Aerospace Engineering - Bachelor's study program

For the "smart" series, I am responsible as project manager for the facelift of the new smart EQ. Together with our cooperation partner Renault, we developed the smart fortwo/forfour and brought the vehicles to the Hambach (France) and Novo Mesto (Slovenia) plants. My primary task is to ensure project management that meets deadlines, budget, and maturity requirements. I use traditional project management tools as well as agile methods to respond flexibly and quickly to changes. In addition, successful project management requires skillful coordination between different departments (e.g., design, development). In this way decisions can be made consistently, despite conflicts of interest and differing objectives. In addition to technical understanding, analytical thinking, and organizational skills, teamwork is very important in my job. 

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In Hamburg, I work as a senior engineer in the offshore wind sector. I develop solutions for support structures so that they can withstand around 30 years at sea under all wind and wave conditions and operate safely. In addition to development and calculations, I advise our clients to help them find the optimal solution. Each project is unique, and one must always find new solutions within a holistic context. The interaction of aerodynamics, hydrodynamics, geotechnics, structural dynamics, health & safety, as well as installation, maintenance, and operation sets high standards. These can only be tackled as a team. The Aerospace Engineering study program prepared me very well for this, and although it is highly technical, many designs still start with paper and pencil. For me, this is what makes it especially exciting: starting so “simply” and ending with a CAD-modelled solution that can actually be built.

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Sowento GmbH is a spin-off from the University of Stuttgart in the field of renewable energy control. Closely connected with university research, the company develops smart ideas for various applications in this sector. I enjoy working as part of a young, dynamic team and feel highly motivated.  My main task at Sowento is designing and testing a LiDAR-based control system for wind turbines. LiDAR is a device that can measure the wind at some distance ahead of the wind turbine. The goal is to optimize energy production and reduce structural loads on the wind turbine components. This is a very interdisciplinary field. Knowledge in control engineering and LiDAR measurement technology is just as important as understanding dynamic systems, meteorology, and signal processing. My studies in aerospace engineering have fully equipped me to handle this diverse range of topics.