My role is to help the students to understand the complexities and confusions that are inherent in the scientific method, and to help them to navigate these with the help of essential tools in critical thinking.

I met Dr.-Ing. Ranahansa Dasanayake at an education conference just three months before the Guest Lectureship - or even knowing about the Master’s Degree Program IMAT (International Material Flow Management) - and was immediately impressed by the breadth and vision of the degree.

Travel indeed does what the cliché says, in that it "broadens the mind", given that one meets new people, hears about interesting research, and also - crucially - gets to leave familiar surroundings, which often prompts unfamiliar and interesting thoughts.

Communicating key ideas in critical thinking and philosophy of science to a group with similar qualifications and ages, but very different experiences, certainly helps one to refine communication strategies in teaching.

Taking walks in the beauty of the natural surroundings, and the freedom of much time outside of ordinary commitments, has certainly helped me to crystallize the outline of a book project that I've been thinking about for a while, but making little progress on.

In a general sense, the interdisciplinary nature of the IMAT is somewhat of a rarity by comparison, as is the international composition of the student body.

If I were to return, I'd do my best to protect the time here, and to use it as a thinking/writing retreat (when not teaching, of course). The remote location and lack of distractions could allow for a very productive visit, but only if you've planned for it that way.

Anyone who doesn't speak German will encounter some challenges in navigating restaurant menus or train bookings, but the difficulties were never of great significance, and also, both the staff - and the students - are ready and willing to help aliens such as myself get things done.