Heads of transformation - Sabine Sachweh

Ms Sachweh, you are Professor of Applied Software Technology and spokesperson for the Institute for Digitalization in Working and Living Environments. What do you find exciting about your job?

My job has many exciting facets for me. In short, it's the different people, exciting topics and degrees of freedom in my day-to-day work that I benefit from every day. As part of my teaching, I get to meet new students every year and have the opportunity to introduce them to the field of software engineering - and to help them with their first applications.

We are always working on projects that provide solutions to current problems. This is a very exciting and creative task every time! A final, but very important point for me is the freedom to work. This makes it possible to set up research alliances on particularly exciting topics - or to become commercially active by supporting research topics until they reach the market as a start-up, for example.

How did your career in science begin?

My career began with my diploma thesis at the scientific center in Heidelberg. During my studies, I worked in parallel; the main aim here was to get to know potential employers. When I had to decide on a position at the end of my studies, it wasn't an easy decision. At that time, most companies still had a very broad-based management with quite rigid structures - simply not my world. With my thesis, I was able to get to know a completely different, much more dynamic world: one in which you work on current challenges and the focus is on exchange.

As I then enjoyed my studies at the University of Dortmund in the Ruhr region, it was there that I started my doctorate.

To what extent does the topic of "transformation" playa rolein your day-to-day work?

The topic of "transformation" plays a central role in my day-to-day work. On the one hand, our institute focuses on digital transformation, i.e. the change that is taking place as digital solutions increasingly permeate the world of work and life. So every part of my work actually has to do with the topic of "transformation".

It has to be said that computer science in particular, and increasingly also teaching, is undergoing constant and clearly noticeable change. The transformation in the digital field is accompanied by many influences, which in turn bring about transformations - such as social change or the increasing relevance of sustainability. There are many cross-references between all of these topics, resulting in an exciting and challenging subject area.

Digitalization in working and living environments continues to increase. What current developments can you observe?

The most important development at the moment is probably that technology and people are increasingly being thought of together. Conversely, this means that
Digital sovereignty is a crucial issue for society as a whole.
topic. From childhood to old age, digital literacy plays a crucial role. The pandemic has proven this: Among other things, it crucially determines educational opportunities, self-determination and participation.

As difficult as the pandemic has been, it has also had a positive impact on the willingness to engage with the digital world and create new access points. This momentum must now be used to get people on board and inspire them.

What are the thoughts on how digitalization will develop in thecoming years? And how should companies prepare for it?

Service providers and manufacturing companies will move even closer along the supply chain, but above all towards the customer as a result of digitalization. It is important to break down data silos
data silos, always keeping data protection in mind and relying heavily on data-driven business models. In short: consistent
digitization enables companies to increase their resilience through fast response times.

It is important that quality is always checked, depending on the area of application. The prerequisites are in place in many areas - but just as with digital sovereignty, it is now important to make solutions more widely available.

Women are still underrepresented in STEM professions. But you have chosen precisely this path. What have been the biggest challenges for you personally (also or especially as a woman) in your scientific career so far - and how have you overcome them?

I have always been interested in science, and when I started secondary school I was able to gain my first insights into the IT sector as part of a computer science club. After many discussions about whether it was more important to be able to cook or program, the big surprise came when I got my first computer. Programming became a passion - and the only field of study that came into question for me was computer science. The study program was heavily male-dominated. And when I gained my first practical experience, I also felt the male dominance in the industry. When I started working in training centers across Germany, it was not uncommon for a participant to come in, see me, apologize and leave. Back then, many people couldn't imagine a 19-year-old student teaching IT courses.

However, the biggest challenge in my career was a different one. After I had worked on the content of my research topics and "only" had to write everything up, my first son was born. That was a stressful time and I remember that I often
about postponing the completion of my dissertation. But the words of my doctoral supervisor, who asked me to stay true to my path and not focus solely on my new role as a mother, got me through this time.

Inyour opinion, how can more women beencouraged to enterSTEM professions ?

In my view, it is absolutely essential to start from the interests of women in the STEM sector too. It is important that women have the same access to technical construction kits, for example, as children as men.
men. For example, I liked building things out of Fischertechnik that I could use to make people in my immediate environment happy.
people in my immediate environment. The opportunity to take advantage of low-threshold support services
to use low-threshold support services also seems to me to be beneficial.
be beneficial. In short: I would always confront women with STEM topics at a very early age - naturally with a free choice of application context and with good support for questions.

How important are female role models and mentors inthis context?

Female role models are important because they show career paths and demonstrate that women can also be happy and successful in STEM professions.
can be happy and successful. However, they only motivate women to take a certain path. Mentors are more important on the path itself, as they provide
mentors are more important on the path itself, as they can support the mentees with their experience and network in challenging situations.

In the Ruhr region, a reversal trend can be observed with regard to the male dominance in the industry - here I actually meet new female companions on my scientific path again and again, with whom I network. However, I personally find a peer group particularly motivating, in which young people can exchange ideas, push and support each other and, of course, interact socially.

Thank you very much for the interview!

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