Mayke Werner: That’s easy. Road signs: ORAFOL manufactures - among many other things - the reflective films for traffic and road signs. These films reflect light so that they can be seen clearly even in the dark or in bad weather - this is achieved, for example, by the tiny glass beads embedded in the film. That's my specialty as a Senior Product Development Scientist.
Dream job scientist: "Everything I develop goes to market."
Female plastics researchers at ORAFOL talk about purpose, career planning and fun at work.
Tinkering in the laboratory, developing new formulations, experimenting and improving: What chemists Dr. Mayke Werner and Dr. Sandra Starke develop at work, can be seen on the street every day. And it even saves lives. In the interview, chemists Dr. Starke and Dr. Werner talk about what they enjoy most about their job and what they recommend to young people interested in a career in science? Find out more in the interview.
A career at the plastics specialist ORAFOL in Brandenburg: In the interview, chemists Dr. Starke und Dr. Werner report on:
- where you can see the results of their research work in everyday life,
- what they like best about their job,
- whether plastics and sustainability are a contradiction in terms,
- how their careers in science started,
- why they chose industry instead of university,
- what tips they give young people for a career in chemistry.
Dr. Starke and Dr. Werner, polymer chemistry sounds complicated. What comes out of your laboratory that people who do not work at ORAFOL would know?
Dr. Mayke Werner (Senior Product Development Scientist) saves lives with her research: her reflective films on traffic signs, for example, ensure safety.
Our "Reflective Solutions" division also develops and produces reflective materials for warning markings on construction sites, reflective strips for high-visibility vests or fire department uniforms and more, which help keep people safe on the roads every day and can even save lives in an emergency.
Dr. Sandra Starke is on the career path at ORAFOL as a Research and Development Scientist. Ideally, her product should be invisible - she develops adhesive tapes.
Sandra Starke: Ideally, my products are invisible, because I research and develop adhesive tapes. They are used in countless places: On construction sites, in lifts, cars and refrigerators, in book printing, the signage in department stores... In everyday life, you will stumble across my work as a Research & Development Scientist in the field of "Adhesive Tape Systems" almost everywhere.
And what do you like best about your job?
Sandra Starke: Manufacturing adhesive tapes is surprisingly complex and exciting. I particularly like watching our products grow and I look forward to testing them, ideally right on the coating line. Talking to the people who work directly on the machine is just as important to me as the close coordination with sales, our customers and management.
The driving force: Scientists can make a big difference at international companies like ORAFOL. Because innovative thinking is very much in demand.
Mayke Werner: What I particularly like: The research and development department is the driving force at ORAFOL. The plastics industry competes on a global scale - that's why you need to be at the forefront of research, constantly bringing innovations and improvements to the market and always looking for a challenge.
That is a great motivation for me. As a world leader, we at ORAFOL can and must think innovatively. Thanks to flat hierarchies and closely connected departments, this works really well, thanks also to a good dose of personal responsibility.
Keyword sustainability: Can I work in the plastics industry with a clear conscience?
Sandra Starke: Yes, definitely. Because you are actually making a real contribution to greater sustainability. For example, we are researching new materials that do not require PVC or solvents. Many of our research tasks are precisely about sustainability: Improving formulations so that they require fewer raw materials or so that production consumes less energy.
Sustainability and plastic - not a contradiction in terms: Many of the chemists' research questions revolve around how to make speciality films even more sustainable and resource-efficient.
And we chemists are always working on making plastics more durable and longer-lasting - which is good for our customers, of course, but also for the environment. After all, material that only needs to be replaced after a very long time - if at all - naturally produces much less waste. In short: We believe that the further development of plastic is simply part of the path to a sustainable future.
Whether self-adhesive films for car wrapping, industrial adhesive tapes for modern architecture or reflective films for safety vests and warning markings: the tasks in polymer chemistry are varied and exciting.
How did you decide to pursue a career in science?
Sandra Starke: I actually wanted to do something scientific very early on. In fact, I knew that before I started school because I really wanted to understand the world around me. I would always choose to study chemical engineering , because: Only those who understand our environment can change it.
Creative, analytical, organised: The chemists supervise the product design from the formulation through to the finished product.
Mayke Werner: I knew from the very first chemistry lesson that I wanted to become a chemist. At last, a subject that challenged and inspired me. I've always wanted to know how and why something works. That's the extra dose of curiosity that we both have and that scientists need.
You can also do research at university, for example. But why did you want to work in industry after your studies?
Mayke Werner: After my doctorate and postdoctoral position, I looked around Germany, but I wanted to work near my home in Berlin. During the interview at ORAFOL, it turned out that the position in Reflective Solutions was a perfect match for my training in polymer chemistry. I love the strong practical relevance and, above all, the close contact with so many different colleagues.
Sandra Starke: I never wanted to work in the academic world. It's important to me that I can identify with the things I research and develop - and at ORAFOL, everything I develop goes to market. I love practical work - in my spare time I like tinkering with cars and I'm out and about as a paramedic. A pure desk job is not for me.
I also had the impression that in academic world you are still very much reduced to "being a woman". The R&D department at ORAFOL has an equal number of men and women. What counts is the competence and commitment that everyone shows at their workplace.
Tips from female researchers for a career in chemistry: Don't opt out of STEM subjects at school, seek support in study groups and find a subject you’re passionate about.
To conclude: Your tips for young people who want to pursue a career in chemistry?
Mayke Werner: My advice is to keep all STEM subjects up to your A-levels if possible, and not to opt out of any of them. This makes studying much easier. And most important: Don't give up! You have to fight your way through a bit at times, but it's worth persevering. Seeking support is an important keyword here: Study groups have always helped me a lot.
Sandra Starke: In sciences, it is very important that you are really passionate about a subject. Then you will do well in your studies and can prove yourself on the job market afterwards. The important thing is: You should always work for yourself and be confident in what you are doing. Professional success will then come automatically.
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