The Career Talk Panel “Transitioning out of Academia” offered perspectives on career paths after completing a PhD. Four recent doctoral graduates shared how they selected their professional trajectories and provided insights into their current roles:
Nikolas Früh is the founder and CEO of BIM Standard, an engineering firm providing “BIM with purpose” – strategy, services and practical training in the context of Building Information Modelling (BIM). He is also the founder of Früh Engineering, which provides integrative design and construction services. From 2015 to 2022, he was a research associate at the University of Stuttgart's ITKE. Nik was a project lead at the 5D division, which pioneered the use of the BIM method in international design and construction projects.
Dr Caren Dripke is Head of Robotics Development at Lorch Schweißtechnik GmbH, and has been a Member of the Executive Board since February 2024. She is one of the "10 women shaping the future of robotics in 2025" according to the Weltroboterverband (International Federation of Robotics). Dr Dripke was a PhD research associate at the University of Stuttgart's Institute of Production Technology (ISW) from December 2015 to January 2021, where she led the "Industrial Control Technology" group.
Dr Lui Orozco is a computational designer and is currently the Process Digitalisation Manager at Egoin, one of the largest wood processing companies in the Spanish Basque Country. In this role, he is enabling design and construction automation. From June 2019 – July 2024, he was a PhD research associate at the University of Stuttgart's Institute for Computational Design (ICD).
Dr Eva Sonnenmoser is currently a consultant at InnoLab_BW, an interdisciplinary platform of the Baden-Württemberg State Ministry that fosters innovation with a focus on future technologies. Before, she worked as a Research Assistant in the Board Office at GFT Technologies, an international AI-centric digital transformation company. She was also a PhD Research Associate at the University of Stuttgart's Institute of Business Administration.
Our current doctoral students, Xiliu Yang and Sebastian Bornschlegl, moderated the panel and the subsequent discussion with great enthusiasm and in a lively manner.
Moderators Xiliu Yang and Sebastian Bornschlegl. ©IntCDC/Foto Tampe-Mai