Jann, JEMARO Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree, Class of 2024

What’s your name and where do you come from?

My name is Jann, and I am from Germany.

Before JEMARO, what and where did you study?

I studied General Engineering Sciences with a major in Mechatronics at the University of Technology Hamburg (TU Hamburg)

What options were you considering after your Bachelor’s? Why did you choose JEMARO?

I was quite happy at TU Hamburg, so the normal plan was to just do my master’s degree there. But once I heard about JEMARO, its international outlook and the research possibilities, I knew that I had to try. Honestly, I did not really believe that I would be accepted.

What is the course you’ve enjoyed the most so far, and why?

The best courses for me were “Artificial Intelligence” and “Artificial Intelligence for Robotics”. The professors explained quite vividly and gave us real live coding examples. AI will revolutionise the way we live, work and perceive the world, so it is great to have heads start in this area.

What is your research topic?

I want to use Computer Vision and Machine Learning to do the motion planning of a robotic arm in order to pick fruits in a semi-chaotic environment, like a real-live field.

Why did you choose Centrale Nantes?

I chose Centrale Nantes because it has a particularly international outlook and a good reputation. I studied French in high school, hence I wanted to improve my language skills as well. Furthermore, Nantes is an exciting city with a great cultural scene.

Any cultural shocks since arriving in your home institution?

The French skip the line very often, especially at the university restaurant. Being from a country that values structure and order, that required quite some adjustment on my side. Also, in France the breakfast consists of way sweeter food than in Germany, which required some adaptation. In Japan, it was mainly the enormous amount of rice that comes with a lot of dishes. Every now and then I go and get western food, in order to counterbalance that.

What do you find the most challenging in JEMARO?

Especially in the beginning, the cultural differences are enormous inside the group, due to completely different origins of the students. You definitely need to self reflect and communicate, but the effort is rewarded with finding very good friends, that I definitely will stay in touch with even after the programme.

What do you want to do after JEMARO?

While I write these lines, I have just begun my second year of JEMARO in Tokyo. Currently I am uncertain, but tend towards a PhD in France, or returning to my home country, Germany, to do a R&D job.

A final word?

Frankly, JEMARO was one of the best decisions of my life. If you are interested in strong international experiences and want a robotics degree that teaches a great balance of theoretical background and hands-on skills: This is the degree for you!