My name is Abby Wagner.
I’m studying in the academic PhD programme. My dissertation is on a women’s string quartet that was founded in 1895 by the violinist Marie Soldat-Roeger in Vienna.
My favourite place at the mdw is the cafeteria! I like going there not only at lunchtime but also for morning and afternoon coffee. It’s good to take breaks and chat with colleagues and friends, which gives me a change of pace from the hours I spend working at a desk.
What do you wish you’d known at the outset of your studies?
That the knowledge I sought wouldn’t necessarily come pre-packaged in book form. I now think part of my mission as an academic is to build a bridge between my topic and present-day contexts—and, hopefully, to convey this in a way that will also be interesting.
Why did you decide to pursue a PhD at the mdw?
I’d been to Vienna for a semester abroad and returned later on to spend two years as a language assistant at a school in Vienna. I really liked this city and kept meeting fantastic people here, so I ultimately decided I wanted to come back again after completing my master’s.
What should students in this programme definitely bring to the table?
Assertiveness and a bit of perseverance.
