REM Success Stories

Attending the EMJMD-REM course has been the best decision of my life, no doubt. The program offered me unexpected opportunities for learning, traveling, meeting, and testing. In one word: living.

It has been the most enriching period I have ever experienced, and the lessons learned from captains and comrades of that journey still orient my wandering in the sea now that I have found my happy isle in one of the supporting partners. Shortly after completing my Master’s thesis, IHCantabria offered me a position as a climate modeler for offshore wind applications and supported my Ph.D. candidature with state-of-the-art means and tools.

Graduating from EMJMD REM was very fruitful. Multicultural aspect, high-quality universities involved, and integration with companies are definitely the top points of this experience. Besides, my Track A degree gave me an excellent basis of knowledge for my current job as a Specialist Engineer in a marine renewable energy consultancy. Last, but not least, I have made good friends in REM which I will keep for life. I strongly recommend EMJMD REM for those who want to pursue a career (whether academic or industrial) in offshore renewables

Before starting the REM master’s degree program I was somewhat insecure about what to expect from it since I was changing my academic pathway from the field of aeronautics to renewable energy. After completing the two years of the program, I am very pleased to say that it successfully guided me towards a new career. Although I have felt sometimes overwhelmed with the bureaucracy required in an in international program like REM, this degree significantly contributed to my academic and professional learning with lectures from different university and industry professionals, alongside with relevant technical visits. In addition, it also proved to be a culturally enriching experience with all the nationalities and languages I was in constant contact. Today I am working as an offshore wind engineer and happy to say that I use the learning obtained from REM in a daily basis. Being a REM Graduate opened the doors for a renewable-energy-driven engineering career, for which I am very grateful.

My experience while studying for this master’s was full of challenges and was time-demanding, yet I enjoyed every semester of it and enriched both my academic and my personal life; furthermore, getting to know students, teachers, and people from around the world while living in beautiful cities is invaluable. By the time the master’s was over, not only was I well-prepared for the professional life which lay ahead, but I also had amazing friends for life. Nowadays, I am happily working in the offshore logistics group of a German wind energy research institute.

My experience in the REM Master’s programme was challenging, the period between 2019 to 2021 was certainly not conventional. Academically it was very relevant for my formation, it really focused on current needs and trends, it was updated and I find that the information, resources and contacts gathered during it are extremely valuable. The situation in the world is not easy right now and yet I see no dearth of opportunities in the field. My studies in the programme built a wide reliable foundation on top of which I can confidently continue. I am currently doing a PhD in the field of simulation of prosumers’ socioeconomical impact on the grid..

I came to REM as a second Master education, aiming to shift from a physical oceanography background to a more engineering direction in the long-dreamt of field of renewable energy. Looking back at these two years now, I must say that on top of knowledge and skills on marine renewables, I also got things that are no less important: experience of living in different countries, knowledge about various cultures, and amazing friends from all over the world. Difficulties of covid-times travelling and visa-related bureaucracy also provided us with profound stress management skills. I grew up in REM both professionally and personally, and I am now actively using my newly acquired skills while working on my PhD project in UiT, Norway.

My experience at the master REM was outstanding. The numerous modules at various universities provide an ideal blend of education to understand theoretical principles and practical applications in the field of marine renewable energy. During those two years, professors and staff members helped me with my studies as well as my thesis. One benefit of studying for this master’s is that you will gain sufficient information to prepare you for your future professional life. This experience has undoubtedly contributed to my professional career since now I am working as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Hawaii in the US.

The fact that I was exposed to three different universities, with various researchers and industry input, was remarkable. The master was I also had the chance to have an amazing industry-led final thesis, where I worked with Vicinay Marine Innovation for my master’s thesis. After graduating, I continued my passion and now I am working as a mooring engineer in Stiesdal Offshore, where I help to develop industrialized floating offshore foundations. I use my learnings from the master in my day-to-day work life, and highly recommend it to everyone interested in offshore renewable energy!

Here is a picture of me in the inspection of our TetraSpar demonstrator (front) and the first-ever floating wind turbine (Hywind) in the back.

I am a PhD researcher at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and I am researching ‘Circular Economy in Offshore Wind Industry’. I was part of the first intake of REM in 2018 and finished my master’s in September 2020. During the period of my master’s, I not only gained an excellent overview of the marine renewable industry from both academic and industry perspectives but also experienced a variety of cultures and made multi-national friends and connections. I feel this unique experience greatly shaped my personal and professional versatilities.