Aiko Schinke-Nendza

During my PhD studies at the University of Duisburg-Essen and the House of Energy Markets and Finance, I had a fantastic opportunity to spend four months studying at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. My project was made possible through the generous support of the DAAD-Stiftung through the KSB Stiftung Scholarship. During my research stay with Professor Antonio J. Conejo I was able to take my research into the energy economy into greater depth and concentrate on the coupling of electricity and gas systems. I particularly focused on the interaction between markets and network infrastructures. My work in Ohio included developing new methods in operation research by using ‘decomposition techniques’ for large-scale optimisation and their application for cross-sector solutions for decentralised markets in order to improve the coordination of electricity and gas systems.

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The winter campus of Ohio State University

Through intensive partnerships at Ohio State and attending various seminars, lectures and working meetings, I was also able to gain a wide-ranging insight into US energy markets and how they interact with network infrastructures. My collaboration with my mentor during my stay yielded two journal articles which are to be published soon. In this context, my research findings will be shared at two European conferences. The first is the 18th European Conference of the International Association for Energy Economics in Milan. The other is OR 2023, hosted by the Gesellschaft für Operations Research in Hamburg. Above all, it was in the context of current developments and challenges facing the energy business that I was able to develop existing approaches and devise wholly new methods. The scalability of these methods means they can form the basis for subsequent investigations. We are very optimistic that the results of our research can make a critical contribution towards developing an energy system which is fit for the challenges of the future. On a personal level, the two journal articles will feed into and form a significant part of my paper-based dissertation.

My work at Ohio State University was challenging but extremely rewarding. I had the chance to work under the leadership of a distinguished professor while at the same time sharing ideas with a group of highly qualified colleagues. As a German staying in the US I found there were several differences in the way people live and work. I particularly valued the open and collaborative working culture at the university which allowed me to share knowledge with other researchers and academics. The regular workshops and lectures on topics related to my subject were extremely valuable, as was the whole range of services provided by the university. I was also able to benefit from the outstanding research institutions and resources which are available at the university. These were not only state-of-the-art and equipped with the latest technology, but also extremely well organised and efficient. They allowed me to make quicker and more effective progress on parts of my work than would have been the case in Germany.

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Insight into the library at Ohio State University

During my stay at Ohio State I was assigned to the College of Engineering, which gave me fascinating insights into the worlds of system engineering and electrical and computer engineering. As a PhD student working in the field of the energy economy, I am linking several subject areas in an interdisciplinary way, such as economics and business administration, engineering and mathematics, and operations research. During my time abroad I was able to make substantial progress on my research. Although I do not yet know the precise extent to which my articles will feed into my paper-based thesis, I am sure they will make up a large part of it. For example, this is evident from my plans to publish several journal articles and from the fact that I will soon be sharing my findings at conferences. My PhD project follows the paper-based model in that I am publishing several papers. I will be continuing my work at the University of Duisburg-Essen and plan to finish by mid-2024.

Outside the office I also enjoyed many unforgettable experiences during my stay in Columbus, Ohio. I was particularly impressed by how welcoming everyone there is. During my time in the US I lived at the home of a historian at Ohio State, along with other students and academics. This gave me and my housemates the chance to experience typically American traditions like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year in a family home. Going on excursions with others also allowed me to get to know the country and its culture better. Thanks to my stay in the US I have been able to enjoy valuable professional and personal experiences, and make new contacts. For example, I became friends with some people from the world of academia and my private sphere, and I expect these contacts will last long after my stay in America. These contacts are not just invaluable for my career, but also for me personally.

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Ohio State Buckeyes football game

One difference between Germany and the US concerns leisure activities and the sporting culture. Sport is a major part of daily life in the USA and many people play sport very actively. For many people, sports scholarships are a way into studying at universities and colleges. Matches played by the Ohio State Buckeyes made a particular impression on me. Over 100,000 people come to the Ohio Stadium to cheer on their football team, or to watch the Columbus Blue Jackets play ice hockey, with a powerful atmosphere in the stadium and passionate fanbase. Many people also enthusiastically follow other sports like basketball and baseball. Leisure activities are mainly focused on sports, with a wider range of options in some areas. In addition to sports, there are many opportunities for activities such as concerts, festivals and outdoor activities. On special occasions like Halloween, people dress up as zombies and Frankenstein’s Monster and roam the streets. Flashmobs dance to Michael Jackson’s Thriller, the university holds themed evenings, and farms in the local area let you wander through maize mazes or even harvest your own pumpkin.

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Ice hockey game of the Columbus Blue Jackets

During my stay in the US I enjoyed cultural and personal experiences which will live long in my memory. One of the highlights was having the chance to work and live with so many people from different countries and cultures. For me that was a fantastic experience and broadened my horizons on the world. What particularly struck me was how open and friendly the Americans are. Another experience I won’t forget was the chance to find out about life in an American family from my housemates. I got to see at first-hand how daily life in America is different and how people organise their lives. The different foods and eating habits were another particularly interesting point for me, and the Thanksgiving Meal strongly reminded me of the German tradition of eating geese. The pumpkin pies were delicious, but I think sweet potato casseroles with marshmallows will take some getting used to.

Overall, my stay in the US was a precious experience and one which I value greatly. The way people there live and work in combination with their hospitality and friendliness helped me quickly feel happy and at home. I am especially grateful for the many unforgettable experiences and people I met and the valuable contacts I made. I am sure these experiences and contacts will still be useful in future and I am grateful for the support which made this research stay at Ohio State University possible for me.

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We would like to mention that in the context of Aiko Schinke-Nendza's stay abroad two publications came about:

• publication 1:
  Optimization & Engineering (Springer Nature)

• publication 2:
  European Journal of Operational Research (Elsevier)