© LMU ECON
What motivated you to pursue a PhD in economics?
I have always enjoyed studying and learning new stuff. The PhD can be seen as an extension of Bachelor’s and Master’s that allows you to learn even more about the topics you are interested in, while being paid a decent salary. This was a clear selling point for me. On top of this, I knew that I did not want to work in the private sector after my Master’s. A PhD in economics also opens the door to interesting public-sector jobs outside academia such as ministries or EU institutions, which was another argument for me to pursue the PhD.
What is your current research focus, and why is it relevant?
My current research focus is on how we should design tax-transfer-systems and how desirable reform options can also become politically feasible.
Personal income taxation is one of the main pillars of government revenue. Even though these tax revenues are so important for public finances, the German tax-transfer-system has been very inefficient for several years now due to interactions of various transfer programs. I want to explore which kinds of efficiency-enhancing tax/transfer reforms are most likely to survive the political process.
How does doing a PhD differ from studying for a Bachelor's or Master’s degree?
One main difference is that you follow your own curriculum in the PhD whereas Bachelor's or Master’s degrees present you with topics and courses that were pre-selected by the faculty. A PhD, thus, comes with much more flexibility and the opportunity to specialize in topics of your own choice. However, this also requires you to manage yourself well and set your own targets as there is less external evaluation than during Bachelor’s and Master’s.
Besides, the time share I allocate to producing research rather than consuming research has increased tremendously.
Overall, you are also confronted with much longer time horizons in your PhD. While you write a seminar paper in a month during your Bachelor’s, you work on the same project for several years in your PhD.
What advice would you give your younger self before starting a PhD?
I would tell my younger self something like: ‘Stay curious and follow your interests. Paired with perseverance, this will help you weather the PhD challenge.’
What have you learned from teaching and working with students?
One main prerequisite for good teaching is to develop yourself a thorough understanding of the topic you are supposed to teach – thereby, you already learn a lot. Second, students regularly ask creative and interesting questions that make you consider a problem from a new perspective. I perceive this exchange to be very valuable as you gain more flexibility in your thinking. By now, I try to anticipate some of the students’ questions in my preparation – but students will always surprise you.
What’s your favorite place in Munich, and why?
I know that this is probably boring and the most obvious thing you can say, but I highly appreciate the English Garden. I ride my bike to work through it every day, it provides me with a free option to play football with friends or colleagues and it also serves as a perfect running spot.