Cluster of Excellence

I wouldn't have thought that I would one day work in Japan. I got my contacts there during my time as a doctoral researcher at CITEC. I think back fondly on the many nice people and interesting projects I got to know during my time in Bielefeld.

I came to CITEC as a gender visiting professor, and since then have been collaborating with Professor Dr. Friederike Eyssel. I enjoyed CITEC’s interdisciplinary community during my lectures and everyday discussions along with the open and shared nature of the resources there. I am happy that Indiana University Bloomington is part of CITEC’s Thematic Network on Intelligent Interactive Systems. This has allowed me to send one of my students to do research at CITEC, as well as for me to host a student.

Interdisciplinary cooperation isn’t just something that CITEC claims to do – it’s put into practice. I was impressed by this. Sometimes I surprise my current colleagues with knowledge from other disciplines – knowledge that I have from my time at CITEC. I hope that as many young researchers as possible will complete their dissertations in such an inspiring environment.

Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a researcher - to delve into science, to conduct research, to understand. At the CITEC Graduate School, I've been able to do what I'm best at: being curious and creative, and getting to the bottom of things. I hope that CITEC will never have a shortage of young researchers with big dreams!

Interdisciplinary research distinguishes CITEC. My time at CITEC was a very good preparation for projects in international companies. I wish the cluster to be able to adapt flexibly current topics and requirements without following the mainstream and thus remaining true to own ideals.

My years at CITEC helped me a lot widen my perspective and got me interested in Cognitive Science. As a computer engineer I had a rather technical view of intelligent systems, while at CITEC I learned also about human cognition, so much so that still now my work is strongly interdisciplinary. It was very easy to come in touch with people working on the same topic from different perspectives. This free and wide flow of information and research insights is rather rare.

CITEC has been a fantastic place to develop my carrier and more in general myself. I really enjoyed its multicultural and interdisciplinary environment. In 2016 I had the possibility to really understand how this experience was useful for me. CITEC allowed me to form important skills to orient my work always ahead in technology and innovation and i hope that the CITEC will keep its innovation tendency and its great connection with international organization and universities.

My time at CITEC was the foundation of my career where I developed the main research focuses that continue to drive my research. In fact, I first started working with my current institution through EU funded projects at CITEC, and these projects have significantly helped me to build my research network. I continue this collaboration and we are still carrying out joint research between the Insight Centre and CITEC to this day.

CITEC has opened the door to the world of research. The excellent laboratory structures and the interdisciplinary support – so I learned to work independently at a high level. The international and interdisciplinary exchange was especially important because this has allowed me many good cooperations. I wish the cluster that cooperation, support, creativity and success will always be the focus of attention.

For me, CITEC is a place of straightforward, interdisciplinary cooperation. Close proximity to the most varied of disciplines and the international network were the basis for sustainable collaboration. My time at CITEC was the foundation for my later research at Concordia and McGill University in Montreal, Canada. I hope that the Cluster continues to be a place where one can pursue unorthodox ideas at the highest level.

CITEC was a place of intense, creative research-based work, with many like-minded individuals in a motivating and ambitious environment. During this time, I completed my habilitation and made significant steps forward for my future research career. Various international contacts to other research groups were essential.

There is hardly a place where interdisciplinary research with robots is promoted as at CITEC. Especially the work in the labs meant a lot to me, I could publish a lot and thus prepare my scientific career very well. The international exchange was very fruitful for my work. This type of communication in a unique field has given me the opportunity to build a large, stable network.

CITEC gave me the chance to pursue my research goals by funding my Manual Intelligence Lab (MILAB). I really liked the open nature of the institute and the fact that collaboration between groups and disciplines was strongly encouraged.

CITEC made it possible for me to carry out my own work on a series of research projects. I benefitted greatly from the many technological possibilities. Through the Cluster, I was able to build up a range of interdisciplinary contacts, and also through the conferences and colloquia at the Graduate School.

My experience as a postdoctoral fellow in CITEC was the catalyst for my career. It gave me the unique opportunity to focus on conducting high-quality research and to publish prolifically during my tenure in Bielefeld. CITEC also allowed me to develop my portfolio and visibility as an independent researcher, as well as to work with high-level experts in other fields. I continue to collaborate with researchers from Bielefeld to this day.

I joined CITEC in 2009 as an Assistant Professor in “Language and Cognition”. The generous resources I received permitted me to set up a research group with several PhD and postdoctoral members. A large graduate school provided further intellectual support for the graduate students in the group. Now a full professor of psycholinguistics, I am still in contact because I continue to mentor several CITEC-funded PhD candidates.

My time at CITEC was incredibly valuable for my professional development. I was provided with the monetary resources and lab facilities necessary to pursue my research at a high level. The interdisciplinary nature of CITEC put me in contact with researchers in fields which could either enhance or benefit from my research.