Interview with BTU Alumnus José Benito Rodriguez

José Benito Rodriguez from Nicaragua graduated in 1984 from the Senftenberg School of Engineering, a predecessor institution of BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, with a degree in electrical power systems. After graduation, he used his acquired knowledge and contacts to found a company in his home country in Nicaragua, which gave families, health posts and schools access to a stable power supply with the help of solar systems.

Hello Mr. Rodriguez, you come from the town of Léon in Nicaragua. How did you come to study at the Senftenberg School of Engineering and how did your studies help you during your career?
My start in Germany was made possible by a scholarship. Before studying in Senftenberg, I took an intensive language course to prepare me for my studies. In 1984, I then started my engineering studies at the engineering school together with another student from Nicaragua. A special highlight during my studies was my internship, which I completed in Radebeul at that time. Here I worked on the electrification of the railroad line from Falkenberg to Berlin, which was also the subject of my final thesis. It was great how practice-oriented the studies were and how much experience we were able to gain in experiments and lectures. After starting my career and working in Hamburg for many years, I returned to my home country and founded a company there that was mainly concerned with electrical supply using solar systems. It was also important to me to give something back and so I gave students from Germany and various partner universities in Nicaragua the opportunity to complete internships with me and apply their knowledge directly in practice.

You decided to return to your home country and start a business. How did you come to this decision and in which field were you active?
At the time, I didn't just want to return to Nicaragua, I wanted to create jobs for people and share my knowledge with others. So I and two of my colleagues from Hamburg at the time started a company. In the area around my hometown, we were able to use our company and my relationships with German partners to significantly advance structural development and ensure a stable power supply in rural communities. Within the framework of social projects, we helped to supply critical infrastructure such as schools, health posts, but also family homes with solar energy electrically and also to ensure the water supply. Here, too, my studies opened up many opportunities for me, as I was able to successfully apply German technologies in Nicaragua together with various partners.

That sounds like a great job! So you were very committed to development in your home country. Did you support any other projects here?
I never wanted to break off my contact with Germany. My hometown of Léon in Nicaragua is a partner of the city of Hamburg in Germany. So, as twin cities, we were able to initiate a practical exchange with school students. The German students had the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua and install solar systems together with us, learning a lot about sustainable energy supply and social projects. The participating schools supported us and especially the families here by financing the installed systems through fundraising. I am very grateful for this. During my stay in Hamburg, I organized and also conducted educational trips to Nicaragua. This way I was able to show my home country to German travelers and bring them closer to the culture. Last but not least, I passed on my knowledge to the new generation of students in the universities of Nicaragua as a lecturer.

In which areas did you teach Nicaraguan students and what did you pass on to the new generation of students?
At the universities, I have given lectures on the topic of "Renewable Energies". Whenever I have the opportunity, I encourage the students to learn an additional language. Looking back, I am very proud of myself that I first came to Germany and spent a year learning the language intensively. That wasn't always easy, but it opened up a lot of opportunities for me during my career. That's why I also taught German courses for students in my home country and hope that some of them will go on to study in Germany.