I started a PhD in 2007, completed it in 2009 and published it online under my maiden name, Reupold. Before that it took me years to find the courage of even starting it — I was facing the same problems as every other PhD candidate. During these years I was part of many research projects contracted by different ministries, the OECD, national research agencies etc. I worked with very experienced researchers and learned how to create instruments for measurement, plan projects, implement them and analyze as well as interpret and publish the data that came from these projects. I now work at the Munich Center of the Learning Sciences at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and am responsible for networking as well as the international PhD program and I am a freelance coach, university lecturer and trainer.