any young women wishing to pursue a career similar to mine to...
...follow your heart and your thirst for knowledge. Find out about any grants and scholarships for further study and research during your degree. Look for mentors. Opt to do research with good connections to a department and colloquia. And don’t give up – you’re as good as the next person!

(6) Networking with other women in my field or in research is important to me because...
...nobody can know everything, and the collective wisdom of other female experts often proves helpful. Whether the functionality of a rare specialist software or the identification of a species of beetle found in the garden – there’s always someone who can help.

One achievement that I attribute to this mutual networking and support is...
...that I’ve been able to help others find a new job on various occasions – e.g. by forwarding them job ads or through good networking.

(7) I decided to do both a degree and a doctorate at Paderborn University because...
...it was my local university. After quitting my apprenticeship, a degree in German and Textile Design at my local university suited my interests. For me, studying was often like a “studium generale” (general education course) – there was so much that appealed to me. Over time, I developed my specialisms, which eventually led to me to do my dissertation in literary studies.

(8) I associate my time at Paderborn University with...
...many years of feeling very much at home in a very fertile academic and artistic environment (the “Kunstsilo” art studios, the Textile Design department, the Paderborn University Drama Group) and the (university) political fine-tuning of my awareness of the feminist cause, through my work on autonomous women’s projects and the student rep committees.

(9) For the next 50 years, I wish Paderborn University...
...to continue to keep cultural studies and the humanities on an equal footing with the sciences and to ensure they receive sufficient funding. I also hope that the university will be able to promote an environment conducive to science and research, without too many economic constraints.

Photo: (Christina Kurby)