"The highlight was the math lecture"

After graduating from the Bregenz Commercial Academy, Tobias Gorbach decided to study for a bachelor's degree in mechatronics at the FHV. His work in technical documentation at Doppelmayr Seilbahnen GmbH sparked his interest. ‘I wanted to acquire new skills,’ says the Bregenz native, emphasising: "I found the interdisciplinary combination of mechanics, electronics and IT particularly exciting. Of course, it was challenging for me as I didn't have a technical background. The theory I learnt was applied directly in semester projects, which created a very good learning effect." The close dialogue with the professors and fellow students as well as his business knowledge were valuable advantages.

Enthusiasm for maths
The 25-year-old looks back on his Bachelor's degree with a smile: "Even though I wasn't the best mathematician back then, those lectures were a real highlight. The professor's enthusiasm for maths was simply infectious." He discovered his interest in mathematical modelling and dynamics through his Bachelor's thesis. He is now deepening his understanding of complex interrelationships and learning to solve problems systematically on his Master's degree programme in Mechatronics.

Studying and working
Tobias Gorbach works as a student assistant at the Microtechnology Research Centre at the UAS while studying. His lectures take place on three days, the rest of the time he devotes to research work. ‘I work with mathematical models, FEM and CFD simulations and experimental validation,’ he explains. He also carries out measurements with laser vibrometers, high-speed cameras and acceleration sensors, analyses the data and evaluates it using signal analyses.

Research with a doctorate
"One focus of my research is the investigation of modal energy transfer in order to reduce vibrations. I benefit from the expertise of my colleagues. The work benefits me in my studies, especially in the area of simulations." Tobias Gorbach's enthusiasm is so great that he would like to start a doctoral programme after his Master's degree. "My work at the Microtechnology Research Centre has given me a great enthusiasm for research and development. I would like to research my topics even more intensively in the doctoral programme," he says, looking to the future.