On December 1, the Fachverband Elektronikdesign und -fertigung e. V. (FED) will present the PAUL Award in Berlin. The award is a competition for young people who want to creatively tackle a task from the world of electronics. The award is named after Paul Eisler, engineer and inventor of the printed circuit board.
The FED has recognized that the shortage of skilled workers is plaguing the industry enormously and will become even more acute. This makes it all the more important for us to promote young talent and bring them into contact with the industry. This is precisely the aim of the PAUL Award.
The award will be presented for the third time: in 2020 via a video meeting due to the coronavirus, in 2022 at the FED anniversary conference in Potsdam and now in 2023 in a particularly beautiful location, the Spreespeicher in Berlin. Jürgen Braunsteiner, FED board member and head of the PAUL Award project group, recalls the beginnings: "It all started with a discussion at the advisory board meeting in November 2018: How should the association move forward? Continue on the path already taken and rest on its laurels? Or try something new and start a cell refreshment, so to speak? These questions gave rise to the idea of a young talent competition. Just one month later, a small team was formed that tackled the project with great enthusiasm and commitment and implemented it within a short space of time."
The award has since become a permanent fixture. It is currently supported by seven renowned companies. The FED is trying to attract more sponsors for the award and is looking forward to further participation.
Sponsors welcome
Electronics enthusiasts between the ages of 15 and 25 can take part in the award. Whether you are a young professional, student, pupil or apprentice - any young technology enthusiast from Austria, Germany or Switzerland can submit a project. The only requirement is a self-developed circuit that relates to hardware. Applicants can also use microcontrollers such as Arduinos or Raspberry Pis as a basis. It does not matter which area the project comes from. However, the projects should show how innovative electronics can make life easier and our world a little bit better.
High standard
The standard of the projects submitted was and is pleasingly high. The FISEGO team, which developed a fireproof multiple socket, won in 2022. The project has since blossomed into a start-up. 1st place in 2020 went to student Paul Goldschmidt - it's a funny coincidence that his name is the same as the award title. He impressed the jury with an open-source sensor system for smart and intelligent temperature monitoring of liquids. Paul set up his own business and has kept in touch with the association and the industry. He is now a member of the award jury himself. In 2023, many teams once again responded to the association's call and submitted exciting projects covering a huge range of applications: from automated garden beds to smart muscle building. What all the projects have in common is the underlying enthusiasm of creative young people for the wonderful world of electronics.
Winners of the FED Award 2022 with their design of a fire-safe multiple socket: Team FISEGO (Sophia Reiter, and Johannes Steube; not pictured Fabian Goedert)
Prizes worth €6,000
A jury of six experts will now select the three winners, who can win prizes worth a total of €6,000. They will be judged according to various criteria, including how new and unusual the project idea is, how it was developed and documented and which materials were used. The judges attach particular importance to aspects of sustainability.
Ten projects were nominated for the PAUL Award 2023 at the beginning of October. I myself am looking forward to the award ceremony. On December 1, we will find out who will take home the trophies in 2023. That's when the award ceremony will take place at the Spreespeicher in Berlin. We at the FED are looking forward to a festive evening and to celebrating the next generation of electronics engineers and giving them the stage they deserve.
And then it's "After the PAUL is before the PAUL". The award will enter its fourth round in 2025.
