On February 19, the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft awarded the Hugo Geiger Prize for outstanding doctoral theses in applied research. The prize is awarded annually to three young researchers who have completed their work in close cooperation with a Fraunhofer Institute.
The prize money amounts to 2,000 - 5,000 €. The winners, three young researchers from Freising, Munich and Aachen, were recognized for their innovative and practice-oriented work.
Third place went to Dr. Sarah Klein, Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT, with her doctoral thesis on the further development of high-power fiber lasers and laser diodes with the aim of improving the efficiency, durability and susceptibility to errors of these laser sources.
Second place went to Dr. Patricia Erhard, Fraunhofer Institute for Casting, Composite and Processing Technology IGCV, who further developed a process for the 3D printing of ceramic casting cores. Instead of using sand, she applies a ceramic suspension layer by layer and prints it with a binder, which enables finer surface structures, higher temperature stability and strength. This sustainable approach can also be used in industries such as aerospace and medical technology.
Dr. Kerstin Müller, Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, was awarded first place. In her doctoral thesis, she developed an innovative approach to producing thermoplastics from plant cellulose. Dr. Müller not only optimized the thermoplasticity in the laboratory, but also developed an industrial manufacturing process that enables material production on a large scale. Possible applications include ecological products such as tree covers, pots and clips in the agricultural sector as well as furniture and molded parts for indoor use.
