She describes herself as an "accomplished networker as well as a practical and hands-on personality" - Dr Christina Toigo has been working at the TZE at Landshut University of Applied Sciences again since the winter semester 2024/2025. This time as a professor at the Faculty of Mechanical and Civil Engineering. Toigo assures students that she wants to share her "in-depth knowledge in the fields of energy storage, battery technology and hydrogen technology".
First experience in science at Landshut University of Applied Sciences
Before her appointment at Landshut University of Applied Sciences, she taught and conducted research as a research assistant at TZE between 2014 and 2019. During this time, Toigo supervised and revised internships on the topic of energy storage and was particularly fascinated by the experiments on battery safety: "Seeing the huge amount of energy contained in a mobile phone cell is absolutely impressive."
She was also involved in the development of lithium-ion batteries on a laboratory and pilot line scale, as well as in the acquisition of funding. Before that, Toigo worked as a student assistant at Landshut University of Applied Sciences and describes her experiences in the team as "always very appreciative."
With expertise from research and practice to independence
The professor gained relevant professional experience outside the university sector as an assistant to the production manager at isiQuiri interface technologies in Austria. Among other things, she supported quality management. By developing and commissioning prototypes, she tested new types of interfaces between humans and computers.
Her career path then took her to BlueSky Energy GmbH. There she gained almost three and a half years of professional experience in a battery company as a project manager and coordinator for sodium-ion battery technology and also dealt with the topic of sustainability.
During this time, the professor with excellent communication skills eventually set up her own business and established Christina Toigo Consulting in Ruhstorf an der Rott, her home town. Her company focusses on consulting in the areas of sustainability strategy, energy storage and market development. In addition, Toigo organises basic seminars and training courses that focus on renewable energies and battery technology.
First appointment as a professor at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria
With more than three years of professional experience outside of academia under her belt, she was finally appointed Professor of Hydrogen Technology and Energy Storage at the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria in Wels in 2022. The married mother of two researched and taught there until recently: "At the Wels UAS, the focus was very much on hydrogen technologies and as I wanted to focus more on the field of batteries, I moved back to Landshut University of Applied Sciences, as the subject matter appealed to me more here." But that wasn't the only reason for returning to his native Lower Bavaria:
"My parents and grandparents live not far away. I can pursue my passion as a professor with the support of my family and in my home region - that's fantastic! Above all, because I can now actively support Lower Bavaria as a business location in my position."
Back to the roots at Landshut University of Applied Sciences
Now reappointed as a professor at Landshut University of Applied Sciences, Toigo is actively promoting the visibility of TZE, regularly highlighting the need for research and further development of energy storage technologies - especially in combination with renewable energies - on the social media platform LinkedIn, for example.
She also deliberately seeks dialogue with students in her courses and brings dry topics such as electrochemistry to life: "The topic of batteries is highly relevant to everyday life and many concepts can be explained clearly using everyday examples."
In addition to teaching, the professor is currently supervising ongoing research projects at the TZE. Her personal research interests lie in the field of sustainable materials for batteries and new battery chemistries, for example sodium or zinc-based systems.
University President Prof Dr Fritz Pörbacher welcomes Toigo's return: "It's great to have you back at Landshut University of Applied Sciences! I am delighted that you have once again placed your trust in us as an educational institution and are actively supporting your home region. This sends a strong signal for our students, because even less densely populated regions in Bavaria need highly trained specialists."
