How I decided to pursue a PhD.

Me in front of Universität Stuttgart (Source: Finn Tryggvason)

Ever since I was a child I was undoubtedly interested in technologies. My extensive Lego collection and building projects gave an early indicator that my future would likely lead me to an engineering career. Unsurprisingly (though many years later) I started studying business engineering and I was certain that this would also be my future career path. However, the further I progressed in my studies, the more I distanced myself from “hardcore” engineering.

Towards the end of my education I was uncertain what the field of highest interest would be to me. Throughout my studies I came in touch with many different technologies such as 3D-printing, Cobots, VR, AI/ML and IoT and gained both hands on experience as well as a conceptual understanding of each technology. At the same time I was curious about topics such as Innovation Management, Open Innovation and how an innovation can reshaped the market. So as I approached the end of my education, I was left wondering: What will I do once I conclude my master studies?

Since I was unwilling to prematurely limit my future career opportunities, I decided to postpone my decision on what to specialize in. I started looking for something that would allow me to keep a close eye on novel technologies and trends from both a technological, as well as theoretical perspective.

I was lucky to discover the EINST4INE program which gives me the freedom to do exactly that. This program allows me to apply my previously gained knowledge regarding emerging technologies and combine it with my academic curiosity. I am excited to see where I will go from here and what the future of the program will bring.