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In his spare time, Indian student Dishant Kavathia supports the Aufwindhof in Aalen as a volunteer. Photo: Private

Since the Summer semester 2022, the master's program "Advanced Materials and Manufacturing" at Aalen University has a new Indian student named Dishant Kavathia. Motivated by a career fair that Aalen University participated in, he moved from the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technical University Aachen (RWTH Aachen), one of the most renowned universities for technical courses of study, to Aalen University in the Ostalb.

Dishant Kavathia, a native to the small town of Vapi in Gujarat, India, first successfully completed a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and then worked for two years in an international company in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Last year, he decided to continue his studies in Germany - and came to RWTH Aachen. But how did he end up in Aalen?

Career fair awakens interest in application-oriented studies

"Research in Germany" is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The aim of the initiative is to attract specialists, students and academics from abroad and to retain them in Germany. Career fairs therefore take place on a regular basis, giving German institutions the opportunity to present themselves to an international audience. Organized under the leadership of the management team from the SmartPro cooperation network. With the participation of the International Office, Aalen University took part in an online career fair from the initiative in the fall of 2021.

Dishant Kavathia immediately showed great interest in the research master's program "Advanced Materials and Manufacturing" (AMM) at Aalen University’s virtual booth, which revolves around new materials and manufacturing processes. Prof. Dr. Dagmar Goll, Dean of Studies in AMM and spokesperson for the SmartPro network, is enthusiastic: "Above all, we bring students to our modern, well-equipped research labs and not just to the lecture halls."

Dishant Kavathia, who was already interested in additive manufacturing processes during his studies in Aachen, was fascinated by the strong practical orientation in research at Aalen University. "I was very enthusiastic about the opportunity to pursue practical issues in different research projects every semester," recounts Dishant as the motive for his switch.

First Results for a Publication

Dishant Kavathia is currently using artificial intelligence methods, known as Machine Learning, in Prof. Dr. Markus Merkel's research group to predict the temperature distribution in thermally stressed components more quickly and precisely. These results are then incorporated, for example, into the design and dimensioning of heating elements to improve their energy efficiency. Often, the newly determined, ideal geometries of the components can only be produced using methods such as additive manufacturing. "I am currently summarizing the results in a scientific publication," says Dishant. Based on this, further investigations are planned to further improve the prediction accuracy by using methods such as Deep Learning.

Prof. Dr. Markus Merkel is also delighted. "Dishant Kavathia is a great student and I'm excited that he is now bringing his enthusiasm and expertise to us." Merkel is also pursuing the combination of Additive Manufacturing and Machine Learning as a researcher in the SmartPro network, enabling the development of energy- and resource-efficient products.

Well supported at Aalen University

As an international student, Dishant feels very well-supported by the university's International Relations Office and the Welcome Center East Wuerttemberg. "Through their various offers, I get to know German culture better and can establish new contacts", says Dishant. He also wants to give something back: As part of the ENGAGE project of the International Office, which is funded by the DAAD from the funds of the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dishant volunteers his time to support the Aufwindhof in Aalen.

"I am really very grateful to everyone involved for supporting and accompanying me so well during my move from Aachen to Aalen," says Dishant. He is already excited about further application-oriented research projects in the coming semesters.