Liquid chromatography/electrochemistry/mass spectrometry of ferrocene derivatives
Promotion date: 22 February 2002
Georg Diehl conducted his PhD research at the research group of Professor Uwe Karst at the University of Münster in Germany. This research group recently came over to the University of Twente and is now also one of the participating groups in the MESA+ institute. In the following interview we ask Georg Diehl about his research project and his first experiences at MESA+.
What was the subject of your dissertation?
I studied the novel coupling between three determination techniques: liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and electrochemistry. The coupling of the first two techniques is well known but has its limitations. The goal was to broaden the applicability of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. I found that coupling with electrochemistry is possible and can be used for the determination of electroactive compounds. However there was also a limitation, the novel coupling can only be used for the determination electroactive compounds.
How did you like your PhD-research?
From a scientific point of view I liked that it was relatively easy to modify the existing techniques. Furthermore I enjoyed traveling to different meetings. One of the things I didn’t like is that science can be very frustrating. It can be very disappointing when the results are not what you have expected and you do not know the reason.
Why did you choose to become a PhD-student?
A dr. title is still considered to be very important in Germany, especially for chemistry. If you are applying for a job at a commercial organization or at a university, you need this title. For me however this wasn’t the most important reason to become a PhD-student. I am very interested in research and it has always been one of my goals to become a dr.!
You conducted your research primarily in Germany. What are your first impressions of the University of Twente?
I like the whole setup of this campus university. It is all very green here. I also like the support that is given here to PhD-students, this differs greatly from the situation in Germany. For instance, here you receive a laptop, an own budget for traveling to conferences etc. and the printing of your dissertation is paid by the university. That is very nice. Furthermore, the motivation of the technicians here is better than what I am used to. People put more effort in their activities.
What are you going to do now?
This is one of my last days here in Enschede. Soon, I will be leaving for Toronto in Canada. There I will become a PostDoc and will work on the subject of mass spectrometry.