Hall of Femmes

(1) What I love about my current job is...
...the wide variety of possible projects and AI solutions. In the course of my work, I come into contact with a host of different companies and people. We’re constantly tackling new problems and coming up with new ideas for solutions. This fosters foresight and understanding for our economy, and consequently the problems faced by SMEs and large corporations – but also for our society and politics.

(2) My current job suits me perfectly because...
...it’s a nice mix of working with technology and with people, plus I have a lot of freedom and responsibility. The technology-related work involves generating research ideas for AI applications in production, as well as finding solutions for specific applications. When working with people, in addition to liaising with project partners, I also get to help my team develop, both individually and as a group, and to shape the shared vision and strategy for this team.

(3) One of the highlights of my career so far has been...
...winning the Jowat Research Award for my dissertation. For a long time, I didn’t think my doctoral research project was scientific or innovative enough, and so was pleasantly surprised to receive this award. It’s nice to see that my research project is highly valued within the adhesive community, and I look forward to being able to work on further AI innovations in this domain.

(4) When I look back on my career so far, I’d say that what has particularly shaped me has been...
...having worked for a successful original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Here, I learned the importance of having a vision for the end of the project right at the start of the project. I learned to “slice the elephant”, to enable me to address even seemingly chaotic and complex topics in a structured, and therefore simplified way.

(5) I believe that female role models are important in university and professional life today because...
...in my experience, as women, we often come up against different challenges to men. And there is a variety of possible solutions to these challenges, which we’ve probably not yet discovered in their entirety: Be it the very obvious issue of balancing a family and a career or different ways of looking at the world and approaching entrepreneurial issues. I think there’s still a lot of room for individuality here and inspiration is needed to create it.

(6) I’d advise any young women wishing to pursue a career similar to mine to...
...always remain true to yourself. In a corporate world that’s unfortunately still very much male-dominated – especially in technical domains – I think it’s often difficult for women to believe in their own path and approaches, as this/these are/is often unconventional.

(7) I associate my time at Paderborn University with...
...the excellent supervision of my work by Professor Gerson Meschut. Although AI was new territory in the domain of adhesive bonding technology when I started my doctoral studies, Professor Meschut took on the topic and, together with Professor Bäck from Leiden University in the Netherlands, supervised my work with a great deal of dedication and interest. And I’m very grateful for that!

(8) For the next 50 years, I wish Paderborn University...
...to continue its strong focus on innovative topics in tune with the times and to have the courage to tackle them – even if they sometimes seem too far off in the future.

(9) As a positive effect of the “Hall of Femmes” for readers, I hope that...
...many women will be inspired by the wonderful women in the “Hall of Femme” and their different biographies. I hope they’ll feel empowered to be the master of their own life story, and thereby make a positive contribution to equality and change in society.