Dr.-Ing. Tanja Vidakovic-Koch

Dr.-Ing Vidaković-Koch studied Chemical Engineering in her home country Serbia at the University of Belgrade and then came to the Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems in Magdeburg for her doctorate and postdoc. Today she studies new ways to manufacture particular chemicals with the help of electricity.

Motto: Build a solid and reliable network.

Career

Education:	1989 - 1995	Degree in Chemical Engineering, University of Belgrade (Serbia)
Doctorate:	2005	Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
Work:	1995 - 2005	Research Assistant, University of Belgrade (Serbia)
	2002 - 2004	Research stay, Max Planck Institute Magdeburg
	2005 - 2007	Postdoc, Max Planck Institute Magdeburg
	2007 - 2011	Research Associate, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
	since 2011	Team leader, Max Planck Institute Magdeburg

I was very good in Chemistry at school. But pure Chemistry wasn't exciting enough for me, which is why I chose Chemical Engineering as a subject. My current research area is Electrochemical Process Engineering. I try to generate new substances with the help of electricity and to efficiently convert chemical energy into electricity or electrical energy.

Motivation

I am particularly motivated by the fact that my work will contribute to tremendous advances not only in research but also in society. To do this, of course, you have to look beyond your own research area, e.g. in my latest project, Synthetic Biology, in which we try to develop synthetic cells. These will then be able to convert chemical or solar energy into electrical energy.

Requirements

My job requires a great deal of curiosity and an interest in research. You should also have a good amount of stamina, optimism, determination and a well-developed talent for organization. Working with others should also be fun to you and certain leadership skills are also an advantage.

Advice

In order to plan your career better, you should get comprehensive information at an early stage. Sources of information include seminars on scientific work and career paths. A mentor who has already followed a similar path is also recommended. Another aspect is building personal networks. It is also important to remain true to your ideas on one hand, but also to be open to constructive criticism on the other hand.

Herausforderungen

This career path brings with it certain insecurities that you have to deal with. This includes, for example, fixed-term employment contracts. Furthermore, it is not always easy to keep the balance between family and work. For me, there were also language barriers in the beginning, although the efforts to learn another language have paid off.