Skip to main contentSkip to navigationSkip to footer
Logo of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
Degree Programmes
Continuing Education
Research and Services
International
About FHNW
DeEn
Locations and ContactFHNW LibraryMedia Relations

      Logo of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
      • Degree Programmes
      • Continuing Education
      • Research and Services
      • International
      • About FHNW
      DeEn
      Locations and ContactFHNW LibraryMedia Relations
      Life Scie...
      Internati...
      Newsletter International...
      A Trip Down Memory Lane: How a semester abroad laid the foundation for my career

      A Trip Down Memory Lane: How a semester abroad laid the foundation for my career

      A report by Benjamin Otter

      The decision to spend a semester abroad was a turning point in my life that set the course of my professional career. At the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim I worked on my MSc in Life Sciences thesis on "Transparent and conducting Indium Tin Oxide thin films by spin coating of an aqueous precursor solution". My time there was more than just an academic adventure; it was the beginning of a journey that led me to where I am today.

      My experience in the far north not only gave me the opportunity to deepen my professional knowledge and apply it in practice, but also taught me to think more widely, and adapt to new environments and challenges. Working on my thesis in an international environment significantly improved my English, and developed my ability to adapt to new cultural and academic contexts quickly - a skill that would prove invaluable as my career progressed.

      After graduating, my first job was at the FHNW School of Life Sciences as a Scientific Assistant, before moving to a role as process development chemical engineer at Syngenta Münchwilen AG. This is where I really began to see the benefits of my experience abroad. The intercultural skills I had developed, and the ability to adapt quickly to new situations, proved to be invaluable as I progressed through various levels of responsibility - from process engineer, to team leader, to head of a miniplant and then group leader for process engineers, sustainability studies and laboratory automation at various sites in Switzerland.

      I now work for Syngenta in the USA as a department head, responsible for setting up a new process development and optimization unit. In this role, I benefit daily from my experience abroad. Insights into other working cultures which I gained in Norway and the resilience I developed there are essential in an international firm like Syngenta, which values global collaboration. The ability to understand and respect cultural differences has helped me lead teams and manage global projects successfully.

      I arrived in Trondheim in the cold and rain and without guaranteed accommodation, and had to adapt to a completely new environment. These and other challenges during my semester abroad showed me that flexibility, courage and perseverance are key for professional and personal success. Those qualities have enabled me to make bold decisions, such as working in China for several months or emigrating to the USA never having visited the country.

      In conclusion, my international semester was not only an unforgettable adventure but also an investment in my professional future. I would recommend that all students take the chance to spend a semester abroad. Looking back, this decision was one of the main reasons for my professional success and the numerous opportunities I have been given throughout my career.

      Benjamin Otter

      Studied at the FHNW School of Life Sciences:
      BSc in Molecular Life Sciences, specialization in Chemistry
      MSc in Life Sciences, specialization in Molecular Technologies
      Stay abroad during studies:
      Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim

      I want to go abroad!

      I want to go abroad!

      Would you like to study abroad for a semester or do your thesis project outside Switzerland? Find out all you need to know here.

      Degree Programmes

      Life Sciences
      Newsletter International Office
      Irina Hauri

      Irina Hauri

      Head of International Office and Continuing Education Management

      Telephone

      +41 61 228 50 66

      E-mail

      international.lifesciences@fhnw.ch

      Address

      FHNW School of Life Sciences Hofackerstrasse 30 4132 Muttenz

      Sarah Lehmann

      Sarah Lehmann

      Assistant International Office

      Telephone

      +41 61 228 50 66

      E-mail

      international.lifesciences@fhnw.ch

      Address

      FHNW School of Life Sciences Hofackerstrasse 30 4132 Muttenz

      FS24newsletter

      FHNW School of Life Sciences

      FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
      School of Life Sciences

      Hofackerstrasse 30

      CH - 4132 Muttenz

      E-Mailinfo.lifesciences@fhnw.ch

      More information about the location

      What we offer

      • Degree Programmes
      • Continuing Education
      • Research and Services

      About FHNW

      • Schools
      • Organisation
      • Management
      • Facts and Figures

      Information

      • Data Protection
      • Accessibility
      • Imprint

      Support & Intranet

      • IT Support
      • Login Inside-FHNW

      Member of: