Ideally positioned - with the physics degree programs at RPTU

Bachelor's student Helena Gutheil reports that her degree course in biophysics at RPTU is very broadly based. Master's student Fabian Isler also made the right choice: Above all, his interest in scientific and technical thinking and work motivated him to study physics, he says.

"I wasn't sure whether I wanted to study medicine or something scientific. I then deliberately chose to study biophysics because it's a good combination of both," says Helena Gutheil, who is currently studying for a Bachelor's degree in biophysics at RPTU. The 19-year-old remembers the beginnings of her studies fondly: "That was at the start of the 2021/22 winter semester. The coronavirus period wasn't quite over yet. Nevertheless, the physics student council had put a lot of things in place to make it easier for us to start our studies." She was able to get to know the university very well during the Freshers' Days, the introductory events for first-semester students.

"The scientific and technical thinking and work appealed to me"

Master's student Fabian Isler, who began his studies in October 2019, also looks back positively on the beginnings of his time at university. He is studying physics - now in his eighth semester: "After leaving school, I wasn't sure whether I wanted to do something in the direction of engineering or physics. In the end, it turned out to be physics." Because, as he goes on to explain: "In my advanced physics course, I was fascinated by questioning everyday things from a technical and scientific perspective. I wanted to build on this in my studies." Quantum physics had already appealed to him back then, "even if, unlike today, I still lacked an understanding of it".

The first course he attended was the preliminary math course: "We were taught a lot of the basics there, which we naturally needed for our studies." During his university education, he particularly enjoyed the laboratory practicals and found everything in the field of experimental physics interesting. He quickly got to know his fellow students and they worked together on the prescribed exercises: "As a physics student, you have to go through three to four worksheets every week at the beginning of your studies." And Fabian Isler, who comes from Neustadt an der Weinstraße, was also able to look beyond his actual physics degree course: "In my Bachelor's degree, I had computer science as a minor subject. Now it's electrical engineering in my Master's degree."

"Everyone knows everyone"

For Helena Gutheil, the first semester of biophysics included general chemistry, while biology courses focused on genetics, cell biology and plant physiology. "And of course a biophysics lecture, where you learn how biology and physics can be combined." The student, who comes from Simmertal near Kirn, sums up her course as being very broadly based - and she likes the fact that her course is manageable: "In my semester, everyone knows everyone. We also know the people in the semesters below and above us. So if you have any questions, you can approach the others in an uncomplicated way. That makes a lot of things easier." Fabian Isler also appreciates this informal atmosphere, even though the number of students on the undergraduate physics course is somewhat larger: "We started out with 20 to 30 people. Now there are fewer."

Commitment to others

Alongside her studies, Helena Gutheil is involved in the student council of the physics department: "Once a semester, for example, we organize a meal for all biophysicists. Our professors are also there." Fabian Isler is also involved in the physics student council in a variety of ways: he looks after the servers and the stock of materials - for example for the parties organized by the student council. And he co-organizes lecture surveys: "Every lecture is evaluated by students so that they can be better adapted to students' needs in future." He also sits on the student council conference for the Department of Physics, where he exchanges ideas with representatives of the other RPTU student councils.

There are many opportunities after graduation

Fabian Isler has long since completed his Bachelor's degree. The title of his thesis was "Construction and characterization of a resonant free-beam EOM". In terms of content, he explains, it was about "building an optoelectronic component with which a laser can be frequency-stabilized". The 23-year-old is currently spending a semester abroad in Grenoble, France. He will then return to RPTU to complete his Master's thesis. After that, he is thinking about doing a doctorate - "either in a company or at a university".

Helena Gutheil would definitely like to do a Master's after her Bachelor's, including at RPTU: "I chose Kaiserslautern University mainly because of the Biophysics Master's program. Because here you can specialize in the field of medical biophysics." After that, she could also imagine doing a doctorate. Later, perhaps a job in research and development at a biotech company.

Support from the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship

Both Helena Gutheil and Fabian Isler are supported by the Deutschlandstipendium scholarship. This is a federal government program in which students receive 150 euros a month from a sponsor - this can be a private individual or a company. On the other hand, the federal government contributes a further 150 euros per month, so that particularly high-achieving and committed young people have an additional 300 euros in their pockets. "Of course, this gives you a lot of freedom," reports the biophysics student. You "don't necessarily have to take on a part-time job alongside your studies". And the scholarship holder, who is sponsored by Dr. Kurt Jung as part of the Deutschlandstipendium, sees another plus point: "You come into contact with people you wouldn't otherwise get to know." The scholarship holders took part in joint training courses and excursions, for example to the Amazon logistics center in Kaiserslautern. Fabian Isler, who is also sponsored by Dr. Kurt Jung, also appreciates the benefits: "This financial independence enables me to pursue my voluntary work at the Department of Physics in the first place. After all, it takes up several hours of my time every week."