The career of Dr Mladen Gomerčić had one decisive influence - his education in Germany. Since 2001 he has lived and worked in Braunschweig as a research and development manager at GOM GmbH, one of the world's most advanced 3D scanners manufacturers. In 1994 he received a ten-month scholarship from DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst) to complete his master's degree at the Braunschweig Technical University, which would later prove to be a crucial experience. ‘A keen interest in mechanics was fostered even during my student days. Stjepan Jecić, an academician, was a great influence. He taught me scientific thinking, for which I am very grateful. The fact that at that time the Faculty had neither funds nor equipment for research in experimental mechanics, an area I was most interested in, led me to looking elsewhere. At a conference in Trieste I met a professor from the Technical University of Braunschweig who helped me decide to join the team because of their extensive research in the area of my interests.‘

After four months Mr Gomerčić completed his research and his master's thesis. Then he started to work with an assistant on the project of developing a measuring device. “We were a five-man team - myself as a mechanical engineer, two electrical engineers and two programmers. We made a 3D scanning and digitalization device.‘ Having completed his scholarship visit, he returned to Zagreb. In the meantime, FSB managed to procure some basic equipment. My colleagues from Braunschweig sent me a prototype of our device so that I could continue working on its development and my doctoral thesis in Zagreb.” In 1999 he returned to the University of Braunschweig, but this time as a visiting scientist. ‘I have to admit that after this experience, it was very difficult for me to return to Zagreb. I was not sure whether an assistant professor position would become vacant at the Faculty which in turn made me think about my next step.“ The turning point came about a year later - a colleague from the team Mladen worked with on developing a measuring device in Braunschweig, founded a small start-up in 2001 having already 30 employees. ‘I started working there as the only designer, the only mechanical engineer. It wouldn’t have been possible if I hadn’t acquired a very good and thorough engineering training at FSB. It is essential to learn the basics, create good foundations of knowledge, then specialize, learn new programs, and develop further.”

He truly acknowledges that in addition to the uncertainty of his position at the Faculty, his departure to the GOM in Braunschweig was also influenced by his inclination for teamwork that delivers concrete outcomes. 'I was given the chance to join a very good, growing company where I could apply scientific knowledge to a development project, the outcome of which is not a scientific paper but rather a device designed to do a particular job. Even today, designing from scratch is a huge challenge for me. The process starts with an idea. Next, the device is being designed. Further steps include production organisation as well as ensuring that the device reaches its customer.” When asked which of these phases excited him most, he answered without much reflection: 'An intellectual challenge, the first idea that originates from scientific curiosity. In the next, also crucial stage, the idea is turned into a tangible device that needs to be confirmed as working as intended and can be released into production.'

Proficient at leading big teams at GOM he maintains that there is no success without teamwork. A special importance is placed on colleagues fitting in and bonding together thereby creating a sound base that inspires creativity and enables a team to achieve goals. ‘As a leader I wish to act rather as the team mentor providing sufficient support to ensure team members fulfil their tasks. I also wish to create a comfortable environment that will facilitate communication and make the team more cohesive so that every member contributes to team goals according to his abilities and talents.”

Although he wanted to enrol on a shipbuilding course, his father discouraged him from doing that. “My parents enrolled me in the primary school when I was six, one year earlier than the compulsory school age and looking back on that time it somehow feels I was immature and slightly unfocused. This changed as soon as I started rowing at the age of 12. It is a tough sport that strengthened me and built me up. "As I have always loved spending time at the seaside, in the end, as it is often the case, I had to choose between my two great passions – a trip to the seaside or rowing. That summer when I turned 17, the coach wanted me to stay in Zagreb and train, but I was yearning to go the seaside which in turn consequently ended my rowing career”, he says with laughter. “After summer holiday I had a lot of time, so I devoted myself to learning. I enrolled on mechanical engineering course, but after finishing the first year I applied to transfer to the shipbuilding course I was so eager to study. In the end my application was approved, but I changed my mind not to transfer after all.

He points out that he has always been motivated by the idea of providing conditions for developing both each member’s abilities and effective teamwork. Those two things joined together give ground for the achievement of very ambitious goals. He never regretted his decision to study mechanical engineering. 'Mechanical engineering is strongly related to the world around us. There will always be a need for good mechanical engineers because neither electrical engineering nor social sciences can solve fundamental problems in contrast to mechanical engineering.’

Mladen Gomerčić often comes to Zagreb and Croatia. He says he would like to return, but it’s not the right moment. "I often say to myself - I will be back in three years, but I am aware that in such case I should shortly begin planning my return." Although he founded with his colleague a company here in Croatia that acts as a representative of MOG in the territory of the former Yugoslavia and provides measurement services for the industry, he still greatly enjoys working with his colleagues in Braunschweig. “However, I do believe I will come back. My children really love to visit Croatia. My daughter is thinking of enrolling at the University of Zagreb and my son sails, so we often travel to Pula because he now has a Croatian coach." He says it was not easy to make a decision to go abroad and adapt to the new environment, but there he has gotten the opportunity to develop his abilities, get his dream job and create something new.