‘The main thing is to avoid getting stuck in your own bubble’
Mentor, coach, jury member, guest lecturer – over the years, Patricia Parlevliet has remained involved in TU Delft in all kinds of ways. While this is valuable to the university, she also benefits greatly herself: “My contacts with TU Delft often inspire new ideas for my work. Although they may not all result in concrete projects, there is always plenty of food for thought.”
A genuinely formative time in your life”, is how Patricia Parlevliet remembers her years at TU Delft. “I was in a fun student house and very active in the study association, Tubalkaïn.” Tubalkaïn represents the interests of students of Material Science, the programme in which Parlevliet graduated in 2003. “During my graduation project, I noticed how much I enjoyed exploring something in depth. I was eager to spend a few more years doing that and becoming an expert in a specific field, which is why I chose to take a PhD.” Her supervisor was Adriaan Beukers, Professor of Composite Materials and Structures, and her research focused on composites for wind turbine blades.
Blue-sky thinking
She is now a senior project manager at Airbus Blue Sky, the division where the blue-sky thinking happens. “I attempt to translate new insights and technologies from the academic world into potential applications in order to transform aviation over the longer term”, she explains.
In 2019, a joint publication by TU Delft, the University of Antwerp and Hasselt University about bacteria that live on electricity and can also transport it (so-called cable bacteria), caught her eye. “These bacteria live on the seabed and can grow over a centimetre in length. When I read that, I thought: That’s somewhere close to what we need for certain systems, such as those for electrostatic discharge. If you could use an organic material for that, it would be much lighter than the material we currently use. I approached the researchers to find out more.” The contact led to a joint project. In 2020, the research into cable bacteria formed the basis for a Joint Interdisciplinary Project (JIP) aimed at Master’s degree students in different faculties. Patricia Parlevliet became their business coach.
“What applications can you think up for this and what would they look like? That was the assignment we gave the students. I had to supervise and assist with questions, for example concerning the requirements that might be needed for applications in aircraft”, Parlevliet explains. “I also tried to coach them in a broader sense. ‘This is your chance to talk to someone who’s worked at Airbus for thirteen years, so ask your questions’, I told them. It was really appreciated, especially since contacts are so difficult in these times of coronavirus.”
Your role as a mentor is to talk to students about potential career moves, how to organise an internship or the problems you encounter as a graduate
Mentor Alumni Programme
This was not the only Delft project Parlevliet was involved in last year. For the second time, she was also the mentor for the Mentor Alumni Programme (MAP) run by the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering. “Your role as a mentor is to talk to students about potential career moves, how to organise an internship or the problems you encounter as a graduate. Especially now, it’s very important for them just to have someone to chat to.” Much of the mentor programme is being done online. This can occasionally prove advantageous. “In a virtual programme, it’s easy to network with other mentors. It was my idea to hold a mid-term meeting to share our experiences. I’d been involved in something similar at the Bundeswehr University here in Munich, where I’m also a mentor.”
Bubble
She is determined to maintain links with Delft: “My contacts with TU Delft often inspire new ideas for my work. Although they may not all result in concrete projects, there is always plenty of food for thought. It’s also easy to keep in touch, because of all the events organised by TU Delft for Life. Or via the AE network in Munich, where you meet people and can share tips and tricks. I enjoy taking part in that.” She is also keen to continue working with students: “I’m now in my forties and have two young children, so I generally have little contact with young adults. Students tell me amazing things about their lives and what matters to them. Those different perspectives are so important. The main thing is to avoid getting stuck in your own bubble.”