"I think it's great that you have so many opportunities in this position."

Dear Prof. Dr. Sut-Lohmann, does your day-to-day work match your expectations as a university professor? Is there anything that has surprised you positively or negatively?
I only started a few months ago, so my current daily routine does not yet fully reflect the typical work of a university professor. I am currently familiarising myself with the structure of the TU Braunschweig, building up my team, preparing new lectures and cleaning and renovating our premises. I hope that in the future I will be able to concentrate more on research and the development of the institute.
I have been pleasantly surprised by how many new colleagues I have met in such a short time in Braunschweig. There are open and curious people, both those who have been here for a while and newcomers like me. I think it's great that you have so many opportunities in this position; a lot of doors are open. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to go through them all, which is often a pity. I can't say if I've found anything really negative yet. However, I was very surprised how different a professorship is compared to the postdoc phase. In my current job, my tasks are very varied and I am constantly learning new things.

At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in science? Did you have a plan B in case an academic career didn't work out?
After completing my doctorate, I realised that I really enjoyed science and the freedom it gave me. I also realised that I really wanted to explore other aspects, because after a doctorate your expertise is very limited. The postdoc phase gives you the time and opportunity to build up a network of contacts, which is very important for a potential professorship.
I didn't really have a plan B, but like any scientist I knew that getting a professorship is very uncertain. Unfortunately, all the other options, such as industry or government, wouldn't be as interesting for me because I really enjoy research and teaching. Therefore, I am glad that it worked out, otherwise I would probably have been more dissatisfied.

Is there anything you would have liked to have been given in terms of support for your career?
I would have liked to see an efficient reform of the WissZeitVG, so that academics and heads of department can plan for the long term and build up stable and successful research groups. Uncertainty about further appointments and the near-absence of the possibility of a permanent contract is very stressful for all involved and leads us to lose talented people to industry or abroad, where the university system is structured differently.
Having said that, I am very happy to have been able to build my academic career at the Chair of Geopedology at BTU, where I have received great support from all my colleagues. The decisive factor is always the head of the research group. Prof. Dr. Thomas Raab gave me a lot of freedom in my research, always gave me excellent advice and prepared me for all important career steps, including the job interview in Braunschweig. I hope that I will be able to support my colleagues in the same way in the future.

What would you recommend to current doctoral candidates who are not sure about their future career path?
This career is not for everyone. It is often during the doctoral phase that you discover whether you are a passionate scientist. It offers a lot of freedom and flexibility, but also a lot of uncertainty, and the real chances of success are limited. If you can live with that and still want to go on, then enjoy the journey! It can be a challenging, international and very varied experience, with only you setting the boundaries.

Thank you very much for taking the time and all the best for your future career!