Portrait of an alum: Frank Geißler

After training as a chemical-technical assistant, Frank Geißler studied sociology and educational science in Heidelberg and vocational education at KIT (2011/2012). Today, he is Product Change Manager at Caterpillar Energy Solutions and has global technical responsibility for change management and the material master process. He complemented his interdisciplinary education with a master's degree in systemic organizational development, which enables him to act as a bridge builder between technology, people and processes.

What valuable experiences and insights from your studies still influence you today?

My degree in vocational education at KIT had a lasting impact on me and still forms an important foundation for my professional activities today. The knowledge I gained from various seminars, particularly on process knowledge, work processes and psychological aspects, under Walter Jungmann is particularly valuable. Three mentors who have particularly enriched me are Gerd Gideon, Martin Fischer and, above all, Walter Jungmann, to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. These mentors have provided me with valuable perspectives and opportunities for analysis, which have created a good foundation so that I was also able to do systemic organizational development. The project under Martin Fischer in a seminar on work processes was particularly noteworthy, which was very formative for me and which I can now apply on a daily basis.

What added value do you get from being a member of the alumni network?

I find membership of the KIT alumni network very enriching. The interface to the university sector is very valuable both intellectually and in terms of networking. It was particularly positive that I was invited to a seminar on "Positive Psychology", which brought alumni and students together. The exchange of knowledge was very meaningful and the findings enriched my further research in this area considerably.

What is your vision for KIT?

I think KIT is on a very good path and consider the decisions made to be future-proof and sustainable. KIT acts as a hub for dialog between science and society and does a great deal to achieve this. As an employee of my company, I myself experience how enriching the dialog between companies and KIT is. An excellent example of this is the gas engine testing laboratory in cooperation with Caterpillar Energy Solutions, which shows how KIT is already implementing sustainable projects today. Therefore, the vision for KIT should always be to be a pioneer and turn ideas into clear projects to make the future more sustainable, more ecological and better.