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twenty­seven evonik employees currently teach at German universities
committed to young Talent
Engineers and chemists have only heard of the jam­packed
lecture halls that plague so many business management,
law, or German studies students in Germany. But even if
they have little trouble finding a laboratory internship or a
topic for their final paper, so many realize in hindsight that they
did not always have such a great advantage after all—as when
they take their first steps in industrial research and find out that
not every thing they do in the laboratory can be transferred to the
industrial scale. indeed, compared to subjects requiring master’s
and doctoral theses, industrial engineering moves within a complex
interplay of innovation, profitability, sustainability, administrative
regulations, and standards.
“Graduates are experts in the subject area of their final paper,
but they lack the ability to spot economically attractive processes,“
observed Prof. karlheinz Drauz. Drauz is familiar with both sides:
of the 30 years he has worked for evonik, he has spent the last
22 years also teaching industrial chemistry at the University of
würzburg, and as an honorary professor for 18 of those years. He
is one of 27 evonik employ ees who lecture at German universities
in addition to work ing for evonik. Dr. Manfred nagel, who works
in evonik’s Process technology & engineering unit, also holds a
teaching position. the 44­year­old engineer has taught process
technology at kit—the karlsruhe institute of technology—
for three years, and still remembers his own days as a student:
„i didn‘t have a sense of the practical relevance of my major back
then either,“ he says. “Students today are unbelievably open to
new ideas, flexible and determined, but they have a very fuzzy
picture of what an engineer actually does every day.”
Bring that picture into sharp focus is what evonik want to do.
while Drauz, for example, teaches organic chemistry, he covers not
only technical synthesis of active substances, biotechnology and
vitamin production, but also chemical substance law, chemical marketing,
and disposal. He has also hired business administration professors
to give the students some insight into the business tools of
an industrial chemist. “it takes money to do this, naturally, and
evonik has generously shouldered the costs,” he says. “excursions
to various evonik production sites round out the course.“
Process engineering at evonik, the traditional point of entry
into the Group for engineers, also emphasizes a practical orientation.
together with his colleague Prof. Herbert riemenschneider,
nagel holds a series of lectures every year that ends with a daylong
excursion for students to evonik‘s site in Hanau. the program
includes tours of pilot plants, production plants, project
hous es, and virtual chemical plants. Students also have the opportunity
to talk to experienced engineers, and finally, discuss career
possibilities with company representatives. “that goes down extremely
well, because the students want to know what makes a
company tick,“ says nagel. “An on­site visit lets them see not only
how multi­faceted engineering is as a career, but also that, in addition
to technical expertise, social skills, and teamwork skills are
also important.”
Such commitment also conveys trust: over the years, Drauz
assisted a great many students who needed advice—on postgraduate
studies, study abroad, job applications, stipends, or opportunities
for women in the industry. this is time­consuming, but the
dual burden from teaching at the university and working in the
com pany was never a problem. “the company supported me in
every way,” stresses Drauz. And it got a few things in return for
that support. “over the years, you get to know which students are
really good,“ says Drauz, who assisted a number of students over
several semesters. “And, naturally, these are the ones you recruit
for the com pany.” So several outstanding university graduates
have found their way from würzburg to the company and made
careers there.
the subject means a lot to nagel as well. “evonik is one of the
top employers for chemical and process engineers,” he explains.
“we sustain this reputation by actively cultivating our network
and establishing contacts with young talent.” the kit is an ideal
institution for this. with some 8,000 employees, it is the largest
research institute in Germany, and one of the largest worldwide.
„it houses not only excellent researchers but excellent facilities.
this is why it attracts so many gifted researchers from inside and
outside Germany,“ says nagel. “And like any other company, we
are look ing for the best.”
Part of networking is making contact with university colleagues,
and Drauz has been able to persuade a great many of
the appeal of industrial chemistry: “Professors come to hear my
lec tures too, because as an industrial chemist, i have the kind of
experience they understandably lack. Some of them have even
included the contents of my lectures in their examinations.” the
atmosphere of the university, and contact with young chemists
trying to find their way is something he does not want to miss. So
even though he will retire as of August 31, he plans to continue
teaching for the next few years. “i think it‘s important to know
how today‘s young people think, and to interact with them,“ says
Drauz, father of two grown sons, who are also students. „And i
want to convey the fasci nation that natural sciences hold, even for
industrial researchers,“ he adds. “it’s enriching—professionally,
but also personally,“ says nagel. l
Dr. Wolfgang Nagel
teaches process engineering
at KIT (Karlsruhe
Institute of Technology)
24 elements32 evonik science newsletter