The Best of All Worlds

Once the X-ray spectrometer was running disruption-free and Kathrin had found answers to the first exciting research questions in her dissertation, she switched the wavelengths. "I wanted to do something with lasers. Do research on my own terms. Lead a team." She gained experience with lasers during her post-doc and a stint in Switzerland, and formed her own team at the Helmholtz Center in Berlin. There, she investigated materials in liquids and under applied voltage. She worked just as hard when it came to forming her 6-strong research team – and shared her experiences as a junior professor in Bielefeld. "But eventually, the campus walls began closing in. I didn't just want to impress a few of my research colleagues, I wanted to make the world just a little bit better. I wanted more hands-on experience, to focus more on products and to take on more responsibility." So Kathrin kept her eyes and ears open, and interviewed in Oberkochen. "Before that, I'd always equated industry with mass production. Nothing to write home about. But then I discovered ZEISS. A place where people do research and work as a team to solve some really tricky challenges. I found that very exciting right from the get-go. I mean, semiconductors are the building blocks of progress. And I wanted to be a part of that."

As a Group Manager for Optical Technology, Kathrin is now in charge of optimizing polishing processes. Specifically, she heads up a group of development teams consisting of more than 20 staff members. Or, in her own words: "I manage some very smart cookies. Together, we advance precision in semiconductor manufacturing technology." Her processes see her working in the sub-nanometer range, which is nothing short of a challenge. "When ten parameters all change at the same time, it's difficult to understand all the processes happening in the polish slot. And believe me, we're nothing if not thorough. No one else is going where we're headed. And I'm really enjoying the challenge. Not to mention the freedom I enjoy at ZEISS. I can try out a lot of things, and lead the way I see fit."