‘Perseverance; that's what team FAST taught me’

Your time at the FAST student team certainly affected your career…

“Indeed, I have had a great job at DENS, a team FAST spin-off, for about three years now.”

Update: Thomas stopped working for DENS in the summer of 2022.

What was the team's goal?

“Team FAST wanted to further develop the technology around converting formic acid into electricity and demonstrate that. We finally managed that by partnering with BAM, a construction company, and using that technology in a generator that they used for building a sustainable road. After two years of work, that was a true highlight for me.”

What did you learn from your time on the team?

“I learned how to communicate in a professional environment. It also taught me that if you want to get something done, you always have to chase it yourself. In a student team, you have to try to get the best result possible with few resources. That requires a certain level of perseverance, something else I learned at team FAST.”

Were there disappointments too?

“We got the opportunity to use our system at the DGTL festival, but because our technology wasn't ready, we had to pass that up.”

Do you still have contact with the team or (former) members?

“I still regularly speak to many of them because they work for us or simply as friends.”

Student teams use Challenge-based Learning, where multidisciplinary teams work on real-world challenges. What was that like for you?

“I learned that perseverance and having an open mind is critical. Even if things don't go the way you expected, you have to keep going and come up with creative solutions to reach your goal.” 

What advice would you give students who are hesitant about joining a student team?

“A student team is an opportunity to apply the knowledge you learn on your course in a practical environment, together with other students. I really got a lot out of it and, so, would definitely recommend it.”