I have been working at BASF since 2000. Before that, I learned a metalworking profession and completed my “Abi” [German university entrance-level qualification] in a second-chance education program. After seven years of studying chemistry, I started as a laboratory team leader in the synthesis of intermediates. Following five years of research, I really wanted to gain more experience in production and applied for a position as deputy plant manager in the indole factory. I prevailed against seven competitors and got the position. The surrounding conditions were tough, and the working atmosphere was just great. The team and I have achieved a lot together and in 2007 I even received the Business Excellence Award – a prize that will forever remain special for me. A few years later, I moved to a factory that produced specialty amines as a process manager and had the opportunity to really get into distillation, which is usually more of a process engineering topic. After four years, I became a process manager in the hydramine factory and head of the ZwiPro technical center, this time with the transfer of duties. That entailed a lot more responsibility, because now I was also personally liable for the safety of the plant and my people. In October 2018, my current manager finally asked me if I would be interested in returning to research as an expert – I was to contribute my knowledge to the process development of products that come into the companies and provide technical support for the next generation. And now I’m still working with the same people as before, just from the other side of research – and it’s still fun.