Before being involved in these fields, make sure that you have an interest in what you are going to do. It is extremely important to follow your interests if you want to stay in an area for 30, 40, or even more years. If you are not sure if your passion is in what you are going to do, then trying and practicing is also a good way to find where your true talents and interests lie.
I studied mechanical engineering by coincidence for my bachelor’s degree. Nevertheless, studying subjects like mechanical principles, mechanical design, and electromechanical drive control was very interesting to me. During my Master of Science studies, I got the chance to see a laser in the lab and learn how it works, as well as how one can produce microstructures on an optical fiber using a femtosecond laser. This was truly amazing and attracted my curiosity. Therefore, I decided to start my academic research in optical manufacturing.
I currently do research in optical manufacturing, optical metrology, and optical design. I also supervise graduate students in my group. I give a lecture every semester, and am responsible for managing optical nanofabrication laboratories.
The biggest obstacles that I have faced in my career are the difficulties I encountered in advancing my research in optics, which was more physics-oriented and required a knowledge base that I lacked. As my background was mechanical engineering, the courses I took were mainly related to traditional mechanical engineering. To overcome these difficulties, I started learning by myself—for example, reading topic-related books and attending corresponding lectures to gain knowledge in the subject as much as possible. On the other hand, I also asked for help from colleagues already working in optics. They were a big help whenever I had problems understanding any information or principles, and helped me troubleshoot the problems I encountered.
Looking back at my educational journey, I wish someone would’ve told me to do something that sparks my interests and passions sooner. It’s important to think about what you want and plan your career path (or personal development) in advance, in order to be a person prepared for the future.
Lei Zheng
Postdoctoral Researcher, Leibniz University Hannover, Hannover Center for Optical Technologies
Born in China / Resides in Germany
Educational Background: BS, MS, and PhD in Mechanical Engineering
