Exceptional research topics, outstanding dissertations and particular social commitment – every year, Paderborn University recognises the particular achievements of its students and young research talent. Eleven academics received awards at this year’s New Year’s reception. As well as awards from the University Executive Board, prizes were also conferred by the University Society and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).
The Paderborn University Research Award, which supports outstanding projects and bold scientific ideas, went to Professor Claus Reinsberger, neurologist and head of the Department of Sports Medicine, and Dr.-Ing. Tanuj Hasija of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology. The researchers have developed an innovative system for a device worn on the wrist (a ‘wearable’) that predicts epileptic seizures in real time. Their project received prize money of 150,000 euros.
Outstanding dissertations honoured
On behalf of the University Executive Board, Vice-President for Research and Junior Academics Professor Johannes Blömer awarded prize money of 2,000 euros each to five researchers for their outstanding dissertations. Business information specialist Dr. Philipp zur Heiden was recognised for his work on conceptualising location information on digital platforms, mechanical engineer Dr.-Ing. Florian Hengsbach received the award for his project entitled ‘Developing a CrMoVW hot-work steel with optimised weldability for additive manufacturing', and physicist Dr. Maximilian Protte was acknowledged for his research in the field of mesoscopic quantum optics. Cultural studies scholar Dr. Alexandra Krebs completed a dissertation researching history in a digital context and historical learning in the ‘App in die Geschichte’ app, and Dr. Anna Kamneva-Wortmann was awarded the prize for her work entitled ‘Fashion networks – fashion flocks, spatial coordination and time synchronisation in vestimentary cultures with bottom-up organisational structures’.
Prizes for outstanding final projects and international students
As the chairman of the University Society, Professor Andreas Siebe conferred awards to two students for their exceptional final projects. Prizes of 1,300 euros each were granted to Johanna Rothgänger in the category ‘Engineering and science’ and Yolanda Schmidt in the category ‘Humanities and social sciences including business science’. The University Society’s prize for exceptional expert achievement and huge social commitment by an international student was awarded to Michele Tomea Mallorquin.
The DAAD also awards a funding prize to one international student per university per year. Professor Torsten Meier, Vice-President for International Relations at Paderborn University, presented this year’s award to Thao Le Nguyen, who studies at the Faculty of Business Administration and Economics.
