Tamás Kotán went from Budapest to Munich to study in the environment of the attoworld-team. Now Tamás is the first employee of the Centre for Molecular Fingerprinting who, in cooperation with the Budapest University of Technology and the Ludwig-Maximilians- Universität München made his degree in the field of molecular fingerprinting. In this interview Tamás talks about his new life in Garching, what exites him in his job and which place he likes most in Munich.
What kind of position are you working in? And what are your responsibilities at CMF?
I work as a junior Software developer. I help the laser physicists by designing a database for their measurements and building an interface to help them access the results.
What is the most exciting part of your job? What do you like the most about this job?
Creative tasks have always interested me. Coding is a wonderful way to bring your ideas to motion, without any other investment. It is a little bit like magic in books: You put one word after the other and things happen. However, to achieve the desired result, you need to use the right words in the right order.
Where are you from? If someone went there, what would you suggest they visit?
I was born in the 9th district of Budapest, and I honestly believe our capital is one of the best cities in the world. Listing all the things one should visit here would easily fill up a book, So, all I suggest is to take walks, next to the Danube, the Andrássy avenue, and at the castle district, since every building in these areas is a piece of art.
What did you want to be when growing up?
It changed a couple of times. I remember as a small kid for a short period I wanted to be the President of the United States. But then my father enlightened me that only ones born as American citizens can run for that positon… After this disappointment, I wanted to be a banker. It took me a couple of years to realize that I would probably be extremely bored as a banker. After that came my final decision: Like I mentioned before I've always enjoyed creative tasks, and I was good in math and physics, so in high school I decided that I wanted to be some kind of engineer or an architect.
You recently moved to Garching after working in the Budapest office. Has your daily routine changed?
In Munich I’m also a student, therefore I only work two days a week. Here instead of Opus, I go to Mensa with my colleagues, but otherwise, there isn’t much change, as I do the same job.
Do you have a favourite place in these two cities or around them?
I would say the Museum district and Königsplatz. It reminds me of the Heroes Square of Budapest, and it’s a green area where people sit outside in sunny weather. The museums in the area have a rich collection and most of them charge only 1 Euro on Sundays, so I recommend it to anyone who might spend a weekend in Munich. My favourite museum is the Alte Pinakothek which has incredible paintings.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Watch quality films and series and spend time with my friends. I enjoy music, too. I listen to many genres from classical music through gangster rap to Hungarian alternative rock.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can play a nice piece on the piano.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you like to travel, and why?
A trip to the USA would be amazing, for sure. They are the best places for innovation in the IT sector and have many pop cultural references. I’ve seen California, NYC, and Boston in many movies, and I almost feel weird that I haven’t been there yet.
Do you have a favourite movie/TV show?
I don’t have one favourite, I have many. I like series like for example “Succession”, “The Wire” or “Chernobyl”. Some of my favourite film are “Snatch”, “Se7ven” oder “Macskafogó”. In case you haven’t seen these you should watch them.
What’s one thing you’re learning now or learned recently?
I didn’t have free time this semester, but I learned many things during work and university. I am learning German as I want to take the C1 language exam now that I’ve graduated.
What topic could you give an hour-long presentation on with little to no preparation?
On any of the series or films listed above. I am toying with the idea of making a CMF/attoworld film club, but I am not quite sure yet on how I should do that…
Picture: Thorsten Naeser
