Daniella Deutz

I am currently working towards my PhD in the Novel Aerospace Materials (NovAM) part of ASM (TU Delft). 

I chose ASM because as part of my minor at Aerospace Engineering I took a course on advanced aerospace materials taught by Sybrand van der Zwaag. He opened up a whole world of scientific possibilities for me, like how something so ubiquitous as steel can shelter a wealth of science and unanswered questions. There’s something magical about how we turn oil into both strong carbon fibers and flimsy plastic bags. Did you know we’re even working on self healing materials now? I can’t take simple materials for granted anymore. And developing new materials for aerospace engineering really brings you to the cutting edge of the materials science world. 

During my Msc I most enjoyed being part of a community of engaged students, now the basis of the Enlightness student union, was a transformative experience in my studying days. Since the courses are all a lot smaller than in the Bachelor’s program, you really get to know your fellow students and lecturers, and together you just learn a lot more. 

The activities in my PhD vary from day to day. Most of my time is engaged in preparing for, performing and analyzing the results of scientific experiments. Over the course of my four year PhD I’m expected to write about four to five journal articles. I attend international conferences about once or twice a year, and present my results in a talk or a poster. I’ve also supervised a few master student graduation projects, and help out with lectures here and there. Since my PhD is application oriented, I spend a lot of time making R&D demonstrators, and have travelled all over the EU to discuss with industrial designers how they can actually integrate my materials in their products. 

Almost no one goes through the process of getting a master’s degree alone. Sometimes it can be tough to pass that one course or figure out that tiny mistake holding back your code. Be prepared to ask for help, and be open to giving others a helping hand every now and then. It’s a long journey, and it’s one that’s a lot more fun if shared.