Sustaining Lifelong Global Connections for Knowledge

My Feodor Lynen Fellowship at UC Berkeley offered me the chance to conduct
research at a world-class university. As an urban and regional planner, I was able to
gain profound insight into a highly fascinating metropolitan area. My postdoctoral
research dealt with growth management in the San Francisco Bay Area. I met
fascinating people at UC Berkeley’s Institute of Urban and Regional Development,
including US experts and visiting scholars from all over the world.
This fellowship was highly supportive for my career, as it opened up the pathway for
a professorship in Germany at the University of Kaiserslautern.
I am still highly grateful for being part of the Humboldt network, and I always seek
to support young scholars in building their careers.

My Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Fellowship brought me to the faculties of Gestaltung and architecture at the Bauhaus University in Weimar (2014-2015, 2021), as well as to the faculty of architecture at the University of Kassel (2016). It is hard to put into words how meaningful these experiences were for me. On a professional level, the experience allowed me to gain knowledge about the history of modern architecture in Germany that most scholars in field only dream of. I visited key buildings and explored the major archives. I was able to publish numerous essays and am working on many more. I benefitted from the support of the Humboldt Foundation’s wonderful staff and am proud to say that I became fully fluent in German.

On a personal level, I was able to share my passion for German culture and history with my wife and three children. My children attended German preschools and grammar schools: two of them returned to the United States fluent in German. We made wonderful friends, many of whom remain an integral part of our lives. My children continue to maintain a deep affection for Germany, particularly its bakeries, thrift stores, and desserts. For my oldest daughter, Weimar stands out—it boasts some of the best gelaterias in all of Europe!

I will always cherish the wonderful memories I have from my Humboldt experience. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity and the privilege.

My Humboldt Research Fellowship for postdoctoral researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films was a life-changing experience. I was very lucky to have had Dr. Klaus Bewilogua as a mentor. He instilled in me skills such as decision making and scientific intuition—skills that have helped me in every aspect of my career. Dr. Bewilogua was not only an excellent guide as I took my first professional steps, but he has continued to advise and support me to this day. After I completed my research training in Spain and Germany, I moved to the United States and am in the process of launching a new line of research on the study of interactions between plasma discharges and materials for applications in functional coatings, microelectronics, and biomedicine. I would not be where I am without my Humboldt experience!

My Humboldtian mentor was highly recognized. Working with him was more valuable than getting another PhD. I collaborated with him through the end of his life and now work with his other former students in Germany. I learned that there was no reason to confine my thinking.

My postdoc in Germany was critical for launching my independent career. I had the opportunity to use world class instrumentation to look at important problems in energy conversion. I was introduced to a completely different set of researchers, complementing my training in the United States, and those networks persist in my career today.

For me, Humboldt today represents the journey that a scientist like me gets to enjoy on an everyday basis. Alexander von Humboldt is the epitome of a curious explorer setting an example of breaking geographical and discipline boundaries. The AvH foundation created opportunities to engage in interdisciplinary and international collaborations and experience different cultures for my family and me.