International Students at the Lab

As part of the DAAD RISE Internship Program, the Sustainable Technologies Lab welcomes two students from the USA. Tarang Malhotra and Kati Stubits-Gallagher will support the lab's work for three months.

Tarang Malhotra, who studies Environmental Studies in New York, contributes to the Pilot4CircuLEV project. His tasks include developing an assessment tool and conducting a life cycle analysis.

“As an Environmental Studies and Economics major based in the US, I am very passionate about sustainability, which has led me to pursue it as my academic and career path. I have been particularly interested in the topic of circular economy for quite some time, and have done research and projects related to circularity. Moreover, I have always been eager to explore new places and cultures, which is why I decided to study in Germany for a semester in 2023. My memorable experiences from my stay in Germany, paired with my interest in circularity, sparked my interest in the Pilot4CircuLEV internship at Hochschule Bochum.

What I found interesting about Pilot4CircuLEV is its focus on the end-of-life phase of LEVs, an area that has a lot of scope for improvement. I was excited by the idea of learning about different end-of-strategies, especially those regarding batteries. I was eager to assess these strategies and identify the best ones, which would not only feed my passions and interests, but also potentially contribute to the LEV industry. Therefore, I decided to apply for the internship.

My time in Bochum so far has been amazing to say the least. The work atmosphere in the Sustainable Technologies Laboratory is very positive, friendly and motivating. From day one, my colleagues have given me a warm welcome and have supported me. Yara, my supervisor, has assigned me the task of working on an ecodesign assessment tool for end-of-life strategies for LEVs, but has given me plenty of flexibility to explore my interests. At the same time, Julia, my co-worker, has been a great teammate. Over the past few weeks, I have prepared a mock-up ecodesign tool and done research on existing ecodesign tools. Julia and I are continuing to develop the ecodesign tool as we work on building LCAs.

And of course, I love living in Bochum and experiencing the German summer. My seamless immersion in German culture for the second year in a row has convinced me that it is the right place for me, and has made me want to return in the future.”

Kati Stubits-Gallagher studies Industrial Engineering in Texas and is working on the adjust project. Her responsibilities include analyzing existing tools and conducting a needs analysis for the development of a tool that enables participatory and multi-criteria planning of post-fossil and multisectoral energy and mobility in the neighborhood.

"Ever since beginning to learn the German language in high school, I have dreamed about the opportunity to one day live and work in Germany. I am extremely grateful that the DAAD research program and the Adjust team have given me that opportunity this summer. My passion for energy and sustainability drives many of my career goals. Previously, I worked at a municipal utility in the US for two years as a project engineering intern, supporting their water conditioning plant and solar fields. I was thrilled to continue this trajectory by contributing to sustainability research at the Hochschule Bochum for the summer.

At the Hochschule Bochum, I joined as an intern to support the Adjust project. This initiative aims to develop a tool to empower city planners and business owners to optimize their energy use and implement greener strategies. What I find particularly inspiring about the Adjust project is its mission to make sustainable design more accessible by simplifying complex energy system planning and providing a user-friendly tool and resources for local-scale implementation. Currently, I am researching energy system models to support the decision to determine the best model for the Adjust application.

Being placed in a lab with passionate and hardworking individuals dedicated to furthering sustainability initiatives has been a remarkable experience. I am learning a great deal from my colleagues in the lab, who have all been very welcoming and supportive. Because of them, only a month and a half into my internship, I already feel at home here.

Bochum and the surrounding region have been a wonderful place to live and work. I have enjoyed exploring the area and immersing myself in the community. This internship thus far has contributed to both my professional and personal development, and the blend of work experience with cultural immersion has made this summer an invaluable adventure."

Tarang and Kati enhance the lab with their open-minded nature and active support. We are delighted to welcome such dedicated and talented students and look forward to our future successes, insights, and publications in the coming weeks.