Community Story: Selmin’s Summer School Journey in Production Technology

Last year, our scholarship student Selmin took part in our Summer School "Production Technology meets Industry 4.0". Since then, she returned to her home country - Türkiye - to further persue her studies in Industrial Design at İzmir Institute of Technology.

She believes that that successful and creative work emerges through the collaboration of different disciplines. Since she enjoys working at the intersection of various fields, she describes herself as a multidisciplinary person. Production technologies, entrepreneurship and design are the areas that she is currently focusing on.

Dear Selmin, thank you very much for your honest opinion and feedback! We are glad that you were part of our Summer Schools last year and wish you all the best for your future career!


What inspired you to participate in our "Production Technology meets Industry 4.0" Summer School?

I became interested in production technologies when I was in the second grade. While researching how I could further improve myself, I came across the summer school program at RWTH Aachen University.

The program’s content perfectly matched my areas of interest, such as robotics and additive manufacturing. Since Germany is one of the top countries I am considering for my master’s studies, I wanted to apply to the program to experience life in Germany before starting a graduate degree there.

What were your personal highlights from the course – both in terms of the academic content and the social activities?

The courses we took and the projects we worked on at the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA) and the Institut für Arbeitswissenschaft (IAW) were among the highlights for me. The lectures at ITA left a significant impression on me because I had no idea that the application areas of textile technologies were so extensive.

At IAW, we had an enjoyable workshop and completed a project as part of the course Smart Interfaces: Ergonomic Design of Human-Machine Interaction in Advanced Manufacturing Systems. I had the opportunity to experience GERT, designed to better understand the physical capabilities of the elderly, and a glove created to understand the challenges faced by Parkinson’s patients. It was an interesting experience for me. On the social side, the city rally we did on the first day was incredibly fun.

How has the "Production Technology meets Industry 4.0" Summer School influenced your career path?

This Summer School positively impacted my career in many ways. It helped me decide on the area I want to work in the future. For an industrial designer, production technologies are very important. The knowledge I gained through the program is now reflected in the designs I create in my classes.

What advice would you give to someone considering joining the "Production Technology meets Industry 4.0" Summer School?

The summer school is well-structured and very informative. If they do not have any prior knowledge about production technologies, I recommend that they take a look beforehand in order to get more efficiency from the courses.

What are you currently working on, and what are your future career goals?

I am currently working on establishing a laboratory on the recycling of plastics at my university. Before graduating, I aim to be part of a research project in Germany. Among my long-term plans, after completing my master's degree, I plan to establish my own startup.

Would you like to attend a Summer School in 2025? Register for your favorite topic by April 1!