Minerva's Daughters roll up their sleeves
Sophia Engelhardt works as a chemical laboratory technician in Dr. Michael Felderhoff’s hydrogen storage research group. In this interview, she discusses what makes the training program at the institute challenging yet rewarding, and why it’s enjoyable to be directly involved in research as an apprentice.
Tell us about your to the Kohlenforschung. How did you get here?
I’m from Essen and had known the institute for quite a while. A family friend used to work here as a bookbinder, so at some point I thought: I’ll just take a look. I always enjoyed chemistry at school, and I was lucky enough to do a two-week internship here in early 2020, just before the pandemic. I liked it so much that I later applied to the institute. Two years later, I started my apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory technician and completed it this January.
What was the apprenticeship like for you, and what did you particularly enjoy?
The difference compared to school chemistry was huge. At my school, we hardly did any experiments at all, whereas in the lab you are constantly experimenting. You start working directly in the departments very early on, which is of course challenging at first. I was really afraid of breaking glassware and was far too cautious. But once you get over that, you learn an incredible amount. You don’t just stand there and watch, you get involved straight away and run your own reactions. The workload can be intense, but everything is explained to you, and in the end, you are truly fit for the lab and confident in your own abilities.
What does your everyday work at the institute look like?
Even during my apprenticeship, I worked a lot in organic chemistry, and by now I’m something like “the organic chemist” in our department. I contribute to various research projects in which organic chemistry plays a role. Specifically, I synthesize compounds that are later tested for use in pharmaceutical research or hydrogen storage.
The work is often very detailed, requires a lot of patience and a high tolerance for frustration. Every experiment has to be weighed out precisely, and in the end the result is not always what you hoped for. For example, I spent half a year synthesizing blue dyes and I really can’t see the color blue anymore (laughs). Still, the effort is worth it when you solve a problem and realize that you are genuinely contributing something. I was especially proud when I became a co-author on a paper in my third year of training. Seeing your own name on a publication as an apprentice is pretty cool.
Do you have a role model?
I don’t really have a classic role model. Before working here, I honestly didn’t know many famous chemists either. What really shaped me were my chemistry teachers at school. They managed to pass on their enthusiasm for chemistry. My chemistry teacher was genuinely happy when I started working here and regularly checked in with me at the beginning to see how things were going. Today, I really see how much impact good teachers can have. That’s why I can imagine training others myself in the future. I’m currently working on my technician qualification and would also like to get my instructor certification. I’m already training colleagues in our department, and next year we’ll have a new apprentice whom I’ll be supervising. It’s fun because you can directly see how others learn and gain confidence.
What advice would you give to women who are interested in working in research?
I would always recommend starting with an apprenticeship first and then moving on to a degree or further training. Practical experience in the lab helps enormously, and you can always continue your education later. Most importantly, you should show interest and stay curious. You don’t have to be able to do everything right away, what matters more than perfection are a willingness to learn and persistence.
