Tim Steiner, a 19-year-old from a tiny village in southwestern Germany, comes from a place so small you might miss it with a blink.
With just 500 residents, it’s a quiet corner of the world where he lives with his parents, younger brother, and two dogs. But despite his modest surroundings, Tim’s curiosity for innovation and exploration is anything but small.
Before setting his sights on studying abroad, Tim served as a STEM ambassador in Germany, inspiring young people to engage with science, technology, engineering, and math.
He’s even turned his love for coffee into a scientific pursuit, conducting chemical research on roasting techniques to optimize flavor profiles.
“It turns out you can make a science out of anything, even your morning cup of joe!” he jokes.
One moment that stands out in his memory is a conference discussing a World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) report comparing patent applications in Germany and China. The data showed China far outpacing Germany in innovation—a revelation that sparked his curiosity.
“What kind of country has such a relentless drive for innovation?” he recalls wondering. “I wanted to see firsthand what fuels that creativity.”
This curiosity led him to China, where he chose to study at Duke Kunshan University (DKU) as a member of the Class of 2028. For Tim, DKU’s blend of American liberal arts education and Chinese innovation was the perfect match—a combination he sees as offering the best of both worlds. He’s particularly interested in neuroscience and Alzheimer’s research.
“My goal is to help ensure that one day we can drop the ‘in-’ from ‘incurable,’” he says.
Tim has been impressed by the sense of purpose he’s seen at DKU.
“Everything I’ve seen of DKU so far shows a community determined to fight for a common improvement in our world,” he says. “I believe that being part of such a community can empower you immensely and help you stay focused on your goals.”
While he’s excited about immersing himself in a new culture, Tim is realistic about the challenges ahead—including homesickness. But he has a plan to tackle it.
“I don’t want to miss any opportunity to get in touch with the local culture,” he shares. “I’m planning to spend weekends discovering Kunshan—I’ve heard about Zhouzhuang Water Town and Tinglin Park. Exploring these places with fellow students will make the experience even more meaningful. I also plan to join athletic activities on campus because team sports are a great way to bond and work toward a shared goal.”
Tim views his journey of more than 8,600 kilometers to DKU as a symbolic step toward bridging cultures.
“The distance from my home country to China is vast—not just geographically, but culturally,” he reflects. “But I believe that taking this big step will help me build a bridge between both cultures. It’s always the first step into the ‘new’ and ‘unknown’ that’s the hardest—but it’s also the most important.”
He shares a favorite quote from Confucius: “Experience is like a lamp in the back; it only ever illuminates the path that’s already behind us.”
“The experiences I gain here will keep that lamp glowing, lighting up the rest of the bridge,” he reflects.
Tim expects that his time at DKU will be transformational, helping him grow as a person and broadening his worldview.
“I hope to become someone who sees the world without blinkers—someone who pulls together with others to become a force for good,” he says.
