As part of their student internship, Marlene Haferl and Thuy Tien Luong had the unique opportunity to spend a month immersed in the world of transport science in the field of rail-bound transport systems. The two students had already shown a strong interest in transportation science beforehand, so their time at the Research Unit proved to be a valuable and exciting experience for both of them.

Marlene Haferl and Thuy Tien Luong were warmly welcomed by their mentors, DI Marcel Weber as well as Dr. Bernhard Rüger, at the Research Unit of Track-bound Transportation Systems. They received a comprehensive introduction to the various research areas at the Institute of Transportation and learned about the processes at the Institute. The two students were assisted by experienced staff members who were happy to share their respective expertise.

Marlene Haferl has a special focus on office management, applied computer science, business administration and corporate accounting due to her education at the commercial academy. Because of this, she was assigned to the TrainOptimizer 2.0 , opens an external URL in a new windowresearch project, where she had the opportunity to apply the skills in a real work environment. Her tasks were

• the data preparation as well as data synchronization,
• the editing and creation of tables and diagrams,
• the interpretation of the evaluation results,
• the market research and the selection of the information material as well as
• the evaluation of video recordings of passenger behavior using Qualitative Content Analysis.

Thuy Tien Luong has a special focus on information technology and network engineering due to her education at the Federal Institute of Technology. Because of this, she was assigned to the CargoPV+ , opens an external URL in a new windowresearch project, where she had the opportunity to apply the skills in a real work environment. Her tasks were

• the data preparation as well as data synchronization,
• the editing and creation of tables and diagrams,
• data analysis in SPSS and Excel,
• the interpretation of the evaluation results,
• Market research and potential analysis,
• Selecting information material as well as
• Supporting and handling preliminary tasks of scientific work.

The mentor-mentee relationship played a central role in Marlene and Thuy's internship. The two students appreciated the patience and attention their mentors gave them. Regular meetings helped track progress, discuss challenges, and set new goals. This personal attention allowed Marlene and Thuy to target their skills and benefit from their mentors' experience.

During their time in the Research Unit of Track-bound Transportation Systems, Marlene and Thuy were faced with various challenges. The need to meet tight deadlines, understand complex project requirements, and navigate a fast-paced work environment presented them with new challenges. But these challenges served as opportunities for growth. The two students learned to work effectively under some pressure to produce results, solve problems and adapt quickly to changing demands.

Marlene and Thuy's internship period at the Research Unit of Track-bound Transportation Systems was of enormous value for both parties. Not only did the students have the opportunity to deepen their educational focus and thus get a behind-the-scenes look at transportation science, but the Research Unit had also benefited from their modern technical knowledge as well as young ideas and creativity. The personal support of their mentors as well as the work on real projects contributed to a holistic learning experience.

The internship period at the Research Unit of Track-bound Transportation Systems has not only strengthened her interests but also shaped her professional ambitions. The internship period at the Research Unit of Track-bound Transportation Systems will undoubtedly have a positive impact on her future education and career.