Our alumnus Constantin Grywatz studied Sociology and Social Research at WiSo. During his studies, he worked at the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) in Bonn, where he's been working as an evaluator since graduating in 2019. In the alumni interview, he tells us about his diverse tasks at DEval, why he wanted to study in Cologne, and how the methodological knowledge he gained in the statistics modules helps him in his day-to-day work.

Constantin, you first studied Social Sciences in Dusseldorf and then completed your master’s degree in Sociology and Social Research at WiSo in Cologne. How did you decide to study at WiSo?

The bachelor's programme in social sciences at the University of Dusseldorf consists of three components: sociology, political science, and communication and media studies. Initially, my focus was on political science. Political theories fascinated me throughout my studies, and I became interested in the field of political consulting early on.

At the same time, I saw many elements in sociology that could complement my work in this field. As well as the extensive theoretical models, I found the empirical methods very interesting, even though statistics was never my great strength.

As the end of my bachelor’s was imminent, I had to decide whether to do a master's degree or start my working life. I researched options for a master's degree. What was important to me was the possibility to acquire a clear set of tools that would complement my existing knowledge.

The Sociology and Social Research programme at WiSo in Cologne was ideal for me. Not only was I able to expand my knowledge with theories of sociology, but I could also cover a very broad spectrum of social science methods. The fact that the programme was a Master of Science – in contrast to most social science programmes – was another plus for me. Last but not least, Cologne is a very viable city, which then finally sealed the decision.

You have already worked at the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) in Bonn during your studies and then after your graduation. Since 2023 you have been working as an evaluator at the institute. Can you briefly describe your career so far and what your job entails?  

At the end of my bachelor's degree, I had the option of completing an examination in the form of an internship. So, I started looking for an internship to gain some new practical experience.

During my research, I came across DEval, which had just started its work in 2012. I applied and received the internship. By the end, I had gained a broad insight into human resources and knowledge management, as well as into the development of general IT infrastructure for knowledge management, such as the creation of a SharePoint and the structuring of the associated meta-data, so that I was offered a job as an assistant.

Then, shortly before I started working on my master's thesis, a project administrator position for a new research and consulting project on rigorous impact evaluations in German development cooperation was advertised at DEval. The position did not have a scientific focus, but it fitted very well with my previous profile. I applied and got the job.

Although the position was more administrative, it also included a component to support the researchers of the project with research tasks, cleaning data sets, and creating questionnaires. In addition, I planned conferences and workshops with the project team and took over the project's internal business travel management as well as the execution of contracting tasks.

After completing my studies, I finally supported the team, among other things, in preparing  a research report, which was finalized and published in 2021. In addition, we also created a website that would complement the content of the report and present it in a way that would be easy to understand. In all these tasks, administrative and scientific processes needed to go hand in hand. The subsequent dissemination event for all these products was a great success. In addition, the project team worked with the International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie) to create an evidence gap map (EGM), organized an international conference with the Campbell Collaboration, conducted numerous qualitative, exploratory interviews with German and international experts, developed an online questionnaire with an experimental component, and held training and information events on the topic of (rigorous) evidence (RIE).

After the publication of the report and the accompanying products, some team members left the project and either moved on to other internal projects or left DEval for new shores. I remained as the only project founding member thus as a knowledge carrier and applied for one of the vacant positions as an evaluator. I got the job and can now accompany the project through the final year.

In general, DEval offers a lot of space and opportunity for exchange and further development. Current topics are always taken up, new methods are discussed and knowledge about the use of statistics and other software and apps is always shared, and enough time is offered to work on them.

Did your studies prepare you for your tasks at work? Was there any content in your studies that you can still use every day?

The qualifications I gained during my studies have definitely helped me in my career. In particular, a very broad spectrum of methods taught in the master's programme allowed me to follow all professional discussions. In the research project, in which I first worked as a project administrator and now as an evaluator, the focus was also on increasing my knowledge of rigorous methods in German development cooperation. I was able to apply methodological skills taught in the statistics modules there. In particular, the seminars in social psychology also created my understanding of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) and of quasi-experimental methods, which I was able to deepen in the context of my work at DEval.

Activities in which I can apply the skills acquired in my master's degree on a daily basis are especially extensive knowledge of scientific work. My job as an evaluator also includes many reading phases. Often, one has to quickly scan a report or a journal article for certain keywords. The fact that the master’s was in English is a very big advantage in my opinion because most of the current research is in English, and we also often publish in English at DEval. The research report of the project I am involved in was also written entirely in English and our website is also maintained in English.

I have been able particularly frequently to apply my knowledge in data processing. Not only in the scientific field but also in data and document management. The basic understanding of data and its structure is a qualification that I could only consolidate in the master's. The tutorials (in Stata and R) helped a lot.

What podcasts, websites, blogs, daily newspapers, etc. do you use to keep yourself up to date about current developments that are important to your work?

When it comes to podcasts, I don't listen to many of them for professional development. I particularly enjoy following podcasts on political topics, history, and current affairs. For example, I enjoy listening to the Weltzeit and Weltspiegel podcasts, because they often discuss topics that I face in my work context and facilitate the transfer of current research to global contexts.

Since my current job has a lot to do with science communication, I also enjoy listening to Quarks Science Cops. We have discussed the way of this communication within the project team once or twice. And whenever systematic reviews are discussed there, I am all ears.

In conclusion, what would you like to give our students to take away with them? Do you have three tips for studying or career orientation afterwards?

Be open to new things and get involved in activities and jobs that may seem irrelevant at first glance. In my professional career, I often notice how strongly it has influenced me that I have also worked in jobs that I felt had no direct connection to my studies. I think that this has enabled me to adapt well to new situations and tasks today. Furthermore, I got to know people in these situations that I probably wouldn't have met in a purely scientific context. The change of perspective and the awareness of other realities of life are aspects that I would not want to do without.

And is there anything you want to share specifically with social science students?

Social sciences are an incredibly broad field and touch almost all areas of our daily lives. In my opinion, looking at why e.g. political and social systems are the way they are is the best method to question how we live and what we can perhaps do better as a society. I think social sciences give students the opportunities and the systematic thinking to work on that.

Thank you very much for your time and the interview.