United for more sustainable development

Dr. Ronja Kossack – junior professor and special-assignment instructor in the research field of bioeconomics

When asked what she sees as most intriguing about her professorship, Dr. Kossack says that she is looking forward to developing and publishing her own projects as a professor. To fulfill this goal, she opted for the junior professorship model at Hamm-Lippstadt University of Applied Sciences (HSHL) in 2022. She spends 50 percent of her time working as a special-assignment instructor at HSHL. During the other 50 percent, Dr. Kossack works at a partner company.

Wanting to acquire the necessary qualifications and skills for a future professorship, she got involved in both teaching and research projects at HSHL. "I really like the fact that teaching is more in focus at a technical university of applied sciences than at other types of universities."

In addition to supervising internships and student projects, she has also held lectures since the 2021/22 semester. To prepare her for future teaching activities, she receives support from the university’s Section for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. With the Section's help, she develops lecture plans and materials that are intended to bring added value to both her and the students. The decision to pursue a career as a professor was a conscious one. "I think it's nice to see that the students are interested in these topics and that they enjoy the subjects. What they learn can be used later in their lives and careers. And to take what they have learned and go somewhere else with it – if possible – can certainly have positive ripple effects, as I see it."

She is also the spokesperson for the field of bioeconomic research at HSHL and supports her colleagues in developing and applying for projects. "What I enjoy is bringing people together and launching ideas." She finds it particularly exciting "that the research is much more application-oriented. This means working more with companies or municipalities."

In the other half of her time, she works for Bex-BioTec, a company that offers services for investigating the action of plant nutrients and soil amendments. In her work, sustainable development and research are very important to her. As an aspiring professor, she would like to pass this attitude on to her students through her teaching. With a professorship as a career aspiration, Dr. Kossack is contributing to a sustainable way of life.

Passionate about research

Prof. Sabina Fuchs, Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science

Prof. Fuchs started her career by studying the two subjects of chemistry and biology, initially wanting to become a teacher. But, it quickly became clear: Her passion lies in research. Thus ensued the classic career in science: A degree in biochemistry, a doctorate in macromolecular chemistry, and a post-doctoral stay at the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Toulouse, France, followed by various management positions in large, internationally active companies in the chemical industry. While her application for an exciting professorship in her home country was spontaneous, her decision to accept the position was not. She deliberately weighed the advantages and disadvantages of a professorship at a university of applied sciences and was ultimately inspired by her colleagues who are already practicing professors.

Like her colleagues in science, she quickly learned to appreciate the wide scope of self-government. "In a corporate environment, you are always restricted to certain topics, so scientific freedom is necessarily very limited." Apart from the free choice of research topics, she also appreciates the self-determination in the prioritization of work tasks. "That old adage is true – that you can't dance at two weddings. I'm the type of person who gets completely absorbed in a topic for a while and then gives it my all. I really enjoy doing so too. And then comes a phase where you say: Now, I'm prioritizing topics differently, now I'm placing new emphasis elsewhere. And it's nice to be able to shape things myself." With such great enthusiasm for research, she successfully applied for a research professorship at HSHL. This gave her the freedom to reduce her teaching duties by half so as to concentrate fully on research in the time gained. She and her team are currently part of four major innovative research projects that deal with the development of new “smart” plastic additives for thermoplastics and the synthesis and application of flame retardants made from renewable raw materials to name a few.

She is happy to recommend that people with corresponding career aspirations garner a broad range of experience in both industry and teaching. The experience she acquired during her time abroad, managing employees, and coordinating projects are skills that help her greatly in her current work. She also advises people to take on teaching assignments so that they can gain insights and educational skills in teaching early on.

Self-determined across the board

Prof. András Biczó, Professor of Manufacturing and Production Technology

The interface between health and mechanical engineering in the interdisciplinary professorship for manufacturing and production technology at HSHL inspired Prof. Biczó right from the beginning. He previously held the position of head of a competence center for dust emissions. Even then, he was intrigued by the combination of two fields – such a duality is also common for professorships at HSHL. Even so, the idea of a career as a professor had occurred to him much earlier. He was introduced to this idea by his colleagues during his doctorate and was infected by their enthusiasm for the profession.

In order to gather the necessary professional experience, Prof. Biczó went into industry after completing his doctorate. He spent the next 10 years at a company, a stint that involved several relocations and allowed him to get to know different cultures and working styles. To this day, that professional experience still helps Prof. Biczó in his work as a professor – something he would like to pass on to his students. "It's a great advantage here that I can decide for myself what I do," he says. His main focus is on teaching, which takes up about half of his time. Prof. Biczó appreciates the cooperation with students and the freedom to shape the lectures. "I learn a lot from young people. And I structure my lecture as a dialog. It's not designed to put them to sleep. I ask more questions than I give answers." In recent years, for example, he has equipped his teaching with e-learning modules to help students prepare the material.

In addition to his work as vice-dean and member of the Senate, he also actively conducts research. "I do a lot of work with different companies." He likes to get his students involved in this, too. One current project is the cooperation with the police in the city of Hamm. As part of the project, bicycles will be fitted with RFID chips to facilitate the police’s investigative work in the event of theft. After recognizing the great added value of international cooperation for students and research through his time in various countries, Prof. Biczó also likes to focus on the internationalization of the university. "So far, I have established partnerships with Mexico, Ghana, and China." Further partnerships are also in the planning stage.

Prof. Biczó particularly appreciates the flexible working hours at HSHL. While he had to put in many hours a week in industry, he can now spontaneously drive home to his family between lectures and other tasks. This advantage and those already mentioned are the reasons why he would choose the career path as a professor over and over again.

Teaching: Practical and personal

Prof. Stefanie Sielemann, Professor of Instrumental and Analytical Sensor Technology

When she reads the successful CVs of some of her former students, Prof. Sielemann sometimes still gets goosebumps. She herself completed a diploma in chemistry and then a doctorate at ISAS Leibniz Institute for Analytical Sciences in Dortmund before going to the technical university in Vienna as a postdoc. The desire for change overcame her after 15 years in the business sector. "It was a great job. Despite that, I still had the feeling that I wanted to do something else." Today, she teaches as a professor in the field of instrumental and analytical sensor technology.

Before taking on the professorship, she asked herself how she envisioned her everyday professional life. "I wanted to make my family and professional life compatible. And after many business trips around the world, I craved the opportunity to work flexibly from home at times. Then, I thought about what I enjoy doing. That was giving training courses and participating in technical discussions, developments, and collaborations within interdisciplinary teams. I also wanted to earn really good money, but that was never my top priority."

Prof. Sielemann appreciates the interdisciplinary structure of the departments at HSHL where different subjects come together. "Our main interest now is not our specialized field, but (...) our degree program." Since teaching is of particular importance at institutions of higher learning and therefore also to Prof. Sielemann, she devotes around two thirds of her time to it. She also manages scientific and economic research projects and supervises two doctoral students.

She gives high priority to maintaining close contact and working with the next generation of scientists. "You remember the students very well and get to experience their development." When she meets the graduates again later or sees their posts on LinkedIn, it is not uncommon for her to think to herself: "Wow, what a super job." The comparatively smaller degree programs also engender "respectful interaction at eye level" with a view to relations over the long term. It is not for nothing that former students come back to HSHL for guest lectures or similar activities or volunteer – and gladly – to be involved in teaching. Prof. Sielemann recommends students take on teaching assignments to gain insight into the diverse work entailed by a professorship. Here one can gather teaching experience, while also increasing one's chances of a professorship later on.