„I promote international collaboration in research“
Interview: 6 questions, 7 answers
„I promote international collaboration in research“
Eva Gerhards
Field of study: Business administration, health and social management
Now: DLR Projektträger, European and International Collaboration
Eva Gerhards studied Business Administration with a specialisation in health and social management at Koblenz University of Applied Sciences. She joined the DLR Projektträger in 2021 as a funding manager in the field of European and international collaboration. In this interview, she tells us about her work in the department, where she is responsible for projects in North, Central and South America.
Eva, what do you look forward to when coming to work in the morning?
Eva: Great teamwork! There are certain funding processes that present me with challenges that I’m only able to solve together with my colleagues. I also get to meet lots of people from other teams, which makes the job varied.
„My job is to advise those interested in funding, check funding applications administratively and keep an eye on how the money is being spent.“
What are you working on?
Eva: I promote bilateral projects involving international collaboration between German and international universities and companies. I mainly do this on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). My job is to advise those interested in funding, carry out administrative checks on funding applications and keep an eye on how the money is being spent.
Eva enjoys working with numbers and is exactly the right person for the administrative funding job.
Eva: Above all, I answer a lot of emails. I clarify certain questions about specific funding programmes with prospective applicants, for example. When it comes to submitting an application, we discuss the funding programme itself in detail. Questions regarding financial adjustments come to the fore once the projects have been approved.
We have a daily team meeting during which we discuss special cases in the funding sector and look for solutions together.
„I find the collaboration between Germany and Uruguay particularly exciting. Together, the two countries want to advance research into hydrogen technologies.“
How is your work being used?
Eva: Through my work, I facilitate collaborations between researchers from Germany and those from North, Central or South America. Existing bilateral research projects can also be further expanded with our help. I find the collaboration between Germany and Uruguay particularly exciting. Together, the two countries want to advance research into hydrogen technologies.
My work provides the administrative framework for far-reaching international collaboration in research.
Eva is responsible for promoting international collaboration between German research institutions and those in North, Central and South America.
Eva: It's always great when an application is approved and the grant notification can be sent out. I find it exciting when I can work my way through difficult cases for which I have to gather a lot of new information and make new decisions. And when experienced colleagues call me to ask for advice on similar cases, I know that I've done a good job.
What special skills can you make good use of in your job?
Eva: My communication skills and openness towards people and new tasks. I also enjoy working with numbers and guidelines, which is of course an important part of my daily work.
Leave us a final thought.
Eva: I always thought that if I wanted to learn something new, I would have to study again. But that's also possible at the DLR Projektträger. I am grateful every day for my great team and mentor, who has helped me to learn the ropes. We have developed a real friendship – despite the big age difference.
