Student Spotlight: Mechanical Engineering PhD, Paula Hohoff

The journey to a PhD is never easy, but for Paula Hohoff, the path has been bonded together by one thing: polymers. Entering the final year of her Mechanical Engineering PhD program, Paula has found great success not only in research, but also in mentorship and building a strong sense of community. Whether connecting with colleagues in the field at a conference or drawing parallels between her passions for plastics and sailing, Paula brings energy and curiosity to everything she does. Her passion for polymers isn’t just academic – it’s a lens through which she sees the world. So far, UW-Madison has been a great playground, both academically and personally, to pursue her career goals and follow her dreams.

What has your engineering journey been like? Can you describe your educational path prior to pursuing a graduate degree?

As a child I was already curious to understand how things work, especially technical applications. My childhood dream was to become a helicopter pilot for medical and search-and-rescue operations, but due to medical reasons I had to find an alternative career path. Mechanical engineering seemed to cover many topics that were interesting to me, so I started my undergrad at RWTH Aachen University in Germany and it turned out I found a lot of joy in this field of study: very fundamental understanding of very practical problems. Alongside my studies, I had student jobs and internships in engineering that drew my interest to plastics processing and engineering, which is why I added a master’s degree with a focus in Materials (mainly Polymer Engineering) and Modeling & Simulation. During my master’s I spent a semester at Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia, in which I found friends from all over Europe and had the chance to focus on the fundamentals of polymer science.

Why did you decide to attend UW-Madison? What about the university or ME department stand out to you from other institutions?

Simply put: because of Prof. Tim Osswald! I began working in his lab during my master’s thesis, and he later encouraged me to pursue a PhD under his supervision, recognizing my background and skills aligned well with the lab’s focus. Moreover, UW-Madison is a great land-grant university with excellent opportunities to grow: outstanding research, a collaborative environment, the right size, and a strong sense of purpose through the Wisconsin Idea. There’s no place like Madison.

Can you talk about your research and the work you’re doing with the Polymer Engineering Center?

My work at the Polymer Engineering Center (PEC) has included my main PhD research topic about the process-induced microstructure in long fiber-reinforced thermoplastics. I investigate how fibers break and disperse during plasticization, and I create mathematical models so that my findings can be implemented into commercial software, calculating the performance of parts made from long fiber-reinforced plastics.

Apart from that, I am also glad that I have had the chance to contribute to other research projects. One of those included a big recycling study in which we determined how the properties of plastics change throughout multiple cycles of recycling. In another project, we predicted the flow behavior of thermoset material during compression molding using simulation tools and material modeling. Working on different projects makes me learn a lot from fundamentals to applications and how to utilize the knowledge I gained to optimize processes and draw conclusions for future innovations. I enjoy working with different students and collaborators who bring a variety of knowledge and perspectives, there is always something to learn and to share.

What opportunities, if any, have been presented to you because of the work you’re doing?

I have had the chance to attend many conferences to present my work and connect with academia and industry alike, e.g. with the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) or the Polymer Processing Society (PPS). Discussing my work and getting feedback from professionals in industry and academia has kept my work fundamental but applicable, which has been a big contributor to its success. I have received awards and scholarships for my work, had the chance to visit manufacturing plants and research labs, start collaborations, and learn a lot from other fields related to my studies. I recently was invited to participate in a workshop at MIT for Rising Stars in Mechanical Engineering to further grow my network and keep my research innovative and impactful.

Are you involved in any student organizations or community groups? If so, which ones and what is your involvement?

Involvement in the local college and community has been a big and important part of my graduate school experience and I am happy to share some of those here. In the Department of Mechanical Engineering, I have been involved with the Graduate Women in Mechanical Engineering Group in which we organize lunch-and-learns to build a strong network and get input for personal and professional development.

I am also involved with different groups in the local community, one of which is the UW-Madison Hoofers Sailing Club (second-largest inland sailing club in the US!), in which I am a volunteer sailing instructor and help with outreach events. We are currently organizing an event about microplastics in global waters and invited a sailor who is doing research in this field. I am excited for this opportunity to bring my academic knowledge into the local community and share some insights to drive change for a better future.

What is a favorite memory or accomplishment you have from your time in ME or at UW-Madison?

One of my favorite memories is definitely the Robert Byron Bird International Polymer Colloquium that another student and I organized last year. It was a symposium with a mix of current students and professors, alums, and collaborators in the field of plastics processing and polymer engineering in the memory of late Prof. Bird, who shaped the field of “Transport Phenomena”, laying the theoretical cornerstone for generations of engineers, not only here at UW-Madison, but globally. Based on this symposium we were also invited to be the guest-editors for a special edition of the Physics of Fluids Journal by the American Institute of Physics in memory of Prof. Bird.

What might you share with perspective students who are considering attending UW-Madison for their graduate degree?

Pursuing a PhD is more than doing research. It’s about learning and growing personally and professionally and also about shaping the future of the world we live in. I hope you will find a place where you can find joy in all these aspects of graduate school (at least most of the time 😊). To me, UW-Madison has been such a place.