Text: Stan Waning
SBD | BUSINESS
‘SBD showed me the economic and research landscape I was entering’ Professor Sebastian Thiede has been working at UT for about a year. He is involved in research and development in the field of manu facturing systems and has benefited greatly from the role of SBD, especially during his first weeks and months at his new employer.
T
hiede’s work consists of developing
that we don’t have contacts there, but SBD’s
innovative technologies, methods
help makes it much easier to switch gears.’
and tools in the field of Advanced
He uses an example to illustrate the position
Manufacturing, a range of technologies that
that SBD occupies in the collaborations he is
are important for meeting the requirements
involved in. ‘Recently, I worked with ITC and
of Industry 4.0. The professor himself focuses
Faculty of Science and Technology on behalf
mainly on processes and systems for manu-
of the ET faculty. In such a case, the use of
facturing systems and factories. ‘I work on
SBD is helpful, because we all fall under that
improving both planning and operation,’ says
umbrella, and they have a better idea of
the professor. ‘Typically, I don’t just look at
what is happening everywhere.’
one process, but rather at the whole picture. Digitisation is a crucial starting point, as are
Central role
SBD TEAM VIEW
the questions of what factories will look like
Especially when Thiede first arrived in the
in the future, and how you can plan a com-
Netherlands as a researcher, he appreci-
plete process chain that is efficient, flexible
ated the support he received from SBD. ‘It
and sustainable?’
gave me a good overview of UT as a whole.
‘I love to work for SBD! Being able to connect people and organisations creating synergy is very rewarding. The aspect of working both with the internal UT community and with many external organisations makes my role diverse. At the UT, great things happen and I am in the fortunate position to share that with the world. At the same time, I bring the outside perspective to the UT community.’
It is not that SBD gave me a picture of the Thiede, who previously worked at the
cultural and political background of the
University of Braunschweig in Germany, is
area, but it did show me the economic and
also a researcher of the Twente Centre for
research landscape I was entering. Especially
Advanced Battery Technology. This is where
when you are new, it’s nice to find out quickly
all activities related to battery research at
what’s going on. SBD played an important
UT come together. ‘It is a collaboration per-
role in this process for me,’ says Thiede, who
fectly suited to an umbrella service provider
also praises SBD’s efforts during the corona
such as SBD, which is very valuable. It pro-
pandemic. ‘It’s much more difficult to or-
Marleen Kuipers
vides coordination, especially in the commu-
ganise events and activities right now. That
Impact Development Manager
nication with large companies and overarch-
also goes to show just how important SBD’s
ing regional and national initiatives. It is not
central role is.’
U-TODAY SBD SPECIAL
2021
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