Whether VDI Young Engineers Ilmenau, Team Starcraft or Engineers without Borders: The TU Ilmenau offers a unique variety of student clubs and initiatives in a very small area. This is not only reflected in a lively and diverse campus life. Students from all disciplines can actively shape their studies in Ilmenau right from the start, establish networks and develop personally. Two people who have had this experience themselves and are now passing it on to students of Electrical Engineering and Energy Technology, among others, are Nadja Belz and Carsten Gatermann from the IEEE Student Branch at TU Ilmenau, one of eight active local associations of student members of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in Germany. We spoke to them about their commitment.
For some time now you have been involved in the IEEE student group at TU Ilmenau as doctoral students in the Power Systems Group at the Thuringian Energy Research Institute (ThEFI). What do these four letters stand for?
Carsten Gatermann: IEEE stands for Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. It is the world's largest and most renowned professional association in the fields of engineering, technology, (natural) science and related professions. With almost 500,000 members worldwide, it is the largest professional network for the electrical industry. It is comparable to the VDE, the Association for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies, or the VDI, the Association of German Engineers, but much larger.
Can you tell us more about the development of the IEEE Student Branch at TU Ilmenau?
Nadja Belz: The IEEE Student Branch Ilmenau was founded at the end of 2007 by one of our predecessors at the Power Systems Group. All of the founding members were student members of the IEEE themselves and wanted to do more than just "be there". That's why they decided to found a Student Branch and give their commitment to electrical engineering a framework.
Carsten Gatermann: In the meantime, the IEEE Student Branch at TU Ilmenau has established itself as one of currently eight active Student Branches in Germany. The IEEE Student Branch offers students at TU Ilmenau a great opportunity to come into contact with professional networks and students from other universities early on in their studies.
IEEE is committed to promoting technological innovation for the benefit of mankind. Is that also what motivated you to get involved in this group?
Carsten Gatermann: For me, attending my first conference while I was still a student was the deciding factor for my involvement. Seeing what others working in science are doing and being able to build up an international network are very good building blocks for the rest of your life, especially at the beginning of a scientific career or during your studies. I also took part in various IEEE workshops during my studies and learned a lot that I can now apply.
Nadja Belz: Like Carsten, the IEEE was already a well-known and valued association for me during my studies thanks to the various events, workshops and excursions. I didn't know the motto back then, but it was clear from the start what the IEEE Student Branch at TU Ilmenau stood for: targeted support for students. To create innovations, you need people who strive to broaden their horizons - and this is exactly what our Student Branch stands for. Incidentally, it is open to students of all disciplines.
I took on a more active role in the IEEE at the end of 2023 due to the departure of a colleague, who had held the Chair until then. The IEEE offers (doctoral) students a wide range of opportunities and actively promotes exchanges with companies and attendance at scientific conferences. I have expanded my involvement in the Student Branch to continue to offer these benefits to students and out of a sense of responsibility towards the previous members and what they have achieved.
How exactly are you involved in the group?
Carsten Gatermann: I have been active as Vice Chair of the IEEE Student Branch since November 2023. This means that I am primarily responsible for organizing excursions and maintaining our social media presence. However, as we have a very flat hierarchy, we share all tasks among ourselves.
Nadja Belz: I have been Chair of the IEEE Student Branch since November 2023. This primarily means that I am the main contact person for our IEEE Germany Section and other clubs/organizations and currently still manage our finances and prepare and take minutes of our meetings. But as Carsten says, the actual responsibility is subject to a flat hierarchy and we complement each other perfectly as a team!
One of the group's long-established events is the "Matlab introductory workshop" in the winter semester. How do students at TU Ilmenau benefit from this?
Nadja Belz: The introductory workshop offers students an opportunity to gain their first experience with Matlab, a platform for programming and numerical calculations. We show them how to access Matlab via the campus license and how to carry out their first simple calculations. Short theoretical phases alternate with practical exercises. The workshop does not replace independent familiarization with solving more complex problems, but it does help to reduce fears and gain initial experience under supervision. Sooner or later, students of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology will have to deal with Matlab during their studies and we close the sometimes missing gap of the introduction in the courses.
They not only provide students at TU Ilmenau with additional theoretical input that goes beyond their studies, but also with exclusive practical insights into engineering practice?
Nadja Belz: We provide practical insights through excursions as well as lectures from industry. Our excursions, where participants have the opportunity to make company contacts and build networks, are of course particularly popular. We visit both established companies in our industry with their various specializations as well as small and medium-sized companies, which are often hidden champions.
In addition to the network that exists at the TU Ilmenau, our network via the IEEE also helps us to acquire excursions. Thanks to numerous contacts with former members of the Student Branch, we have already been able to offer many exciting excursions exclusively for our students.
What exactly do the students learn on these excursions and what topics do they focus on?
Carsten Gatermann: A good example of this are the excursions we organized this year. Our first excursion took us to the Siemens Power Academy in Nuremberg. This is where system operators for power grids receive further training. They learn how to deal with stress under real conditions and how to manage the power grid safely even in times of crisis. The participants had the opportunity to carry out this work themselves on the Siemens Power Academy demonstrator. Many quickly realized the responsibility behind this job, but were also impressed by the variety of this work.
Nadja Belz: In the second excursion, we visited the Omexom training center for overhead line construction in Korbußen. Many students are familiar with overhead lines from their everyday experiences. However, the logistics and craftsmanship behind their construction and maintenance remain hidden from many people. At practical stations, the students were able to lend a hand and carry out work steps in overhead line construction themselves under the watchful eyes of experienced fitters. This experience made the students very aware of the importance of energy technology for our society.
Carsten Gatermann: For me, the excursions are always a great opportunity to expand my theoretical knowledge with practical insights. Of course, excursions also involve a lot of work in advance, but the insights we gain on site make it all the more worthwhile. We are always happy to receive suggestions for new excursion destinations. Due to our professional background, the destinations are currently mostly in the field of energy technology, but electrical engineering is so much more.
Nadja Belz: Although we are doing a doctorate in this field, the excursions give us and especially the students the opportunity to think outside the box. The diversity of this industry cannot be fully grasped through the degree course. The knowledge gained from theory is deepened and supposed fears of contact are combated, partly because we always ensure a familiar environment.
Excursions in particular give students who don't have long to graduate the opportunity to explore their career prospects away from what they already know. But students from other disciplines can also learn to appreciate what other departments do. We can also expand our knowledge by organizing excursions through other departments, which is why our goal is a diversity of different disciplines in the IEEE Student Branch.
Facts about the IEEE
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Support wanted!
To continue offering excursions and workshops, the IEEE Student Branch is in urgent need of support. Both Bachelor's and Master's students as well as electrical engineering staff can get involved. Involvement in the IEEE Student Branch is easily compatible with studies and/or work: the times for the regular meetings are adapted to working hours and tasks can be taken on flexibly depending on the time budget. In addition to providing professional insights, involvement in the IEEE also offers an excellent opportunity to expand networks. The group meets regularly with other IEEE groups in Germany and is in contact with various network partners and universities for excursions and workshops.
A perfect way to get to know the IEEE Student Branch at TU Ilmenau better is to attend a meeting. More information and inquiries outside the meetings:
Email: ieeesb.ilmenau@gmail.com
Instagram: ieee_student_branch_ilmenau
LinkedIn: IEEE Student Branch Ilmenau University of Technology
Contact us
Nadja Isabelle Belz
IEEE Student Branch Ilmenau Chair