Interview and photo: Cornelia Freund
ED: What are you researching in your doctoral thesis and how is your research being applied?
Alina Kerschbaum: I've been at the Chair of Energy Systems for ten months now and I am working on the sustainable transformation of the chemical industry in south-eastern Bavaria, the so-called ChemDelta Bavaria, as part of the “H2-Reallabor Burghausen” research project. Various universities, research institutions and the industry itself are involved in the project. My work package “System aspects and future planning” takes a bird's eye view on energy and material supply in the region and aims to find answers to questions. Where is the potential for renewable energies? What role does hydrogen play? Where does sustainable carbon come from, for example? In my work for the project, I am investigating precisely such potential for renewable energies and a closed carbon cycle.
In my doctorate, I am looking at spatially resolved potentials for “sustainable” carbon. The fact is that the majority of chemical products are still fossil-based, i.e. produced on the basis of crude oil. This will have to change in the future, as the carbon temporarily stored in the products is usually released back into the atmosphere in the form of CO2 after a certain period of time and contributes to climate change. That is why we need “sustainable” carbon in the future. This can come from biomass, for example, but also from residual and waste materials. Then there is direct air capture, where CO2 is extracted from the air. And CCU, short for Carbon Capture and Utilization, which involves separating CO2 from an industrial waste gas stream and reusing it later, for example for syntheses, thus closing the cycle. “Sustainable” carbon will play a major role in the future because it is needed in many industries, for example for environmentally friendly aviation fuels, bio-based polymers, the construction industry, etc. In my doctorate, I would also like to focus on these competing uses in order to answer the question of how we can best use this potential to make the greatest possible contribution to climate protection.
ED: What courses have you studied? Which people and topics have influenced you?
Alina Kerschbaum: I studied energy technology, in my Bachelor's degree at the University of Erlangen and in my Master's degree at the University of Stuttgart. After graduating from high school, I had to choose between three different study programs: Energy Technology, Psychology and Philosophy. That was a very difficult decision. In the end, I decided to become an engineer because I felt that I had the greatest influence and could make a bigger difference. Renewable energies have actually been with me since a presentation in eighth grade. At the time, I didn't fully understand the scope of climate change. But I already knew back then that renewable energies were an important component and part of the solution and that I wanted to make my small contribution.
The start of my Bachelor's degree was challenging in different ways. I remember the feeling of not really fitting in. It was a long process to realize that this had nothing to do with my skills and abilities, but was mainly based on stereotypes and clichés. I am very glad that I had support at the time, for example I was part of a mentoring program for women in technical and scientific courses. I got to know many other female students who were super motivated and committed. That gave me a sense of belonging.
On my journey into research, it was my former Bachelor's thesis supervisor and current mentor and a professor who made me feel that my ideas and perspectives were valuable. To me, the commitment to diversity and equality is so important because it's about being seen. I think it's important that the potential of female students is recognized and that they are supported. STEM subjects are the topics of the future, whether it's climate change, IT security or plastic pollution. We will all be dealing with this and we need everyone.
ED: You recently received the EDs Diversity Conference Award. In what way are you committed to more diversity?
Alina Kerschbaum: Before I started my doctorate, I worked here for just over a year as a project manager in the TUM Entdeckerinnen (explorer) girls' support program and for the “MINT-Impulse an der Schule” (STEM impulses at school) to increase the number of female first-year students in STEM subjects or in a STEM education. We visited schools in rural Bavaria and offered one-day workshops for girls with speakers from various schools and departments. The main aim was to gain positive experiences in dealing with STEM topics. The key point was that they were always hands-on projects. The girls were allowed to tinker, experiment, solve problems themselves and thus develop technical self-efficacy, regardless of whether they were soldering a small Enigma encryption machine or constructing a mini hyperloop. A special feature of the program is that at least one female student or doctoral candidate was included in each team as a role model, because it is precisely this identification that is important.
Since starting my doctorate, I have been involved as a mentor for the Agnes Mackensen Program, which supports students from non-academic households. In Germany, it is unfortunately still the case that the level of education at home has a major influence on children's education - this is where the buzzword “equal opportunities” comes into play. This is a stumbling block that we should remove in order to fully unlock the potential of STEM degree courses. I am mentoring a Master's student and can give back the positive experience I had as a mentee, which is a very nice feeling.
ED: You took part in the WELocalMunich Conference of the Society of Women Engineers in Europe in recognition of your commitment to diversity. Which women did you meet there? What inspired or fascinated you?
Alina Kerschbaum: The conference brought together 500 participants from all over the world at the Nockherberg. The very open and appreciative atmosphere was very special. I found it very valuable that people also talked about difficulties, for example in everyday working life. The most important thing I took away with me was this feeling of community and belonging. I think that's also something you need in order to be happy in your job in the long term. This is exactly the feeling I would like to pass on to young female students: You belong here.
ED: What is your professional goal for the future?
Alina Kerschbaum: I don't know exactly where I see myself professionally yet, but I think that I would like to have exactly this sense of community in my professional future. I can't say yet whether that will be at university, in the industry or in an NGO. For me, technology has always been a tool to achieve a goal. And I think it's great when people pull together to achieve this. I am generally very interested in teaching and passing on knowledge and hope that some of this will also be reflected in my future career.
In general, the professional world is undergoing a major change and we as engineers will work differently in the future. Topics such as teamwork and finding creative solutions will become even more important, and that's exactly why I'm trying to practice lifelong learning and think outside the box. This is also important for my doctoral thesis because, for example, biomass potential is an interdisciplinary topic and involves agricultural and forestry sciences. I find it exciting to be able to keep on learning.
More infos:
Profile of Alina Kerschbaum
Masters Program Energy and Process Engineering
Doctorate at ED
Research Project “H2-Reallabor”