Following her gut feeling to the forefront of research: The Story of Johanna Irrgeher

Johanna Irrgeher says she actually wanted to become a teacher. Absurdly, she was advised against it at the time because the job prospects were poor, she says, shaking her head and laughing. The 41-year-old is a professor at the Chair of General and Analytical Chemistry at the Montanuniversität Leoben and one of five women among a total of 50 professors. After graduating from high school, the Upper Austrian decided to study food and biotechnology at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. A certain family influence played a role: her grandfather taught there, and her father and brother studied there. She had a life-changing experience during her master's degree. Due to the unacceptable supervision situation, she abandoned her first master's thesis and wanted to leave the university quickly. By chance, she came to chemistry. She has never regretted her change. She completed her doctoral studies with distinction. She then moved to Hamburg, where she got a job as a marine research scientist. She commuted between Vienna and Hamburg, but then asked herself where she wanted to live. In 2018, she returned to Vienna, and shortly afterwards a job opened up at the Montanuniversität. A good decision: she has now settled in Leoben and particularly appreciates the good infrastructure and the surrounding natural landscape.

Important gut decisions

Like most of her decisions, she made the decision to move to Leoben based on her gut feeling. She also recommends this to young women. ‘Decisions about studying and jobs are life-changing decisions. But you shouldn't ask yourself whether it's right or wrong. If it feels right at the moment, then you should do it. After all, nothing is set in stone.’ Many people are strongly influenced by the older generation, says the 41-year-old. However, the framework conditions have changed significantly, especially in science. She has often been fortunate to have a supportive network around her. In parallel with professional training, she has always placed great importance on personal development and coaching. ‘My biggest challenge is to make more time for myself,’ smiles the chemist. She is often so eager to evaluate her work that she works late into the night. She enjoys her own house with a garden with her husband: her oasis of peace. She loves watching birds and hedgehogs. ‘It requires patience and calm. Animals can sense when you're not relaxed.’ She used to compete in triathlons, but now she only does sports in her free time. She has always preferred to set her own goals. Competitive thinking is something she dislikes, and not just in sport. At work, too, she finds judging people based on key figures off-putting – she believes it is more important to be productive and creative. Her motto? ‘At the end of the day, I want to be able to look in the mirror and stand by my actions. No matter what others think.’

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