Dr. Tim Höhne is a technology consultant for research funding in the field of fusion at the VDI Technology Center. He supports research projects, drawing on his experience in scientific research and his broad perspective on new technological developments.
In an interview, physics student Tianyi Xu talks with him about his journey from earning his Ph.D. to working in research funding, the diverse demands placed on a technology consultant, as well as the future of fusion research and the role of government funding.
Xu: After earning your doctorate, you joined the VDI Technology Center. Is a doctorate required to work as a technology consultant?
Dr. Höhne: No , a Ph.D. is not strictly necessary to work as a technology consultant. However, it is certainly an advantage. Our team includes colleagues with diverse academic backgrounds—not all of whom have doctorates. What matters most is experience in scientific research. A key part of our work involves evaluating and supporting research projects. In this context, it’s very helpful to have firsthand experience with the research process and to be able to understand the researchers’ perspective.
Xu: Are there any skills you need for your current job that you weren't able to develop to the same extent during your physics studies or your doctoral program? And how did you acquire them?
Dr. Höhne: Yes , especially the way I familiarize myself with new topics is very different from when I was working on my dissertation. During my doctoral studies, I was able to focus intensively on a relatively narrow subject area and its technical details. In my current role, it’s different: I regularly have to get up to speed on new topics from a much broader field on short notice and switch between different tasks and projects. In my experience, the ability to quickly get up to speed on new topics and handle various tasks simultaneously develops primarily through hands-on experience. The best way to learn is by actually doing it.
Xu: You work as a technology consultant in the field of fusion. How do you assess the future of this field of research? And do you have any concerns about the fact that government funding is often geared toward short-term projects?
Dr. Höhne: I would say that the federal government is pursuing quite ambitious goals in this area. At the same time, there is a desire to adhere to concrete and clearly defined timelines. However, if a long-term goal is to be achieved, it can make a lot of sense to break it down into several clearly defined, shorter-term stages. This raises the question, for example: What do we want to achieve in the next three, five, or ten years? Short-term projects often have a duration of about three years. At the same time, however, there are also longer-term projects that are currently receiving funding. Overall, I am very confident about the future development of the field of fusion research.
Photo ©: Dr. Tim Höhne
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