Interview with Carina
What’s your name?
Carina Morstein
What are your hobbies?
I like everything that includes creativity and crafting. Since the beginning of the ongoing pandemic I started sewing but have also enjoyed building my own furniture or decorative elements. Next to that I like being out in the nature for evening walks and hiking, watching the animals and nature around me. When I am at home, I love baking for my colleagues and myself.
What did you study and what is your highest educational attainment?
I got my M.Sc. in chemistry and molecular sciences at the University of Bern. During my master studies I focused on physical chemistry and material sciences and wrote my thesis in the field of electrochemistry.
Where do you work and what’s your position?
I am working as PhD candidate at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in the “Applied Nanotribology” group of Martin Dienwiebel since March 2019.
Since when are you part of working group “Young Tribologists“?
During summer 2019, a colleague of mine told me about the meeting of the “Young Tribologists” and invited me to come along with her. As I was quite new to the field I was eager to meet other people of the field and to increase my knowledge. I really enjoyed the discussions and talks with the other members of “Young Tribologists” and the welcoming atmosphere.
In which part of the group are you currently participating?
I am part of the “website and public relation work” group where we work on the website, create content for LinkedIn, and try to increase the reach of the “Young Tribologist”.
Why are you a member of working group “Young Tribologists”?
By being part of the working group it is easier for me to get to know established tribologists as well as new young researchers and therefore expand my personal network. Every time I attend a conference I am likely to meet someone I know, which I can talk to in between the sessions. Additionally, I love the fact that I get new insights into the different fields of tribology at every meeting, as every member of the working group has its own focus fields and projects.
How did you end up in the field of tribology?
I was looking for a PhD position at a university and therefore exploring all the different fields of materials science. That’s when I stumbled across the field of tribology and the work of Prof. Dienwiebel. I immediately identified with the broad research and applications of the field and applied for the position.
What topics are you working on and are there any connections to the field of tribology?
I am currently investigating the mechanisms of graphite lubrication under high mechanical load for the application in axial rolling bearings. Together with our project partners we are investigating the full range of length scales, going from atomic simulations at the nanoscale up to the testing of real bearings in a test bench. I am responsible for the model experiments conducted in the laboratory and the chemical/optical analysis of them.
Do you have any favorite anecdote about the broad field of tribology?
I don’t have a favorite, I am just fascinated by the broad application possibilities of tribology as wells as the fact that everyone is getting in contact with it in his daily life. Since my start in the field of tribology I do must chuckle every time on New Year’s Eve when someone whishes me a “Guten Rutsch!”, meaning “Have a nice slide (into the next year)”. The word “rutschen/sliding” has gained a slightly different meaning and much more importance since then.