For her new job in a major corporation, Karin Thelen wanted to consolidate her expertise in management and business administration. She did not consider any other university than TUM for her MBA. In 2018 she completed her master's degree (Image: Private).
In 2002 she graduated with a diploma in Biology. In 2009 a doctorate in Microbiology followed. Professor and TUM Emeritus of Excellence Karl-Heinz Schleifer was her supervisor. “He is an outstanding scientist and a very inspiring personality”, Karin Thelen remembers. “His research made sure that TUM is at the forefront in the field of Microbiology and Molecular Biology.”
Boundless creative drive
In order to gain practical business experience, Karin Thelen worked in a start-up while still studying. She started as an intern and, after her doctorate, had made it up to Head of Research and Development. She quickly realized how much she enjoyed being creative and making positive changes, and how essential her management skills are in this area. Therefore, a change of perspective and new challenges were needed. She deliberately switched to a large corporation and accepted an offer from Stadtwerke München.
TUM has been an excellent partner for my scientific and entrepreneurial development.
Quest for continuous improvement
Today Karin Thelen is the managing director of the Quality Control and Quality Assurance Department of Stadtwerke München and is able to contribute her diverse skills. She is supervising more than 50 employees and with untiring enthusiasm transforms her spheres of action, increases operational efficiency and creates new business opportunities outside the established structures – thus, she does exactly what she is passionate about: creating, developing, optimising, changing. Here, Karin Thelen not only develops the company but also at the same time the competencies of her employees. As a board member of the internal women’s network she is committed to connecting the company’s women, to making them visible and to supporting and empowering them.
Networking and personal initiative
Networking and the exchange with female seniors and mentors is fundamentally important not just for women in STEM, says Karin Thelen. “Personally I think it is extremely important to show potential pathways through role models, which have successfully embarked on these careers”, she states. She can imagine very well to give back to her university and to become a mentor for the program TUM mentoring from alumni to students. Yet, what she would like even more is to help make the existing TUM Network even more visible and effective, and in doing so, strategically connecting all students, alumni, and TUM. “Either way I will remain faithful to TUM”, she says with a smile with regard to her creative interest, which does not even stop short of her alma mater.
The desire to create and the joy in ongoing personal development are Karin Thelen’s inexhaustible sources of motivation. She specifically moulded her career so that it caters to her passions and competencies. This is what she advises young women to do, too: “Form networks, be open, take initiative and actively shape your personal path.”
Karin Thelen (Image: Private).
Degree Biology 2002, Doctorate 2009, MBA 2018
Karin Thelen has studied Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Genetics and Virology at TUM. In 2002 she graduated with a diploma in Biology. In 2009 a doctorate in Microbiology followed. Between 2016 and 2018 she also studied Business Administration at TUM. Still in her Biology studies, Karin Thelen started to work for a start-up in the area of industrial microbiology.
Fifteen years later she switched to Stadtwerke München. She is Head of Laboratory there since 2012 and is heading the Quality Control and Quality Assurance Department since 2018. With immense vigour and dedication Karin Thelen is managing her sphere and motivates and supports her team. In her role as the chairwoman of the Women’s Network of Stadtwerke she especially wants to empower and support women in the company.
Whenever Karin Thelen is not networking she enjoys travelling, especially to Asia and in the USA. She also draws new strength from sports and in nature.
