Georg works as a consultant helping manufacturing companies to improve their operations

Hi Georg, what are you working on at the moment?

I currently work for Syngroup, a management consulting firm specialising in the manufacturing industries. We support companies by improving their daily operations as well as bringing digital transformation to their businesses. More specifically, we develop and help clients introduce machine learning algorithms, optimisation and automation for their production, planning or workflows. This could be optimisation of production planning, reduction of waste through smart combinations of products, or reduction of CO2 emissions by reducing transport requirements, all fully automated, fed by data from production or transport, giving real-time control options.

What is a regular day like at your job?

My everyday work life varies greatly. I spend around half the time with our clients, understanding their problems, and the rest of the time I work with my colleagues internally on developing solutions, algorithms and specifications that are often uniquely tailored to specific needs. What I value most about the job is that through the intensive time I spend with clients, I get to know the people at the company and their backgrounds really well. This makes me feel personally responsible for delivering a sustainable and working product that helps the people for which it is designed.

Why did you choose this programme at KTH?

Finding the right master’s programme is never easy since, on the one hand, you must be 100% interested in the programme – also bearing in mind that your choice of studies plays a decisive role for your future. On the other hand, two years is a long time and it was important for me that I was living somewhere that I really liked. When I learned of the Applied and Computational Mathematics Programme at KTH Stockholm, I was immediately enthused. The programme itself offered the perfect mixture between a set of courses from multiple tracks, meaning no matter which specification you chose, you would always gain an overview of other fields of mathematics, which I believe is crucial in any discipline. The track I specialized in (Computational Mathematics) also offered deep immersion in large computations with a focus on numerical solutions of ODEs/PDEs (ordinary/ partial differential equations), which was exactly my field of interest.

As for my personal enthusiasm for Stockholm, I had always wanted to live by the sea and had admired Sweden for seeming to be ahead of the times in terms of social and critical political questions. Thus, I had great expectations regarding my time in Stockholm and looking back now, I have never regretted my decision.

What were the best aspects of your studies at KTH?

It might sound a bit corny but looking back on my time I’m mainly happy that I found a university programme that was exactly my field of interest and that I had wonderful professors and colleagues in a very supportive environment. I was able to combine my thrill for renewable energy with my curiosity for fluid dynamics and the Finite Elements Method in my master’s thesis on floating wind turbines. Having access to the Beskow supercomputer (Cray XC 40) for my thesis, close contact with professors and tutors, as well as the opportunity to visit and work at the partner institute in Bilbao (BCAM), made my studies unforgettable.

What is your best memory from your time at KTH?

It is impossible to choose one favourite moment from two years of adventures, close friends, culture, new knowledge, great trips and endless summer nights …

Are there any insights you acquired during your studies that have been particularly useful for you in your career?

KTH offers great courses and classes as well as terrific opportunities to work and research with institutes within and outside of Sweden. While the focus of my current job has slightly shifted towards optimization and linear programming, rather than computational fluid dynamics, I feel that I can still apply most of the knowledge I gained at KTH to my everyday life. From a less technical standpoint, it was the large number of activities around university that particularly helped me in my personal development. This included organising career fairs, getting to know the Swedish start-up scene and, above all, taking with me the Swedish passion for innovation and sustainability.

What are your plans for the future?

We shall see. I’m really happy at my company, with the work I’m doing and the direction in which my personal and professional life is heading. I’m keeping my eyes and ears open with a view to finding my way into more research, preferably in combination with my current workplace but, in any case, I’m thrilled about the many exciting challenges that lie ahead.

What would you want to say to a student who was thinking of applying for this programme?

I would hope that they felt as interested and excited about the programmes and courses offered as I did. And if this is the case, then don’t hesitate for a second and apply!

But bring warm clothing for the winter. :)