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When I completed my PhD, I wasn’t sure what kind of role could bring together my scientific curiosity and drive to create real-world impact. I considered academia, national labs, and large corporations—but none felt quite right. In graduate school, I enjoyed the freedom of exploration, the diversity of perspectives, and the curiosity-driven investigation of glass scientific phenomena. Little did I know, that I would find these qualities, and even more so, at CelSian.

CelSian is a glass consultancy company based in Eindhoven, The Netherlands and Toledo, Ohio, USA. I learned of the company while co-organizing a session for a glass-related conference. Another co-organizer was an employee of CelSian and after a brief discussion, our overlapping interests revealed a potential opportunity to work with the team.

A year later, I am a Glass Process Scientist at CelSian and get to work with some of the greatest minds in glass science and glass manufacturing operations. From building energy-efficiency models of furnaces, to tailoring structure-performance behaviors through core research, and leading technical training courses through the CelSian Academy—no two weeks are the same.

One thing that surprised me: no matter the business segment or location—from container to flat to specialty products, in Europe or the U.S.—we as a glass industry face similar limitations, e.g., the melt is over-foaming, the redox state is unstable, or the melt is too viscous. Through early-stage research and development for a consortium of glass producers and their suppliers, like that of GlassTrend, we get to help find solutions to these universal challenges.

We also ask the critical questions:

How can we produce glass faster and with less energy losses?

How can the final glass product be of higher quality but cheaper?

How do we reduce emissions and operate more sustainably?

Using computational fluid dynamic models, we directly explore such questions to optimize production. What if we think even more creatively—like, what if we changed how glass is melted altogether? Most glass manufacturing furnaces rely on combustion, which has high energy losses and emits pollutants like CO₂ and NOX. One promising alternative is electric melting—an idea patented over a century ago, but not widely adopted due to longstanding technical challenges. CelSian has partnered with a consortium led by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC) to tackle the technology’s limitations. We explore topics like electrochemistry, foaming, redox control, and refractory wear—all in support of cleaner, more stable and sustainable glass production.

We then share our developed knowledge of glass operations and glass science with the industry through training programs. I had the opportunity just last week to help with a training course dedicated to recycled glass, where we covered best practices for sourcing, usage, and management of recycled and reused glass in the plants. As companies seek to lower their carbon footprint, recycled glass is playing a key role.

Finding a fulfilling career isn’t a linear process—and it’s okay not to know exactly what you want after school. What helped me was focusing less on job titles and more on daily work:

What kinds of problems do I enjoy solving?

What kind of team environment do I thrive in?

Whose mission aligns with real-world challenges and my passions?

If you’re drawn to complex challenges, global collaboration, and tangible sustainability, consulting just might surprise you—like it did for me. CelSian operates at a rare intersection: part consultancy, part R&D lab, part software development, part operations support, and part educator. The fast pace and diversity of projects to balance at such a company is not what will fit most people. To discover what suits you, I highly recommend getting involved in professional societies. While it does take extracurricular time, it proves invaluable due to the network and mentors you meet who will guide your career path.

I found a place where deep science meets immediate impact, and I feel fulfilled. Whether our paths post graduate school lead us to large corporations, academia, national labs, startups, or elsewhere, the key is finding something we can enjoy and inspire purpose. The future isn’t waiting to be discovered—it’s waiting to be built, and it starts with each of us.

Katelyn Kirchner, Ph.D.

Glass Process Scientist at CelSian
Tolède, Ohio, États-Unis

https://www.linkedin.com/company/celsian/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/katelyn-a-kirchner/