Your country? Germany
Your organisation? DLR Project Management Agency
Your job title? Scientific Officer / NCP
Your first and last name? Alrun Hauke
Why did you decide to become a Cluster 4 NCP? When I couldn't continue my academic career due to the current nature of contracts in the German academic system (see #IchBinHannah on social media) I wanted to stay close to research and use my expertise and international experience. The job offer from the German Cluster 4 NCP office seemed a good way to accomplish that and I was curious to learn more about the political side of framework programmes.
What do you like most in your daily professional life? There are two things I enjoy particularly: One of them is being in touch with researchers and hearing about all their interesting project ideas - there are some where I immediately want to drop everything else and joint that consortium because the project sounds so fascinating :-) The other thing is the regular exchange with my NCP colleagues from other countries. They are really cool people and I feel I can learn a lot through talking to them.
What would you say are the most promising areas of digital in your country? There is a lot of interest in AI right now, but we also have very active R&I communities in the fields of microelectronics, quantum technologies and 6G.
How helpful is the IDEALIST network for you? I'm finding the IDEAL-IST project to be very helpful indeed! Of course I would have to say that, being a work package leader in the project myself, but leaving that aside for a second and speaking as someone who's only been an NCP for 2 years I can say that the close and regular contact with NCPs from other countries as well as the services provided by IDEAL-IST have really helped me understand my job a lot quicker and better and I use information gained through IDEAL-IST on a daily basis - whether that's in consultations with proposers or in discussions with my national colleagues.
Tell us what you would like to share with your peers as inspiration? The success of just about anything we do in life depends on the amount and quality of information we have. The most valuable bits of information are often found not in webinars or other online sources that address lots of people at the same time in a general way, but through personal exchange. So don't stop at browsing through websites and listening to webinars, get in touch personally and share your thoughts, questions, problems and ideas!
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