Graduate engineer in electrical engineering, University of Rostock Chair of Marine Engineering
Studied electrical engineering at the University of Rostock | Working student at Airbus Hamburg | DFG scholarship holder in the Welisa research training group and doctorate at the University Medical Center Rostock in the field of biomechanics | Research assistant in high voltage and high current technology - HHT, Institute of Electrical Power Engineering at the University of Rostock | Parental leave | Research assistant at the Chair of Marine Technology at the University of Rostock | Research stays in Bratislava (Slovac Acedemy of Science, Slovakia), Arizona State University (USA) and Roskilde University (Denmark).
The underwater vehicles and equipment used for deep-sea exploration require robust power supplies, especially in the high-voltage range. I am working on the development of new solid-state power systems. Silicone gels and oils are used to ensure that the electronics work underwater, that no short circuits occur, and that the power supply can withstand the high pressure at extreme depths. I am investigating the electrical behavior of these insulation materials using tests in the pressure tank and simulations compared with theoretical calculations to find out how resilient they are when used underwater.
There are relaxed and exhausting days. When I perform my experiments, I have to configure the test setup in advance so that the test room and sensor technology are in harmony. I have to specify my question and decide what and how I want to measure it, repeat the tests and validate the results. This can sometimes take considerably more than eight hours a day. Then comes the main part of the work - evaluating and summarizing the results and discussing them with co-authors. How can the findings be used? In which new calculations do they flow? How can they be presented and summarized? Scientific publishing is an analytical and creative thought process. I am not only a scientist, but also a writer.
During my studies, I realized that I wanted to work in a research-oriented way. What I like about research is finding gaps. There are still so many unanswered questions. I enjoy the creativity - how can the findings be used further and where are the possible areas of application? I'm on the water all the time - sailing, surfing, fishing. With ocean technology, I can contribute to the preservation of the oceans by asking how does technology work offshore and how can we humans live in harmony with the sea without destroying biodiversity?
We test on land how sensitive electronics can withstand underwater conditions and thus provide important fundamental insights for other innovation projects. All our research contributions are small puzzle pieces in a big whole.
Be brave and just start.
