What did you study at Freie Universität?

My doctoral studies on Politics at the FU Berlin were from 2010 to 2014 at the Otto-Suhr-Institute for Political Science. During this time, I also passed some courses at the John-F.-Kennedy Institute.

What is your current profession?

I am a freelancer. I am doing extensive Hermeneutic reading between the lines on Memoirs and other texts. I am also a poet and entrepreneur.

What is your favorite place at Freie Universität?

Without a doubt, the library of the John-F.-Kennedy Institute for North American Studies. And my favorite activity is a walk from Gebäudekomplex Rost- und Silberlaube or somewhere near Otto-von-Simson-Straße to the library of the John-F.-Kennedy institute and my favorite sofa there.

Why is this place at Freie Universität special to you?

Why this library is my favorite place? I would say like one of the greatest German thinkers; Max Weber “of course, I live only for my “calling”.” He mentioned that in “Science as Vocation”.
But why should we care about our favorite places at the FU Berlin?
The short answer is: Because in our favorite place ideas come!
Weber in the same Article says “Ideas occur to us when they please, not when it pleases us.” The best ideas do indeed occur to one’s mind in the way in which Ihering describes it: when smoking a cigar on the sofa; or as Helmholtz states of himself with scientific exactitude: when taking a walk on a slowly ascending street; or in a similar way...”

How has Freie Universität changed you?

In Berlin and specifically at the FU Berlin I’ve observed and experienced the differences between two worlds. American way of life and the other. Here I would like to quote a great American and Jewish German thinker, Hans J. Morgenthau: “I mean obviously my mind has been formed by certain experiences and naturally those experiences are part of my intellectual composition.”
Thus, my mind has been formed freely by my professors at the FU Berlin. Professors such as Prof. Dr. Lora Anne Viola, Prof. Dr. Harald Wenzel, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Gerhards, Prof. Dr. Dieter Rucht, Prof. Dr. Werner Reutter, Dr. lngo Peters, Dr. Kerstin Leitner, PD. Dr. Lutz Mez and Prof. Dr. Hajo Funke and all teachers and those who worked and continue to work for the FU Berlin. The spirit of the FU Berlin transferred the idea of free thinking to my mind.

What have you changed at Freie Universität/in the world/...?

My advice to all young thinkers around the world would be: Be tough like a child of a lion and a fox and believe in light, the light will find and follow you in darkness. Be sure you will be heard.
Just find your calling and your calling can be in your favorite place and step by step touch the active intellect and then you will see that you are the light that guides you in the darkness, the light that illuminates.

How do you think the university/teaching and learning spaces/students/learning will change in the future?

I am optimistic about the future of education. Although, I prefer person to person kind of education, I also had experienced and benefited from Webex technology and online courses at the FU Berlin.
Nevertheless, I hope summer schools and seminars will continue in the old-fashioned way, but an extra online participation also continues as an extra option for all.
I hope we could have more good websites and platforms which help students and lifelong learners to stay out of the vulgarity of fake news and help people to educate themselves. I also hope for budgets for summer schools that give young students the opportunity to enjoy their summers in the best possible way.