Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWMFelix Kreutz is in the fifth semester of his Master's degree in Business Mathematics at the University of Marburg, where he previously completed his Bachelor's degree. In this interview, the native of Hesse tells us how he became aware of the Fraunhofer ITWM and what everyday life is like here during his Master's thesis.
Interview: Insights Into Writing a Thesis at the Institute
Interview with Master's student Felix Kreutz
What motivated you to come to Kaiserslautern and write your thesis at the Fraunhofer ITWM?
It all started when I was looking for an internship. I came across a series on YouTube in which professions were presented. One of them was a »business mathematician«, which fits perfectly with my degree course. The series was specifically about the Fraunhofer ITWM and I thought it was great that you actually do something here and not just watch. So I applied here. After the internship, I decided to write my Master's thesis here because the team was a good fit and I found an interesting topic.
How was your experience with the application and decision process for your thesis with us?
The process was pretty straightforward: Even during my internship, we talked about the fact that I felt comfortable here. I was quickly offered the opportunity to write my final thesis at the institute. I really enjoyed my internship and it flew by. I hadn't even realized that my contract would soon be coming to an end. Towards the end of the internship, I asked again whether we could draw up a contract for the Master's thesis – and that was done within a week.
What have been the biggest challenges during your Master's thesis so far?
The biggest challenge was the change from university, where you are often very closely supervised, to a way of working where you work more independently and have to deal with setbacks. During my internship, I initially tried to do a lot on my own. Unfortunately, that didn't work out so well. I therefore resolved to communicate more with my colleagues in the team and to ask for food for thought when faced with challenges. But you also have to be aware that no one will give you the solution. Apart from that, it's up to you how much support you want to take advantage of.
The aim of MarDI is to create an infrastructure that enables a fair data culture and a fair research workflow through the sustainable realisation of results.
What is your thesis about and how did you come across this topic?
My master's thesis is entitled »Finetuning of LLMs for Entity Extraction from Mathematical Models«. The topic builds on the »MaRDI« infrastructure, which is about better structuring mathematical background knowledge and designing research data according to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and thus sustainably promoting research.
One example would be a doctor who uses X-ray technology to diagnose a fracture or other injury. He uses measuring devices and mathematical models to evaluate the images – this specific mathematical knowledge is currently not structured in such a way that other professional groups could easily adopt it. It would therefore have to be researched anew by them.
For my Master's thesis, I am currently working on using artificial intelligence to read and summarize research papers. The aim is to integrate the resulting data directly into our system and infrastructure. At the moment, this process is still done manually, which requires a lot of effort as the papers have to be summarized and entered individually.
In which division or department are you writing your thesis at the institute?
I am writing my thesis in the field of »Mathematics for Vehicle Engineering« (MF), but my topic is not directly related to vehicles. It could help any department on an abstract level. The fact that I'm in the vehicle area is because my supervisor, Dr. Jochen Fiedler, works there.
What does your day-to-day work look like during your thesis?
My daily routine is pretty similar to the internship. I usually come into the office between 9 and 10 am, do a bit of literature research, implement what I've researched and talk to other people who can contribute to my topic. I mainly write code in Python and rely on existing libraries that make many tasks easier for me. The working hours are flexible – as long as I successfully complete my tasks and coordinate this with my supervisor, I have the freedom to customize my schedule.
What support do you get from the Fraunhofer ITWM during your thesis?
The variety of topics and data sets you get here is much more interesting than at university. Especially when it comes to industrial data, you have a clear advantage here at the institute. The exchange with colleagues is also great. You can always ask if you get stuck.
What tips would you give to other students who want to write their thesis at the Fraunhofer ITWM?
I think the topic of self-organization is definitely important here. Apart from that, you should have the confidence to ask questions if you get stuck and contribute your own ideas. You don't have to worry about being told what to do. You have a lot of freedom.
Master's student Felix Kreutz in the interview with Antoinette Duus.
Do you already have concrete plans for the time after your degree?
I'm currently exploring that. Depending on how well my Master's thesis goes and how much I enjoy the research, I could imagine staying here as a research assistant or doctoral student. The private sector would also be an option, but is currently in second place.
Is there anything else you would like to pass on to other future mathematicians?
It's probably too late for most math students, but at the beginning of my studies I was worried about how I could apply math in practice, so I focused on areas in my studies that I thought would get me a job later on. But I learned that math is incredibly versatile and can be applied in almost any field. The logical thinking and models you learn as a mathematician are useful in many areas. It may be an exaggeration to say that they make the world a better place, but they definitely make a valuable contribution to meaningful solutions.