Working on socially relevant topics

Miriam Kadinger will complete her second Master's degree in Mechatronics - Smart Technologies at the Vorarlberg University of Applied Sciences next fall. Her path into Engineering and Technology began with a Bachelor's degree in Mechatronics with a specialization in Mechanical Engineering. She then went on to complete a Master's degree in Energy Technology and Business and Management. She chose a specialization from the Master's in Mechatronics and thus took the opportunity for an interdisciplinary academic education at the FHV. 

"In my current Master's degree in Mechatronics, I find it particularly exciting how application-oriented a lot of the content is. We have already implemented several projects in the first semesters, in groups or on our own," says Miriam. She also chose the option to work at the research center during her Contextual Studies and thus put together a broad curriculum that covers many technical basics without limiting herself to one specialty. Her interest in research led her to the Energy research center at the FHV, where she started as a student assistant in 2019. Miriam now works there as a research associate. Her tasks are varied. She plans, supervises and carries out laboratory work, develops test benches and analyzes measurement data.

Developing sustainable materials

One focus of her work is the Lab4ALT project, which deals with the development of sustainable materials. "I'm mainly responsible for experimental work here. All my content of studies comes together here - from CAD, sensor technology and data processing to mechanical analysis," says Miriam, describing her day-to-day work. In another project, together with the microtechnology research center, she uses an X-ray tomograph for the 3D measurement of components. The aim is to analyze defects such as pores or cracks in components for the Energy and mobility transition. "What I like about research is the constant development. We work on topics that can be socially relevant. At the same time, you also have to deal with the fact that many things don't work as planned," says Miriam frankly. On the one hand, her path so far shows how diverse research at the FHV is and how enriching an interdisciplinary approach can be. On the other hand, the combination of her choice of studies shows the wide range of courses on offer at the FHV and the associated opportunities that arise in professional practice.

Miriam's path shows how exciting and diverse technical degree programmes at the FHV can be. If you also want to combine Engineering and Technology with future-oriented topics, you can find all the information about Mechatronics, Energy Technology and Mechatronics - Smart Technologies ▷ here.