In August this year I got the chance to work at the Tjärnö Marine Laboratory of the Gothenburg University with the evolutionary biologist and genetics expert Erica Leder, a professor in the Department of marine science. Tjärnö is an Island at the northern Westcoast of Sweden close to Norway. The lab itself is part of the university’s research facilities, located in the most species-rich area of Sweden, next to Kosterhavet National Park, Sweden’s only marine national park. Around 70 researchers live there all year long, accompanied by visiting school classes, university courses and many master students working on their thesis papers.
My work was mostly about Littorina Saxatilis, a very common snail species all over Europe. This species is divided in two ecotypes. This means that they´re evolved differently, but genetically they still are considered the same species and able to mate with each other. The crab-ecotype, lives in rocky parts of the coast, where lots of crabs live. Thus being quite big, they have a thick and strong shell and react very sensitive to any movement around them. The wave-ecotype on the other hand lives on boulder shore, where it is important not to be washed away by crashing waves. Through the process of speciation these ecotypes will diverge into different species. Hybrids between both ecotypes are automatically less adapted in either environment and more vulnerable. This kind of hybridization can be avoided by simple distinguishment in habitat choice but also through mating preferences. We wanted to find out how exactly this assortative mating works. A female Littorina saxatilis can store the sperm from different males. We tried to create some kind of timeline according to the age of the offspring from individual females to find out, if there is some kind of algorithm or similarity in their genes. Here, I actually got to do the hands-on work. We went out collecting the snails (Bild 3) and Erica showed me how to properly dissect a snail under the microscope and remove the shell without mangling it completely. (Bild 4)
I also learned how to differentiate female and male and how to cut off the brood pouch without opening it directly to open it later on in a different petri-dish and sort the offspring by age with a pipette. It is amazing how different the stages actually are (Bild 5). Some eggs only have one or two cells in them and some baby-snails were already crawling around fully developed. Sadly, I wasn’t there long enough to get some real results because the gene extraction was quite difficult. It was hard to find the right method to digest, especially because there is hardly any DNA in the little snails and we had to let them grow and develop without losing our timeline. (Bild 6)
Apart from this highly interesting main work, I spend time aboard the research-ship “Nereus” along a swedish high school class that went out sampling different animals for some experiments. With a mini trawling net we caught several species, from coldwater-corals, to sea stars, crabs, mussles, barnacles and even one fish. (Bild 7, 8, 9) To be able to touch all of these animals, to feel their texture and to be able to observe their behaviour from such close up was extremely fascinating. I also got to join the biodiversity course from Gothenburg university one day. First, we spent the afternoon identifying frozen fish to learn how to work with the identification keys. (Bild 10) During the next morning we went out to catch some fish right in front our doorstep on Saltö, mostly goby fish, but also eel fish and even three flatfish. We also got the opportunity to snorkel and watch them and some crabs in the water.
The lab provided free snorkelling-tools for everyone at the station. And although the sight wasn’t exactly perfect, it’s extraordinary what you can find in the water if you only take a closer look. (Bild 11-14)
Swedens Westcoast has a lot more to offer apart from what’s underwater. It is also known for its beautiful and wild landscape. I would encourage everyone to embrace it as much as possible. The forests are completely different from those in mid-Europe. Unlike nowhere in Germany you will find stone formations and huge stone fields everywhere. Additionally, there are lots of blueberries and mushrooms to be found from July till September. (Bild 15)
During my whole stay I lived in the so called “white house” on the lab grounds together with all the master students. For two weeks I could join their incredible community, which felt just like a family. They told me all about their work and invited me to their group activities, like snorkelling on the weekend and even a night dive to experience the bioluminescence. This was probably the most fascinating thing I have ever seen in my life. As soon as anything moves in the water the particles lit up. We watched it several nights in a row until the current washed it out to the ocean again. You could literally swim through an explosion of light. Waves or the touch of your hand was enough to start the spectacle. The algae even stuck to your hand when you took it out of the water. The fascinating thing is that nobody knows why these algae are bioluminescent. In daylight they have an auburn colour and they only get bioluminescent if there was enough sun during the day. (Bild 16)
I am half Swedish myself, thus the Swedish culture comes quite natural to me. But something that I still wasn’t used to is “Fika”, which is best translated as coffee time. Every day at 10am and 3pm the whole lab meets up in the cafeteria and there is free tea, coffee and fruit for everyone.
Overall, I had a fantastic time and I could have easily stayed some more weeks. Thanks to everyone who made my time at Tjärnö Marine Laboratory so unforgettable!
Useful Tipps:
Don’t worry about language, I heard almost as much German and English at Tjärnö as Swedish. It’s a very international university so you will meet people from all over the world.
Bring enough food! Since the next town, Strömstad is about half an hour away by car and busses only go a few times per week and not at all on weekends, make sure you have everything you need.
In July 2023, I embarked on a thrilling adventure to Tenerife, where I had the incredible opportunity to undertake an internship with the Max-Planck-Institute at the Animal Embassy of Loro Parque, nestled near Puerto de la Cruz. This internship was a pivotal moment in my academic and personal journey, offering me a unique chance to dive deep into the world of behavioral research. Under the expert guidance of Auguste Bayern, I had the privilege of working with a diverse range of parrot species across various research projects, as well as gaining hands-on experience with the daily tasks of a research lab.
During my stay in the Canary Islands, my home base was the Puerto Nest Hostel, situated in Punta Brava, a charming village separated from Puerto by three picturesque beaches. This hostel became my sanctuary and added an extra layer of charm to my adventure. It was here that I not only honed my research skills but also experienced profound personal growth.
My journey began with a tinge of trepidation. After landing in Santa Cruz, the capital of Tenerife (which is a part of Spain and is located in close proximity to Morocco), the reality of being on my own hit me. Initially, it was a daunting feeling. However, this apprehension was soon replaced by excitement during my 1.5-hour cab ride to the hostel. The lush, vibrant vegetation and the occasional sight of the magnificent Teide volcano emerging from the persistent northern clouds left me in awe and anticipation of what lay ahead.
My accommodation at the hostel struck a perfect balance between coziness and practicality. I was housed in a female dorm with four beds, ingeniously designed to optimize space. The presence of curtains provided a semblance of privacy, although the window allowed passersby to observe my slumber, adding a unique touch to the experience. My initial tendency to overpack, driven by panic, made the small drawer under my bed inadequate for my belongings, a lesson in packing lightly that I learned the hard way.
The staff at the hostel, primarily international volunteers, welcomed me with open arms. We delighted in sampling various international delicacies, from Brazilian handmade sweets to homemade supercookies. Evenings were filled with camaraderie, as we ventured out for excursions, engaged in game nights, and enjoyed impromptu music sessions with the guitar. This diverse community of travelers introduced me to captivating individuals from all walks of life. We practiced yoga together, played volleyball on the beach, and indulged in sunset picnics by the sea. A particularly memorable experience was when two fellow travelers invited me to join them on a trip to Teide National Park, leading to an unforgettable night of stargazing followed by a challenging 7-hour trek to the summit of the volcano. It was an adventure etched in my memory forever.
Despite these thrilling adventures, the bulk of my time was dedicated to my internship. A typical day commenced between 9 and 9:30 am when I entered Loro Parque through the staff entrance. Loro Parque, though vast and diverse like a zoo, had a distinctive focus on parrots, evident from its name („Loro“ means parrot in Spanish). Each day began with the responsibility of feeding over 60 parrots. The task was not for the faint-hearted, as these intelligent birds could be quite protective of their food. Convincing a sizable green parrot to relinquish its meal without resorting to biting or attacking my shoes required finesse. An additional challenge was ensuring none of them slipped out of the aviary entrance, making it one of the most exhilarating experiences of my internship.
The remainder of my day was occupied with various lab tasks, including the meticulous cleaning of aviaries and the crafting of stimulating toys to keep the parrots engaged and mentally sharp. Some tasks even involved freezing seeds within ice cubes, a creative strategy to prevent the parrots from becoming bored. However, the most captivating aspect of my internship was conducting experiments, particularly training parrots to learn social copying mechanisms. Training these intelligent and sometimes cheeky birds proved to be a formidable challenge, with rewards dispensed in the form of seeds. I couldn’t help but admire their beaks, which could appear quite intimidating, adding an element of excitement to our training sessions.
During my time in Tenerife, I uncovered a few truths about myself. Firstly, I discovered that I am not particularly skilled at grocery shopping. Initially, I purchased an abundance of potatoes and onions, but to my chagrin, I rarely used them, often opting for meals at the Loro Parque restaurant and simple cabbage salads. This experience taught me the importance of thoughtful meal planning and shopping, taking into account both accessibility and storage. Furthermore, I realized the significance of choosing the right accommodation, as the ever-changing atmosphere of the hostel could be overwhelming at times. Lastly, planning leisure activities in advance became crucial, as there were moments when I found myself unsure of how to make the most of my free time.
In conclusion, my time in Tenerife was an incredibly enriching experience, one that I wholeheartedly recommend to any adventurous soul. The island, with its breathtaking Anaya National Park and the awe-inspiring Teide volcano, offered a captivating blend of natural beauty and cultural intrigue that left an indelible mark on my heart and soul. It was a journey of growth, discovery, and unforgettable memories, and I am immensely grateful for every moment of it.
From July 3rd, 2023 to July 22, 2023, I had the privilege of completing an internship at the privately held Fürst Medical Laboratory in Norway. Fürst is Norway’s largest medical laboratory receiving patient samples from all over the country and examining more than 10,000 patient samples a day. With more than 500 employees, the laboratory specializes in fields like medical biochemistry, hematology, clinical pharmacology, microbiology, molecular biology and anatomic pathology. In the three weeks at the laboratory, I had the opportunity to participate in the work of each department, contribute to routine tasks, and learn both practical and theoretical aspects, such as the chemical processes behind various procedures and the maintenance of numerous instruments.
Fürst is located at the outskirts of Oslo, Norway’s capital, making the commute from my apartment at the city center initially seem rather challenging. However, thanks to the well-developed public transportation and reasonably priced tickets, commuting proved to be easier than I expected.
My adventure began on Monday, July 3rd. On the first day, I received a general overview of the laboratory, which turned out to be quite a maze. After the tour, I immediately started working. The first three days I was part of the PCR department. They use molecular biology techniques like polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on patient specimens like spit, feces and urine to diagnose sexually transmitted or other infectious diseases. Each day, I followed a set of samples from reception and preparation to the final diagnosis, occasionally assisting with tasks like preparing pipette tubes necessary for the following processes. Even though I was not allowed to operate the analysis instruments on my own, I actively observed, learned, and contributed practically to the pre-processing of the samples before they were transferred to the instrument. The second department I attended in the first week was NAT (Nucleic Acid Technology). There, DNA from patient samples is sequenced to identify mutations causing genetic diseases such as lactose intolerance or inherited blood disorders. Here, I followed the preparation of the analytical process, and under the supervision of a physician, I was allowed to transfer feces samples of patients into pipette tubes. (picture 1) I was pleased that I also had the opportunity to attend a meeting where physicians, geneticists and technicians analyzed the DNA sequence of patients and evaluated different mutations that could be the potential reason behind certain diseases. I was particularly fascinated by how doctors could predict where mutations in the DNA might occur just by looking at simple laboratory values.
In the second week, I spent time in the departments of Special Analyses and Pathology. Special Analyses focuses among others on allergy testing, but also screens for a specific type of bone marrow cancer, called multiple myeloma. I learned how to interpret various graphs from protein electrophoresis (electropherograms) to detect this type of cancer and to identify patients with this disease. The Pathology department became my personal favorite, as it was completely different from the other departments. All tasks are done manually and strict protocols must be followed to avoid errors. Like in other departments, the analytical process involves sample preparation, processing, and diagnosis. But Pathology does an extra step, the so-called macroscopic description, where the weight and the appearance of samples, which could range from small skin birthmarks to large parts of the gut, are recorded. During specimen preparation, I helped in sorting the samples by body part, for example from breast biopsies, and by urgency for analysis. Samples were preserved in a solution during processing and then sliced into extremely thin sections. (picture 2) To experience a pathological diagnosis, a physician showed me skin samples under a microscope, two from patients with different stages of skin cancer and one with a fungi infection. That was my personal highlight.
The third week was full of unique experiences. First, I was assigned to the Automation department, which combines all departments at FÜRST that operate fully automatically. Automation utilizes a transport belt, over a hundred meters long and the longest in Northern Europe, to transport samples to their respective machines based on the required analysis. (picture 3). Even though the entire system is automated, maintenance of the machines and ensuring smooth operations are crucial, which is why the system is always monitored by a technician. My task was to monitor the machines on a tablet and inform the technician on call about any technical problems that had to be solved immediately. My second stop in the last week was Bacteriology and Chromatography. In Bacteriology, I learned about testing bacteria for antibiotic resistance and how to identify some bacteria on specific plates based on color and odor. (picture 4). Chromatography, for me, was probably where I learned the most, because there I had the least prior knowledge. A bioengineer showed me how analytical chemistry techniques, such as chromatography, are used to determine the concentration of individual substances in a mixture, for example vitamin D levels or drug concentration in the blood.
Within the internship, I was most struck by the seriousness associated with making a diagnosis. The protocols are extremely strict because the smallest errors can have an extreme impact on people’s lives. For example, can even the tiniest measurement error of an illegal drug make the difference between someone going to prison for years or not. Thus, I developed immense respect for the employees who, despite the somewhat impersonal nature of their work (e.g. most patients are represented by numbers within the laboratory), performed with the highest precision and seriousness to provide patients with the best possible diagnosis.
Outside of the laboratory, Oslo had much to offer. As Norway is not known for good weather, I often engaged in indoor activities. Fortunately, Oslo provides a wealth of options with museums, cinemas, and more, ensuring I was never bored. Some of my favorite places included the Munch Museum, which displays the works of the famous Norwegian artist Edvard Munch, including his iconic piece „The Scream“(picture 5). The National Museum was another personal highlight, featuring a vast collection of artworks by Norwegian artists, ranging from the Norwegian queens’ evening dresses to a wall covered by enormous balls of colorful fabric. (picture 6). And of course I had to try typical norwegian food. My working colleagues recommended, that I should try a national food called “fiskekake”, which essentially translates to fish cake. Although it looks rather questionable, to me it tasted so good that I ate a whole pack of nine in what felt like two minutes. Well, I can’t really say that I am eager on those anymore, but it was and is definitely worth trying. (picture 7)
During my time in Norway, I also noticed some differences compared to Germany. Norway, with its small population and ample resources, appears to have a more future-oriented mindset. Urban planning is more forward-thinking, with a strong emphasis on green city planning. Parks are abundant, and trees line nearly every street. The mobile network infrastructure is superior, ensuring almost perfect coverage even in remote areas. Society, in general, appears to have a strong focus on social welfare with a desire to ensure the well-being of everyone. When I felt lost walking around, almost everyone on the street was willing to help. Moreover, Oslo is remarkably quiet. Crowds in Norway are quieter compared to Germany, and traffic is almost silent as most vehicles are electric. However, one thing that left an impression on me was the situation of the homeless. In Norway, cash is hardly used anymore. Instead, the electronic payment method Vipps has been developed in Scandinavia and has become the main means to send money between people in the private sector. Thus, every homeless person has a Vipps account as well, so that people passing by can make cash-less donations using a code, and homeless persons can still receive donations. This way of sending money has even entered the Norwegian language, and Norwegians may say: “Can you please vipps me the money?”
Overall, I gained valuable experiences both in the internship and outside of it, and I am glad I had the chance to dive into Norwegian culture and values. My time in Norway was and will always be unforgettable to me, and I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to experience these wonderful and inspiring three weeks.
Erik Reiter Anhang: Allen zukünftigen TUM-Kollegiaten wünsche ich natürlich viel Spaß beim Praktikum. Genießt es, denn es sind in der Regel drei tolle ereignisreiche Wochen. Allgemein kann ich euch nur raten früh mit der Wohnungssuche zu beginnen. Wenn ihr euer Praktikum bereits früh organisiert, könnt ihr bei Studentenwohnheimen anfragen, ob diese Zimmer für Kurzaufenthalte anbieten. Das spart natürlich eine Menge an Geld. Sonst funktionieren AirBNBs auch super, kostet dann nur etwas mehr. Zu Norwegen habe ich auch noch ein paar Tipps, falls es wen dorthin verschlägt. 1. Sowohl Lufthansa als auch Norwegian bieten Direktflüge nach Oslo an. Je früher ihr dran seid mit Buchen, desto billiger. Es lohnt sich die Preise zu vergleichen. In Oslo am Flughafen angekommen, macht euch nicht die Mühe ein Taxi zu bestellen, der „Flugbus“ (flybuss) oder der „Flugzug“ (flytoget) bringen euch zügig nach Oslo. In Oslo selber rate ich über die sog. Ruter App (Ruter ist quasi das Äquivalent zum MVV) ein Monatsticket zu bestellen. Das kostet umgerechnet etwa 30 Euro. Bargeld braucht ihr so gut wie keins, in Norwegen werden schon die allerkleinsten Beträge mit Karte bezahlt
Ich habe vom 10.07. bis zum 21.07.2023 ein Praktikum in dem Architekturbüro FRICK KRÜGER NUSSER PLAN2 absolviert und in dem Zeitraum vom 28.08. bis zum 08.09.2023 ein weiteres Praktikum in Malmö, Schweden bei E.ON wahrgenommen.
Warum zwei Praktika?
Ich hatte ursprünglich geplant mich auf den Bereich der Architektur für mein Praktikum zu beschränken. Also schickte ich Bewerbungen an Büros auf der ganzen Welt. Ich versuchte es sowohl bei großen und renommierteren, als auch bei kleinen Büros nach dem Motto: Probieren kostet nichts.
Über einen Kontakt meines Großvaters bin ich dann tatsächlich auch zu einem Architekturbüro in London gekommen, allerdings war ein Aufenthalt dort für mich als Praktikantin auf Grund von Visumsbeschränkungen nicht möglich. So wurde ich an Büros in Italien und Frankreich weitergeleitet, allerdings habe ich dann auch von denen nach langer Wartezeit die Nachricht bekommen, dass der Zeitpunkt wegen ihren Sommerferien und einem Umzug ungelegen ist. So habe ich mich für ein Architekturbüro in München und im Nachgang noch ein weiteres Praktikum, verbunden mit der Wärmeversorgung von Gebäuden, bei E.ON entschieden. Da ich meine Forschungsarbeit über klimafreundliche Architektur schreibe, ist der Aspekt der Versorgung der Gebäude selbstverständlich auch wichtig und interessant für mich. Da Schweden bezüglich der nachhaltigen Energietransformation wesentlich weiter als Deutschland ist, ist der Standpunkt dort besonders interessant.
Erstmal weiteres zu dem Praktikum bei FRICK KRÜGER NUSSER PLAN2 in München:
Das Architekturbüro FRICK KRÜGER NUSSER PLAN2 ist im Bereich der Architektur und des Baumanagements tätig. Der Beruf des Architekten und Generalplaners befasst sich mit der Planung, Koordination und Durchführung von Bauprojekten. Diese Aufgaben übernimmt das Architekturbüro FRICK KRÜGER NUSSER PLAN2 bei Projekten jeder Größenordnung für private und öffentliche Bauherren.
So ist es zum Beispiel verantwortlich für den Entwurf, die Planung und nun auch den Bau des neuen Strafjustizzentrums in München. Dieses Projekt mit insgesamt 54 Gerichtssälen, mehreren Stockwerken Bürobau und zwei Stockwerken Tiefgarage ist derzeit Bayerns größte staatliche Hochbaustelle.
Außerdem erbaute es auch einige Justizvollzugsanstalten wie die momentan anlaufende Baustelle in Zwickau.
Neben dem Bau von „üblichen“ Wohnhäusern und Bürogebäuden war es zudem für die Restauration des zu einer Touristenattraktion umfunktionierten alten Ammerseedampfers, der Alten Utting, zuständig.
Da ich als Schülerin nicht direkt an Projekten mitarbeiten konnte, wurde mir die Chance gegeben mich selbstständig in das Programm ArchiCAD (24) einzuarbeiten.
Diese Software ermöglicht es einem Grundrisse, Schnitte, 3D-Modelle und auch fotorealistische Modelle von Ideen und Konzepten zu entwerfen und ist somit das Hauptwerkzeug eines Architekten. Natürlich gibt es mehrere Programme mit jeweils ihren Vorzügen, jedoch verwendet das Büro FRICK KRÜGER NUSSER PLAN2 ausschließlich ArchiCAD.
So habe ich gleich am dritten Tag meines Praktikums damit angefangen mein eigenes Haus zu entwerfen und in ArchiCAD zu erstellen.
Orientiert an traditioneller Architektur und einem Fachwerkbuch von 1950, welches mir mein Betreuer zur Verfügung stellte, wagte ich mich an die Aufgabe, ein kleines Einfamilienfachwerkschlösschen zu entwerfen. Da ich so viel herumexperimentieren wollte wie möglich, stattete ich dieses mit einem kleinen Seitenturm, leicht hervorgehobenen Obergeschossen (typisch für ein traditionelles Fachwerkhaus), einem Zimmer mit Erker und einem Balkon aus.
Fotorealistisches 3D-Modell von meinem eigenen Fachwerkhaus
(Angepasst an moderne Standards sind die Fenster wesentlich größer als bei einem traditionellen Fachwerkhaus, um den natürlichen Lichteinfall auf der Südseite maximal ausnutzen zu können)
Mit Hilfe der Architekten-Lehrbuchreihe „Raumpilot“ habe ich mich mit Raumverteilung auseinandergesetzt, um mein Haus auch von Innen passend ausstatten zu können. Abb. 2 zeigt das Erdgeschoss fertig konzipiert und voll möbliert.
Abb. 3 zeigt eine mögliche Raumaufteilung für den ersten Stock.
Abb. 4, Abb. 5 zeigen zwei verschiedene Schnitte des Hauses
Abb. 6: Das erste Rendering meines Hauses (zu dem Zeitpunkt noch nicht fertiggestellt -> siehe Balkon, Inneneinrichtung und Toilette im Dach)
Abb. 7: Rendering vom gelben Bad mit Badewanne im Turm
Um das Arbeiten mit abstrakteren Formen ebenfalls ausprobieren zu können entwickelte ich in meinen letzten zwei Tagen folgendes Modell:
Abb. 8, Abb. 9 Rendering von einem Haus aus einem liegenden Holzzylinder. Hervorstehende Fenster aus Beton mit Möglichkeit der Begrünung und überdachter Terrasse
Außerdem hat mir mein Betreuer das Projekt des Strafjustizzentrums näher gebracht, indem er mir die ersten Pläne erklärte und mich einmal durch den Prozess von der Entstehung zu der Baustelle, die wir heute sehen, geführt hat. Ein weiterer Kollege hat mir das Projekt der Justizvollzugsanstalt in Zwickau näher gebracht und ist insbesondere auf die organisatorischen Aspekte eingegangen. Zudem hatte ich vollen Zugriff auf alle Dateien und konnte so selbstständig durch sämtliche Pläne stöbern.
Insgesamt habe ich neben dem Umgang mit dem Programm ArchiCAD noch einen hoch interessanten Einblick in den Alltag eines Architekten mitgenommen und habe so nun eine wesentlich greifbarere Vorstellung des gesamten Berufes und dem generellen Arbeiten in einem Büro.
Mehr zu meinem Praktikum bei E.ON Schweden:
Ich bin am 27.08 in Malmö, Schweden angekommen und hatte mich dort in meinem Hotel eingecheckt. Für den zweiwöchigen Zeitraum habe ich ein günstiges Hotelzimmer im direkten Umfeld vom Firmengebäude, direkt neben dem Hauptbahnhofsgebäude in Malmö gebucht.
Das Energieinfrastruktur Unternehmen E.ON ist hauptsächlich in den Bereichen der Energienetze, Energiedienstleistungen und dem Ausbau von erneuerbaren Energien tätig. Es ist mit drei Kraftwärmeanlagen in Schweden einer der größten Netzwerkbetreiber der Fernwärme, welche in Schweden das dominante Heizsystem darstellt.
Ich wurde als Praktikantin im Digital and Transformation Team aufgenommen und wurde von einer Mitarbeiterin, welche für die Analyse der Echtzeitdatenübertragung von den Kraftwärmeanlagen zuständig ist, an die Hand genommen.
Im Kontrast zu dem kleinen Büro mit 23 Mitarbeitern in München ist der Standort E.ON Schweden gerade in ein neues Firmengebäude, welches sowohl Klima- als auch Mitarbeiter-Comfort-Zertifikationen aufweisen kann, umgezogen. Das Gebäude, welches überwiegend mit Holz ausgestattet ist, weist mehrere grüne Flächen sowie eine grüne Dachterrasse mit Bäumen und Aussichtspunkten auf. Es ist 8 Stockwerke hoch und jeweils mit unterschiedlichen Arbeitsräumen und Zonen ausgestattet. Ein Online-Platzverteilungssystem ermöglicht es den Mitarbeitern über den Tag flexibel das ganze Gebäude und dessen Möglichkeiten zu nutzen.
Abgesehen von den Bereichen meines Teams konnte ich noch in Verbindung mit dem Trainee-Programm bei E.ON treten und mir einige Erfahrungen von Teilnehmenden und deren Teilbereichen bei E.ON anhören.
Wie zum Beispiel die Arbeit eines Elektrotechnik Studenten, der momentan als Teil seines Dualen Studiums bei E.ON mit Daten für eine KI arbeitet, welche mit der Biodiversität rund um Stromtrassen helfen soll.
Zudem besuchten wir das Medicon Village, welches von E.ON mit einem Ectogrid ausgestattet wurde. Das Ectogrid ist ein besonderes, von einer KI gesteuertes Heizsystem, welches sowohl als Kühlungs- als auch Wärmesystem parallel funktionieren kann. Alle Gebäude im Ectogrid sind sowohl mit einer Warm- als auch mit einer Kaltwasserleitung über eine entsprechende Wärmepumpe und/oder Kühlungsanlage, je nach Heiz oder Kühlbedürfnissen des Gebäudes, verbunden. Da für das Heizen elektrisch betriebene Pumpen verwendet werden, müssen die Ausgangstemperaturen in den Leitungen höher als 25°C sein. Diese „niedrigen“ Temperaturen können durch das Austauschen der Abwärme von anderen verbundenen Gebäuden wie zum Beispiel Datencentern oder auch Supermärkten erreicht werden, welche wiederrum das kalte Wasser aus den Wärmepumpen für ihre Kühlungsanlagen nutzen. Allerdings reicht dieser Austausch nicht komplett aus und es wird noch ein externer Wasserspeicher benötigt, um das Verhältnis zwischen Warm- und Kaltwasser zu regulieren. Dieser kann je nach Gegebenheiten von Tiefengeothermie, anderer Abwärme oder größeren Wärmepumpen/Kühlungsanlagen unterstützt werden.
Momentan ist das Ectogrid im Medicon Village das bisher am weitesten ausgebaute System mit bald 19 angeschlossenen Gebäuden, jedoch sind aktuell weitere Standorte in Planung, wie unter anderem auch in Essen.
Zudem besuchten wir das Heleneholmsverket, eine Kraftwärmeanlage aus den 60er Jahren.
Das Heleneholmsverket ist die größte biogasbetriebene Anlage in Malmö und läuft hauptsächlich im Winter. Die Anlage soll schon seit Jahrzehnten aus dem Netz genommen werden, „hält sich aber dennoch wacker“. Aktuell soll sie 2030 stillgelegt werden.
Da die Kühltürme der Anlage nicht verwendet werden, kann nur während das Wärmenetz Wärme benötigt, also hauptsächlich im Winter, Strom erzeugt werden. Allerdings werden auch dann die Dampfturbinen heutzutage häufiger abgekoppelt, als tatsächlich verwendet, da die Maschinerie veraltet und schwer bedienbar ist. Das Kraftwerk hat kaum noch Personal, welches mit einer solchen Maschine umgehen kann und alle, die es noch können, stehen nun auch schon kurz vor der Rente.
Als Praktikantin durfte ich an allen englischen Meetings in meinem Team teilnehmen und wurde auch zu externen Meetings von Mitarbeiter*innen eingeladen. So durfte ich zum Beispiel auch bei Diskussionen zu Vermarktungsstrategien zuhören.
Insgesamt wurde ich von dem ganzen Team mit offenen Armen aufgenommen und konnte viele interessante Gespräche mit den unterschiedlichsten Menschen führen. Sofort wurde mir das schwedische Konzept der „Fika“, einer Kaffeepause mit Zimtschnecken, welche der liebste Zeitvertreib der Schweden zu sein scheint, vorgestellt.
Da es nur selten schwedische Synchronisationen gibt, werden Schweden schon sehr früh und intensiv alleine durchs Fernsehen an die englische Sprache geführt. Jedoch waren meine anfänglichen Sorgen, dass ich nicht mit meinem Englisch mitkommen würde, unbegründet. Die problemlose Kommunikation nicht nur am Arbeitsplatz, sondern auch bei diversen anderen Events hat mir persönlich sehr mit meinem Selbstbewusstsein in der englischen Sprache geholfen.
Auch außerhalb von meinem Arbeitsalltag habe ich viel erlebt. Da mein Hotelzimmer relativ klein und ungemütlich war, hatte ich keine andere Wahl als so viel wie möglich von Malmö und dem Umland zu erkunden. So habe ich mir oft ein Fahrrad ausgeliehen um Parks, Schwimmbäder oder Museen zu besuchen.
Schweden werden oft als kalt beschrieben, jedoch habe ich persönlich nichts davon mitbekommen – wahrscheinlich, weil das gleiche auch Deutschen nachgesagt wird. Die Bäckereien in Schweden sind voll mit kleinen süßen Leckereien, welche ebenfalls zu einer „Fika“ dazugehören. Neben den typischen Zimt- oder Kardamomschnecken gibt es unzählige kleine Marzipanleckereien, Schokobälle und Küchlein. Lakritz läuft einem auch ständig über den Weg. Ganz Skandinavien ist bekannt für seine Fahrradkultur. Überall (zumindest, dort wo ich unterwegs war) gab es große Fahrradwege und an jeder Ecke einen Fahrradverleih. Das Fahren und Finden der Wege war allerdings eine Umstellung und anfangs ein wenig nervenaufreibend, da die Fahrradfahrer*innen meist sehr zügig unterwegs sind und sie nicht einmal mehr eine verwirrte Deutsche zum Abbremsen bringen kann.
For my Internship I went to Oradea in Romania. There I and another TUM Kolleg student got an insight into the work of the German company Iwis. Although Iwis supplies chain drive systems for a variety of branches, including manufacturing, agriculture and packaging, the plant in Romania produces mainly timing chains and chain tensions which are being used in car motors.
During our internship we were shown all the different departments of Iwis Oradea. We started with the chain tensioners, where we took a look into the assembly process by assembling chain tensioners ourselves. Our task was then to experiment with the steps needed to assembly the chain tensioner, doing steps at a different order or with a different movement to find the fastest process.
This information can later on be used to improve a plants efficiency. We were explained the Overall Equipment Effectiveness, which is an important value to measure and increase time loss in a production process. This model defines 4 dimensions by which time is being wasted in plant, one of which is the performance loss, which means the time which is lost by an inefficient assembly process. In this model time is lost, whenever a machine could work, but does not. E. g. if something is produced on an assembly line, there are different steps, performed by each machine at the same time. If one step takes longer than another one, this other one has to wait for the former machine to finish. During this waiting time it cannot work, thus this time is being lost. The goal is to reduce this time as much as possible to increase the number of goods being produced at the same time.
With the ideal time that we measured for producing one chain tensioner and the amount of time which was actually needed to produce one chain tensioner under work conditions, we could then measure the performance loss in the chain tensioner department. This was the first time, that I learned about this model and I thought it was really interesting, because back then I didn’t know that it was that easy to improve a plants efficiency.
Then our next station was the chain assembly. We were shown the different assembly lines, ranging from recent models to older one which worked in a totally different way. One essential step that I didn’t think of before, is riveting. The pins are keeping the inner links and the outer plates in position. By pressing them, which makes them extend the whole in the outer plate, the outer plate is being kept from sliding of the chain, even under pressure.
After the chains are produced, the last step is the quality check. This is maybe the only step, which is still performed by a human. The chain inspectors are checking every single chain, looking for damages, missing parts or chains which are assembled the wrong way. In the quality department these inspectors are being trained before they start working and all the chains with defects are being looked at more closely to avoid this flaw happening again. There we did the test which all the inspectors have to pass, before being allowed to work independently. The test was really hard, and though I did actually find lots of defect chains, I am definitely not suited yet to become professional chain inspector. Afterwards my eyes were really tired from looking at chains for one hour straight and I gained lots of respect for all the chain inspectors who do this eight hours a day.
The second week we worked on our own project. Just as with the chain tensioners, we were again trying to measure the productions efficiency, but this time we looked at the machines which produce the inner links. In order to compare the ideal cycle time (time, spend to produce one inner link) to the actual cycle time, we had to measure the actual cycle time first. For this we would take the several cycle time for each machine and then calculate the average to compare them. The cycle time was displayed at a monitor next to each machine, which we took several pictures of. To not having to write them down by hand, we trained an AI from Microsoft Automate to extract this information for us. After training at testing the AI, it was able to extract the right information from the pictures, afterwards we inserted and save them. The Information by the AI could be analysed using excel. Our final step was to calculate an average cycle time for each machine and to compare those averages.
The best part about my internship was the conversations in the pauses between work. Most of the employees speak either English or German, which made it quite easy to communicate.
I found that Romanians in general are all really cordial and welcoming toward strangers. After work, when we met someone from the plant, who was also headed toward town, they didn’t hesitate to take us at home in their car. There I always had great conversations, talking about culture, the differences between Romania and Germany and personal experiences. But it was in fact not only people from Iwis, that I knew who treated me warm and welcoming, but also people on the street that I had never met before.
When the bus didn’t arrive one day, one woman, who was waiting at the bus stop with me, offered me to take me with her in her car, since she was heading in a similar direction. We talked during the car ride, and although she didn’t know me at all, she treated me in a warm and kind way.
Oradea is known to be one of the most beautiful cities in Romania. This is due its historic center, where there all the houses have old, decorated facades. Apart from the houses, there were churches in nearly every corner. Because people in Romania are still really religious and they have three main religions, which all have a different style of churches, you can see those beautiful buildings everywhere in the city.
Apart from those really traditional houses, I lived in a rather modern part of the city. There were lots of supermarkets in every street and there was even a commercial center right next to the block where my apartment was situated. It really surprised me, that almost all supermarkets are german or other west- European supermarket chains. Right in front of my house was a Kaufland and a bit further a Lidl and a Carrefour. This makes it really easy for a German to feel at home in Romania. In the Lidl most of the products were the same as the ones you would get in a German Lidl. This is maybe one of the reasons, why I managed so well to buy groceries with only a few words of Rumanian.
The Romanian language is quite similar to other roman languages such as Spanish, French or Italian. Although I had only learned a few, essential words in Romanian I was able to understand lots of written Romanian, even though when someone spoke it to me, I didn’t understand a word.
Unluckily for me, I couldn’t taste too much of Romanian food, for it is based a lot on meat. Nevertheless, I tried some traditional sandwich spread cooked out of eggplant, which was really delicious.
Last but not least I want to talk about the public transport in Oradea and our ride to Romania. We went by train, which took about 13 hours. I can highly recommend buying an interrail ticket. This is a lot cheaper than booking all the tickets separately and you can easily buy all the tickets in the same App instead of having to purchase them on the Websites of the local train companies. I went from Munich to Vienna and from Vienna there is a train going directly to Oradea. This saved me lots of changes, and made it a lot less complicated to travel. Alternatively, you could go by plane, but for me the train ride was a real adventure that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss. The trains in Hungry and Romania are one of those you would see in an old James Bond movie, with train compartments and neither Wi-Fi nor AC. Although I was quite uncomfortable sometimes, I always meet the most extraordinary persons in this train. During the ride through Hungry I had an interesting conversation with a Romanian woman who spoke more than 4 languages.
The public transport in Oradea on the other hand was a lot less enchanting. The busses were coming irregularly with the arrival time changing every hour. Apart from that some busses weren’t driving at all at some hours e.g., the bus I took to get to Iwis driving only at 7 am and then again at 13 pm. This posed a real difficulty to move freely within the city, which led me to only visit places, I could reach by foot.
But in retrospective I am really grateful for my stay in Romania, even though there were some inconveniences like the public transport. I learned a lot about work life, got an insight into the daily business of a production company and most of all, I got a lot more independent through this unknown situation. This was the first time, that I lived so long entirely on my own, doing the daily purchases, cooking and managing my own little apartment. I met lots of interesting persons and I could experience for 2 weeks, what it would feel like to be independent and to be responsible for myself entirely.
„A single step forward“ is the motto under which Otjikondo School Village provides children with a well-rounded education for a successful future. As the name suggests, the farm Otjikondo, located in the northwest of Namibia, about 400km from the capital Windhoek, is not only a primary school, but also a small village. Approximately 240 children between the ages of 6 and 15 years live there in four different boarding houses. They come from different ethnic tribes, such as the Herero, Damara or Ovambo. The teachers also live on the school grounds, which leads to a much closer relationship between teachers and students than one is used to in Germany: The teachers send children to their homes to get things for them and let them braid their hair. Also the volunteers have their own home, the so called “GAP flat”, where I lived. In addition to the classrooms, the small village also has a hall with a television, a separate building for the kitchen and dining room, as well as a sick bay, workshops, playgrounds and sports fields.
Picture 1: Otjikondo from above
Having a picture of Otjikondo in mind I can give you a brief description of a typical weekday during my internship from July to September 2023:
Even though it is hard to believe, I got up at 6am almost every morning during my summer holidays. Theoretically at 6:45 in the morning there is morning assembly in front of the school entrance. Theoretically, because I arrived in the Namibian winter, and it was therefore so cold in the mornings that even armed with two jumpers, I longed to go back to bed with a hot water bottle. So since it was so cold, the assembly was skipped for the first month. But the second month I could join the singing, praying as well as birthday congratulations and listen to important announcements.
Afterwards at 7 am, the school day begins. I arrived in Otjikondo for the second school term with two other German girls. Together we had the task of teaching arts and PE to all seven grades.
The art lessons begin by picking up the younger classes from their classrooms and taking them to the “Art Room” or by waiting for the older ones in the Art Room. The children must then line up in a boys’ and a girls’ row and only when they are quiet are the girls allowed to enter the classroom first, then the boys. This was unusual, especially at the beginning, because it seems very strict for primary school children. However, over time it has proven to be extremely useful to bring calm into the classes of about 35 people, at least at the beginning of the lessons. And besides, they are so used to it that it led to confusion when it was not handled this way. We always planned both the arts and the PE lessons at the weekend and on Monday morning we then gave the plan to the principal so that she could approve it. This meant that during the week we only had to prepare the Art Room, which meant putting out papers, pens, glue sticks and scissors, depending on what we had planned.
Picture 2: Art with Grade 1 in the Art Room
At the beginning of the lesson, we then explained to everyone what they had to do. The focus was not only on the artistic programme, but also on the language. Many of the children who come to Otjikondo do not speak English beforehand and only learn it there, as it is the language of instruction. So we always tried to introduce a few new words, such as “scissors”, which was certainly helpful not only for their English, but also for mine. We did different project in arts with a focus on paper and cutting. For example, we taught Grades 1 and 2 how to hold a pair of scissors correctly, how to cut with them in the right way and how to handle them safe. I have to admit that I underestimated this task at first and it turned out to be much more difficult than I thought to teach the children to hold the scissors correctly, as I struggled to put myself in the shoes of a 6-year-old at the beginning. But after I realised that it is a fifty-fifty chance for me to hold the scissors correctly as well and after a few more lessons on experience, it became easier for me to assess the children’s abilities. The most beautiful thing about the art lessons was actually seeing how much the students develop their skills over their seven years in Otjikondo. While the little ones have difficulties drawing a straight line, the big ones are already drawing real masterpieces that put any of my artistic works in the shade. It is a real joy to see this development.
We also had all classes in PE lessons. As you can imagine, this tend to offer the opportunity to get out of hand, although this is very class-dependent. In any case, our assertiveness skills were definitely put to the test here. We introduced the children to handball, a new ball sport for them, and played e.g. netball, football, volleyball, burning ball or did gymnastics with them. They just went to the sports lessons in their school outfit, which at that time was only their tracksuit in school colour green anyway, because it was still too cold to wear their school uniform, i.e. dress and shorts with shirt.
It was also very refreshing to see some of them trying to avoid PE lessons. Once when we were playing handball, some children tried to convince us that in their tribe they are not allowed to make the triangle that you have to form with your hands when you catch the ball in front of your eye, because that is the Illuminati sign and otherwise their parents would die. To this day I don’t know if this is really true, but in any case they did catch the balls in the end.
Picture 3: One weekend I was also allowed to go to a football and netball match against another school.
School runs until 12:50 pm for most children and after that there is lunch, then siesta and remedial classes. For the volunteers, the day continues at 4 pm with afternoon activities, this time with smaller groups of students. For example, I had activities with the smaller children like “playgroup” and “games” where they can play Lego and board games, do puzzles or play group games and thereby have fun, express their creativity and develop social skills. There are a lot of activities related to craft. It was fun to get creative and come up with solutions to problems like missing straws, etc.. In addition, the children all have a lot of fun doing crafts and painting and always infect you with their enthusiasm. I especially had a lot of activities with the older children. In Christmas Craft I made Christmas cards with some of the children for their sponsors back in August, which felt a bit strange due to the lack of Christmas spirit, but was still a lot of fun. With the 6th and 7th graders I also had three German activities, where the idea was to teach them some German phrases and words in a playful way, which could be helpful if they were to work in tourism later on. In “Leathercraft” we made leather wallets, bracelets and key chains. All the afternoon activities were incredibly fun, challenging and creative. Especially with the older children, as you feel like you are already dealing with real adults who can make their own decisions. At the same time, it was a bit strange because I was sometimes only two to three years older, but they still treated me with respect and addressed me as “Miss”. It was somehow a friendly as well as an authoritarian relationship, which took some getting used to, because it also meant that you had to treat the sometimes already teenagers with a certain authority.
Picture 4: Puzzles at afternoon activity
A long-term project was also the Christmas drama that we had to organise with Grade 3. We have already distributed the roles and started rehearsing, but as I had to leave already the other volunteers have to continue without me. This musical required a lot of assertiveness and patience to get the often very restless group to join in, even though they were all very motivated to sing.
Normally we always cooked ourselves in the GAP flat with the food that we got once a week. I have never looked forward to a purchase as much as to a delivery with food in Otjikondo, because you just never knew what exactly of what you ordered really comes, so it was always a surprise.
On Friday evening, we always had dinner together with the children. It has to be said that the children are not allowed to talk at all, which is partly due to the fact that the staff wants to keep order during the meal and partly because in Africa you don’t talk while you are eating anyway, because it is impolite and should be done afterwards.
After that we did the TV evening in the Hans-Seidel-Hall. It was always a challenge to find a movie that everyone was happy with, but one lesson I learned was that you should try your best, but you can never make everyone happy, so you should just be happy with those who are happy.
On Saturday the children got their pocket money from the other two volunteers, while I helped in the Zebra Pan Shop, where the children can buy sweets with their money and learn how to handle money. The store is also open to farm workers and staff.
Picture 5: The Church of the Holy Cross
The highlight of the weekend is church on Sunday in the Church of the Holy Cross at Otjikondo school ground, when all the children dress up and sing together with gusto in the service. It’s hard to describe the atmosphere and I think you have to experience it yourself, but it’s definitely something special.
I can’t summarize everything I experienced in Otjikondo. In any case, I have perceived Otjikondo not only as a place to work and gain new experiences, but as my home for two months and that from second one on. From the moment we arrived, we were welcomed with an incredible amount of love and openness by both the children and the founder of Otjikondo, Gillian Stommel.
Helpful Hints:
Unfortunately, going to Otjikondo does not make sense in the context of a school internship, my time there was much too short and also for the school itself it does not make sense to have someone there only for such a short time. Nevertheless, Otjikondo is an absolutely great opportunity for a gap year after school.
Both the use of the Gap Flat and the food supply are free as long as they do not involve luxury products such as chocolate.
Church in Otjikondo is a must have, so pack your nice Sunday clothes.
Clothes are always dusty anyway, so it’s better to take practical things with you.
If you have ideas about what you would like to do with the children, you can also bring materials with you from Germany. Gillian Stommel can get you almost anything, but it takes a while.
Otjikondo is 80km away from the next smaller village, so you can’t really get away from there even in your free time. But if you get a day off, you should take the opportunity and take a trip to Etosha National Park.
You don’t really get Nam Dollars in Germany, so just take South African Rand with you, they do accept it there as well.
