Combining Science and Industry

While in Kyoto, Sophia had her moment – the moment that every researcher (and every ambitious individual) – knows all too well. The moment when you take a deep breath. And look at your work with fresh eyes. When you ask: Where will my passion for my work take me? "Science certainly gave me the feeling of coming home," she says. But something was missing. And she certainly had no way of knowing that she'd eventually find the missing piece to her puzzle in Karlsruhe – the city where it all began.

Her stint in Japan wouldn't just expand her personal horizons. During her postdoc at the university in Kyoto, her field of research grew, and its scope continued to expand.

"One question was always on my mind: How will I put my research into practice? Who will translate my findings into products that will actually shape the future of medicine?"

She always came to the same conclusion: that is, to marry science and industry. "Our capacity for innovation is amazing, isn't it?" she asks, positively beaming. She had found her missing puzzle piece.

Now, Sophia wants to focus on blending fundamental research with market expertise. "I want to do my bit to help bring scientific achievements to society," she says. After all, combining two components is Sophia's specialty.

And while Sophia "conducts research" into the right binding agent, her knowledge of industrial applications continues to grow. She experiences and shapes the way scientific research is transformed into societal progress.

From medical technology to Smart Production, the ZEISS Innovation Hub is driving the innovation culture toward the megatrends of the future. And Sophia is at the heart of it all. She still feels right at home in the world of science, and has definitely found a home away from home at the ZEISS Innovation Hub. A home for herself and for her missing puzzle piece: the fusion of science and industry.