Submitted on 01/30/2019

After spending a year in the DCR Doctoral Program we say goodbye and thank you to visiting researcher Ulrike Phieler. She continues to work as a research assistant at the Technical University of Berlin for the Chair of Marketing of Prof. Dr. Katrin Talke.

Since January she is diving into a new topic of gendered product design and its impact on consumer behavior. This position promises more experimental studies and conceptual work, and Ulrike appreciates using knowledge from her Bachelor and Master studies - an interesting contrast to the econometric studies she has done before, putting the consumer back in the center of her work.

Before leaving we have asked Ulrike to take a short review of her time as a DCR guest fellow.

What progress have you made during your stay in the DCR program?

The main objective of my year in the DCR program was to finish my PhD thesis, which was successful - though I have not yet officially submitted it. I am still working on the last details. I am now co-author of two published articles, which basically have been developed during my time in the DCR program. I could finalize my work on the current working paper and my bracket. Thus, the time in the DCR program allowed me a kickstart for my intended future in academia.

What have been the benefits of being part of the DCR community?

Joining the DCR community has helped me a lot. I participated in international conferences, visited workshops and seminars that created excellent opportunities for intensive, focused exchange among scientists and other specialists. During the time spent in the DCR program I learned and improved needed analytical techniques. The DCR members have provided valuable feedback at the proposal conferences in Heilbronn, which led to advancing our current working paper and enabled data collection. The provided financial support allowed me to finish my PhD. And, I found new friends - which is something I am also very grateful for.

What were the highlights of the past year?

Our "Journal of Marketing" publication acceptance was among the main highlights last year. My first European Marketing Academy (EMAC) Conference in Glasgow (with sun in Great Britain!) was also a fantastic experience. Overall, I enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere within the DCR community, the openness and friendliness of all involved and associated members. I highly appreciated the exchange with them and often remember in-depth discussions of ideas and best practices.

Thank you for the encouraging feedback, Ulrike. We wish you just the very best for the future and we hope to see you sometime soon!