Hi, I'm Robin, a 25-year-old PhD student in Germany. I recently started working as a research associate to complete my engineering PhD within the next 36 months.

To give you a little more insight about me, you can have a look at my CV here or read the following to get even more information.

I started studying mechanical engineering in the year 2018 at the University of Applied Sciences in Esslingen. Throughout my studies, I gained valuable insights and lessons about the academic as well as the industrial world. Starting with learning how to learn efficiently and landing my first internship. Beginning my bachelor's study, I did not know where I would like to end up; that's why I decided to go with one of the most universal engineering disciplines, mechanical engineering. At the beginning of my studies, most of my working student and internship positions took place in the field of automotive, e.g., with a 6-month internship at the Mercedes-Benz headquarters.

After finishing my last semester of lectures before my bachelor's thesis and spending the majority of my student life at home lecturing, I needed a new impulse. A spontaneous offer allowed me to secure a place in the Erasmus+ Program, sending me to Spain for 6 months. At the University and the city of Lleida, the best months of my life started. Meeting a bunch of new people from all around the world gave me a great opportunity to get new insights into many different cultures and habits. During my time in Lleida, my newfound friends group of different nationalities and I took regular trips to Barcelona, Valencia, and other smaller cities in the area. I also came across the Derbi madrileño in the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, a very intense football match between two big clubs in Madrid.

After coming back to Germany, it was time for my bachelor's thesis, which I finished in a smaller business in the town I grew up. This gave me another perspective compared to large companies and the day-to-day business, leaving me with more responsibility and a steeper learning curve.

After finishing my bachelor's study, I knew I wasn't done with learning and exploring the world of engineering. That's why I opted for an English-speaking master's program. The master's program in Esslingen is packed with knowledge, but more importantly, internationality. Of roughly 30 students, only 4 were German, leaving me another great opportunity to get to know more people from all around the world.

And this leads us to why this journal about my PhD adventure exists. During my project work, I found joy in scientific work and exploring different options. That led to an offer from my professor to obtain a PhD. At first, I was not sure, but more about that you can read here. I decided to follow the path after all, but I didn't want to just work and follow my PhD. I want to share my journey starting on the first of March, giving you insights about the challenges and benefits of pursuing such a path.