Kolja Thomas M., Dipl.
Area of Research:
- Spinal cord research
- AI-supported cancer research
- Rehabilitation & assistance systems
- Future prospects for the design profession under the influence of artificial intelligence (private)
Biography
Kolja Thomas has been working at the University of Wuppertal and the zdi Center BeST since November 2013. There, he is passionately dedicated to communication design, the visual presentation of STEM content, and the development of creative teaching formats. His career began early: he gained his first practical experience in 1999 and 2000 at various advertising and event agencies. Shortly thereafter, he deepened his design foundation at SAE College in Cologne, where he trained as a multimedia producer from 2000 to 2001.
From 2003 to 2008, he studied communication design at the University of Wuppertal. His thesis focused on new spatial concepts for industrial multi-story buildings for barrier-free living. To illustrate his ideas, he created 3D visualizations with Cinema 4D and a short 3D advertising trailer. At the same time, he developed the corporate design for a fictional real estate company.
Kolja Thomas worked at his professor and thesis supervisor's architecture firm from 2008 to 2010. Among other things, he supervised exciting projects as part of Ruhr 2010 in Essen on the grounds of the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, where he was able to contribute his design expertise to an internationally acclaimed Capital of Culture year.
In 2011, he took the plunge into self-employment and worked on his own projects as a graduate designer until 2013. Today, he combines all these experiences—from his first internships to his studies and professional career—in his work, where he always strives to convey complex content in a way that is understandable, visually appealing, and inspiring.
