Current position: M.Sc. student of chemistry at JGU Mainz
Stay in Dunedin: November 2024 – April 2025 (6 month research project)
Photo: Niklas at the top of Ben Lomond, near Queenstown.
I have always wanted to spend a semester abroad during my studies to broaden my horizons, both in a professional and a private sense. Therefore, I readily accepted Professor Sally Brooker’s kind offer for an opportunity to do a six month research project in her group.
For my project, I focused primarily on HER (hydrogen evolution reaction) electrocatalysts. I synthesised and attached macrocycle-based molecular catalysts to various carbon electrode surfaces using covalent and non-covalent techniques. This enabled me to experience the complete catalyst development process from synthesis to surface attachment to catalyst testing as part of a cohesive project. During my time in Dunedin, Sally and the entire Brooker group guided and assisted me to overcome any problem that the science threw at me. I am also very grateful for the independence I enjoyed in selecting the research I pursued over the course of my project, which brought me a lot of valuable lab and non-lab skills.
Apart from university life, I also thoroughly enjoyed the vibrant outdoors all around New Zealand. The breathtaking views and trails I got to experience while hiking and mountain biking around the South Island were truly out of this world. Even close to Dunedin, I continued to find stunning new places to visit up until the very end of my stay. And even when the Dunedin weather sometimes made outdoor activities unpleasant, Unipol was always a great place to spend a rainy day.
Overall, I had an amazing time in Dunedin thanks to both the Brooker group and everyone else I met during my stay. Looking back, I’m really glad I spent these six months in Dunedin, as I’ll never forget the wonderful memories I made there.
