From Cologne to Magdeburg: Professor about her trip to unity

From Cologne to Magdeburg: Professor about her trip to unity

The reunification of Germany in 1990 is a formative experience for many. This is also the case for the Cologne native Gilian Gerke, who at that time completed her training as a pharmaceutical-technical assistant in Burscheid. The professor at the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences has her very personal story full of memories and experiences that she is reminiscent of change in Germany.

One of her most impressive memories is a caricature in Cologne city hands, the Erich Honecker at the light switch showed with the ironic note: "GDR - the last thing is the light." For Gerke, the picture symbolizes the transformative events around the fall of the wall and the subsequent reunification. After working in Aachen in a pharmacy, she strived for an academic career. "I wanted to do something meaningful and sustainable," said Gerke, who finally decided to study engineering with a focus on waste management.

professional experiences and the move to Magdeburg

After her doctorate and an activity at the green point, where she made a lot of professional contacts in East Germany, the move to Magdeburg was a rather random step. "I only knew the city from a rowing hiking meeting," she recalls. In October 2012 she accepted a professorship in Magdeburg. The start of the new environment was not very easy for her, since the different mentality between North German and Cologne was a challenge for her.

Despite the initial difficulties, Gerke now feels comfortable in Magdeburg and appreciates the positive development of the city. The university campus and local projects are particularly important to her. In addition, she volunteered as a palliative attendant at the Pfeiffer foundations. "But I continue to see differences in the structure and salaries between east and west," she emphasizes. Gerke wants more internationality and interdisciplinarity at her university.

engagement in the field of waste management

Gilian's passion for waste management also extends beyond its teaching activity. Together with her colleague Jan Pinseler, who is a professor of media research, she runs the podcast "The Waste". Your goal is to spread knowledge of waste and recycling. "I wanted to bring my knowledge to people and asked Jan if he wanted to participate," she explains. The podcast is produced in the studio of the H2Radio campus radio at the Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. The sound design comes from Mathies Kölzer, a fresh graduate of journalism who also contributed Jingles for the radio.

The podcast is open to suggestions, criticism and subject suggestions from the listeners. At the end of each episode, a question of viewers is answered, which further promotes the exchange and interest. Hearers can submit inquiries at post@dasahlgut.de

Gilian Gerke sees not only a technical, but also a cultural topic in the discussion about waste: "Waste is a mirror of culture." With a lot of passion she devotes herself to the topic and conveys exciting things about sustainability and recycling - an area that is very popular today.

Für weitere Informationen über Gilian Gerke und ihre Arbeit besuchen Sie bitte Volksstimme und das Waste material .