Name: Dr.ir. Gembong Baskoro
Place of Birth: Palembang, Indonesia
Age: 48
At TU/e: January 2001 - March 2005, PhD in Technology Management
Current position: Dean of the Department of Engineering and Information Technology at Swiss German University, BSD City, Tangerang, Indonesia

How did you find your job?
After graduating in 2006, I went back home to Indonesia to pursue my academic career directly. It was a success story: I became Rector of Widya Kartika University in Surabaya, Indonesia, in 2009. I held that position until 2013, after which I was appointed Dean at Swiss German University in BSD City, Jakarta, until 2017. I'm managing faculty academic and non-academic matters. I'm supervisor the faculty of two Master programs and four Bachelor programs.

Was it difficult to find a job?
I always intended to have an academic career at University. In 2005 I wanted to stay in the Netherlands, but my residence permit was not extended, so I had no choice but to return home. It was not too difficult to find a job, but I had to compete with other candidates of course. I found the position through a website.

How do you reflect on your time at TU/e?
I've opted for TU/e because it offered a PhD position in Technology Management, and I was granted a scholarship to support my studies. It has been a great experience. I miss the time when I was a PhDstudent at TU/e and I consider Eindhoven to be my second hometown.

What are your plans for the (near) future?
I will keep working in academics, be it in Indonesia or overseas. Other than that, I'm looking forward to establishing an academic/research partnership with TU/e and my department if possible.