M.Sc. Haashir Altaf
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Kontaktdaten: M.Sc. Haashir Altaf |
Werdegang
| Studium: | 2012 - 2016 | B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Pakistan |
| 2017 - 2019 | M.Sc. Chemical and Energy Engineering, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany | |
| Promotion: | seit 2019 | Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter at the Chair of Thermal Process Engineering at OVGU under the framework of International Max Planck Research School, Magdeburg. |
| Tätigkeit: | seit 2019 | Tutor for the Thermal Process Engineering Masters’ course at OVGU. |
Warum die Entscheidung zum Studiengang Chemical and Energy Engineering, was war die Motivation?
Like every child in his teenage, I was very curious about how everything works. From the science behind small toys to the automobile manufacturing, I was always interested in the process behind everything around us. So, I won’t be exaggerating when I say that from an early stage I had realised that I wanted to be an engineer. The aspect of having a well-paid stable job was obviously there too. By the time I graduated school, I had found out that chemical engineering jobs are the highest paid throughout the world and they are as close as you can be to the process industry. This is how I decided to study chemical engineering during my bachelors. It was only a matter of time that my interests grew and I made up my mind for studying further and getting into the research side of the subject because it seemed more creative and productive to me than a job at an industry.
At this point, I was already inspired by the impact of chemical engineering in everything we see around us. Now to be a part of something big and impactful, I wanted to study further and obtain a Masters degree. While searching my options, I came across this course of Chemical and Energy Engineering at this university which immediately took my attention. This was because of the increasing demand for research in energy sector due to the problems we face today in the scientific world because of the changing circumstances throughout the globe. I wanted to pursue this degree with a focus on energy engineering and I did, indeed. After two years, I graduated as the best graduate in this program.
To be a part of something that could actually be usable in providing alternatives or solutions to one of these problems became my goal. I had already a plan to do a PhD and develop a career as a researcher. Luckily, an opportunity came up and became a part of an international research school program introduced my Max Planck Magdeburg. To sum it up, I would say that the ‘giving it back to the society’ aspect of research in the renewable energy field is what became the main motivational factor later on in my studies and that is the reason why I am at this place today.
Was ist spannend an Wissenschaft/Wirtschaft?
The exciting thing about this field or any other scientific field is the practicality of the work that you do. You can actually make an immediate impact by your research in an industry or provide innovative solutions to the problems of future. The idea of being a part of something impactful is always great. As a scientist, the obsession to achieve something keeps you going and that’s what makes it interesting too. You have the freedom to bring in new ideas and be creative, work with talented professionals around you and collaborate with accomplished people around the globe. There is never a descend on your learning curve as a scientist, you are always questioning and hence learning new things.
Was mache ich jetzt?
Currently, I am employed as a researcher at the chair of thermal process engineering at the University under the platform of International Max Planck Research School. This program is a collaboration between Max Planck Institute Magdeburg and this university. My research falls under the cluster of ‘Efficient energy conversion processes based on renewables’ in which I am working on the mass transport related issues of the electrolyser related to Hydrogen production. A detailed analysis of the transport phenomena within the electrolyser’s anodic side is the main focus of my research using pore network modeling.
I believe that hydrogen can be a solution to the energy crisis and environmental problems associated with the fossil fuels. The main challenges are, tackling the cost/efficiency of the process and developing the infrastructure for these types of systems. Only with the detailed study of such processes we can find solutions to make them more energy and cost efficient. This would be the main target of my research, to study the process in detail by using modeling approaches so in future the solutions to these problems can be dealt with easily.
Kurzer Unternehmensabriss
The IMPRS exists since 2007 and is a collaboration between the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems and the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. Since then more than sixty students successfully defended their PhD and currently there are 38 young researchers in the program. The program is characterized by high-level scientific trainings and an excellent supervision of PhD projects. The curriculum composed of both scientific and soft skills trainings. This holistic approach guarantees our students fist-class working and research conditions.
In the IMPRS ProEng, we investigate challenging problems of process and systems engineering, characterized both by high complexity and high practical relevance. For this purpose, advanced theoretical methods and tools, provided by systems theory and systems engineering, are combined closely with powerful experimental methods and techniques.
Systems theory, well-designed experiments and efficient harvesting of wet lab data for modelling purposes are the core pillars of our graduate school.
This conceptual framework is made concrete by our four research clusters:
- A: Improved biotechnological production of biologicals, chemicals and biopolymers,
- B: Efficient energy conversion processes based on renewables,
- C: From natural products to active pharmaceutical ingredients,
- D: Methods and tools.