A textile designer from head to toe. That is Barbara Jansen in her own words at least. She has a ten-year education in textile design, and switched Germany for Sweden to be able to do research on the subject. Now she is a PhD student and is looking ahead to a research career.

A textile designer from head to toe. That is Barbara Jansen in her own words at least. She has a ten-year education in textile design, and switched Germany for Sweden to be able to do research on the subject. Now she is a PhD student and is looking ahead to a research career.

There were only ten days between Barbara Jansen graduating from her master's program in Germany and starting again at the master's program at the Swedish School of Textiles. "In Germany there are only artistic programs and no research whatsoever in textile design. So when I was given the chance I took it despite the fact that things were a little tough."

"In the beginning, I only had money for a year, so I worked like mad to get as much done as possible. Then I was backed financially and was able to complete my education."

As of the spring of 2009 she is a PhD student in textile design, within the framework of Smart Textiles, and is at this very moment defining her research. "I had an idea before coming to the Swedish School of Textiles, about catching the sun with textiles, but didn't know if it was possible. I wanted to know if textiles could have more functions that just being beautiful."

As a master student she therefore worked plenty with light and textiles made from optical fibers, and did well on her project 'Light Shell', where she examined the relationship between light, textiles, the human body and space. That means that she studied the difference between daylight and artificial light. "I will probably continue in the same spirit as a PhD student, focusing on light and optical fibers."

"Even if it will be about light again, I still want to do something new and see it from a different angle. The light and movement are what's most interesting."

She, like many of her colleagues, sees her work as a PhD student as a means of opening up for new ways of using various techniques. "What we do here will not result in a product. Instead, we show others how different methods can be used when developing a product down the road."

"It is always interesting to do new things - working on the border of the impossible."

She likes life in Sweden and Borås, even though she misses her home country sometimes. "Above all I miss that everyday life is simple. Here it's more difficult because of the language, especially the Swedish health care system," says Barbara Jansen and sighs.

But she definitively likes life at the School of Textiles with its machine and opportunities.

There is little doubt over the fact that Barbara Jansen is fascinated and driven by textile design. After a double master she has her sights set on research and intends to continue along that path in the future too. "It took me ten years to realize what in the field of textiles I wanted to do, and I definitely want to continue doing research. It is always interesting to discover new things and to work on the border of the impossible."

Facts: Barbara Jansen

Age: 35
From: Germany
Family: Domestic partner
Spare Time: Has no spare time!