Name: Pu Li
Place of Birth: Huzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
Date of Birth: 28 May, 1985
Studied at TU/e: August 2007-August 2009. Master of Science, Electrical Engineer
Current position: I am working at ASML as a startup engineer in the Application & Business Support department

What kind of job do you have now?
As a startup engineer, I always lead the project for the ASML products and options in the customer site. Besides teaching customer and local team the technologies of the tools and the analysis skills for solution searching, I work as the bridge between customer and ASML, and between ASML local office and ASML Veldhoven headquarter. The work itself is exciting and challenging. I can travel to different countries to execute the project on-site with relatively long period. So far I have conducted 4 projects in 3 regions (Singapore 6 months, Korea 9 months and Taiwan 12 months). This also provides me perfect opportunities to know the culture and people locally, which is extra bonus my current job provides me.

How did you find your job?
In 2010, I was doing research in Israel. My friend in ASML informed me about the vacancy of my current position. She helped me to make the internal recommendation. I flied to Netherlands and had the interview. Two weeks later I got the offer. For the engineer work, I would stay it is relatively easy to get a job, even for the international student. For others, it seems language is one problem for most non-Dutch people, even though it is not the killing factor.

How do you reflect on your time at TU/e?
The best part of the time in TU/e is that there are always adequate chances to have the experience in the high tech industries. Study and work are not the only part of my time in TU/e. Compared with Chinese students, the Dutch students are more keen to enjoy the life after work. There is even a club in the basement of the Potentiaal Building (EE department) selling beer every week, which at least will drive most professors in China crazy. I got to know several good friends from other countries (including The Netherlands), but I would have more if I had another chance to have the master study once again in TU/e.

What advice would you give to the current students?
Actively join the activities of the university and be part of them. To the Dutch students as well: you will get to know more interesting things from the Chinese students, much more than the Chinese food and ‘Hanky Panky Shanghai’. Mingle with the students from other countries. Most importantly, do not just stay in your own world, and do keep an open mind to all the new things. One useful suggestion to the international students who are to seek a job in Yhe Netherlands after graduations is: always be aware to use every opportunity to build your network outside of the class study. Possibly, the internship you did in the company or the alumni you knew during the beer drinking can help you to find a position which is not shown in the job board.