- Which intention did you pursue by applying for a staff mobility?
After the data acquisition of the transdisciplinary research project at ZHdK was completed, I applied for a Staff Mobility Grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation at the Chair of Applied History, “Public History”, of Prof Dr Cord Arendes at the Department of History at Heidelberg University. My stay was approved by the SNSF and lasted from 1 January 2023 to 30 June 2023, allowing me to focus on writing my dissertation away from everyday and professional interruptions. As I am writing my dissertation in contemporary history, but my employment and workplace are at a higher art education institution, I also used the Staff Mobility Programme to deepen my professional exchange within the historical community.
- Which contents and activities did you work on and realise during your mobility abroad?
My main activity took place in a quiet and spacious office at the Chair of “Public History” in Heidelberg. There, among other things, I wrote about the importance of (check-)lists in the inventory of anti-tank obstacles and about the transformation of dams into ecological network corridors. Thanks to the exchange, I also had the opportunity to give lectures on my dissertation project, for example at the “Institute for Material Culture” at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, which enabled an exchange beyond the University of Heidelberg. I also took part in workshops on cultural heritage and an online writing workshop. Finally, physical mobility also included walks along the streets and around Heidelberg.
- What kind of professional exchange did you experience?
Regarding my dissertation, in addition to the regular exchange with my two dissertation supervisors Damir Skenderovic (Unifr) and Sønke Gau (ZHdK), I was able to benefit from the feedback from Cord Arendes (Heidelberg University), who took care of the chapters I wrote in Heidelberg. During my stay, I attended an online writing workshop – independent of location – organised by the “Interdisciplinary Network for Studies Investigating Science and Technology” (INSIST), the “Gesellschaft für Technikgeschichte” (GTG) (Society for the History of Technology) and the Chair of “History of Technology” at ETH Zurich. In what is often rather lonely writing work in a new city, I found the exchange with peers during this week extremely enriching, which had a positive effect on both motivation and writing flow.
- What cultural insights are you bringing back from your exchange?
Fried potatoes ≠ fried potatoes – I always thought after visiting my favourite restaurant.
- With which experiences and results did you come back?
After the intensive writing phase, I returned to Zurich with a few thousand characters on the page and a revised structure for the dissertation. I also brought back the experience that it is crucial for me to have enough time and space for the work of writing in order to engage with it mentally. The Staff Mobility Programme enabled me to do so and taught me the importance of continuing to give myself this space – as much as possible.