Friedrich Wilhelm Prizes 2024
Professor Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, honoured 22 outstanding graduates with the Friedrich Wilhelm Prize 2024. ©Andreas Schmitter
Three individuals, distinguished for their academic excellence, were recognized as winners of the Friedrich Wilhelm Prizes for their exemplary final theses, which were developed under the auspices of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.
Christian Fester, a research assistant at the Chair of Transmission Grids and Energy Economics at RWTH Aachen University, was awarded recognition for his master’s thesis, entitled ‘Validation and further development of a method for topology optimisation of the German transmission grid using real operational planning data’. The thesis provides innovative impulses for the integration of the optimisation of switching operations into the preview processes in the German transmission grid.
Following the completion of his Bachelor’s degree at RWTH Aachen University, Maximilian Henri Vincent Tillmann proceeded to undertake the T.I.M.E. Double Degree Programme, which enabled him to obtain a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and Keio University. His thesis, which was awarded the Friedrich Wilhelm Prize, is entitled ‘Investigation on Autoencoder Models for Online System Identification’.
In recognition of his academic achievements, Dr Eduard Heidebrecht was also honoured for his dissertation, entitled ‘Alternative Concepts for Wideband Doherty Power Amplifiers’. His research is conducted at the Chair of High Frequency Electronics at RWTH Aachen University, where it is primarily focused on nonlinear efficient PA design, specializing in wideband Doherty power amplifier (DPA) design across CMOS, MMIC, and hybrid systems from sub-6 GHz to mmWave frequencies.
The Friedrich Wilhelm Prize is bestowed by the foundation bearing the same name, which was established in 1865 by the legal predecessor of the present-day Generali Deutschland. The foundation’s principal objective is to advance research and academic education, and to provide support for students and scholars at RWTH.
The foundation takes its name from Prussian Crown Prince and later Emperor Frederick William III. In 1858, he received a donation of 5,000 thalers from the Aachener und Münchener Feuer-Versicherungs-Gesellschaft for the purpose of establishing a polytechnic institute in the Rhineland. This donation constituted the basis for the Friedrich Wilhelm Foundation, which in turn laid the foundation for RWTH Aachen University.
Otto Junker Prizes 2024
Wolfgang Bleck (on the left), Udo von Berg (on the right) and Ulrich Rüdiger (second from right) extended their congratulations to the award winners Jan Krusenbaum (second from left), Gerrit Ipers (third from left), Daniel Baggen (fourth from left) and Moritz Diewald (third from right). ©Andreas Schmitter
At this year’s Otto Junker Award ceremony, two outstanding young talents, Daniel Baggen and Gerrit Ipers, from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, were honoured for their outstanding academic achievements.
Daniel Baggen, born in Aachen in 2000, commenced the Bachelor’s degree programme in Electrical Engineering, Information Technology and Computer Engineering at RWTH Aachen University following the completion of his Abitur at Städtisches Gymnasium Herzogenrath. He completed his Master’s degree with a thesis on “the design and commissioning of a highly integrated DC-DC converter for the production of green hydrogen” at the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives under the supervision of Professor Rik W. De Doncker. Since November 2023, Baggen has been working as a doctoral student in the field of power electronics.
Gerrit Ipers, aged 27, was born in Viersen. Subsequent to his graduation from the Liebfrauenschule Mülhausen in Grefrath, he first completed a Bachelor’s and thereafter a Master’s degree in industrial engineering, with a specialisation in electrical power engineering, at the RWTH Aachen University. He authored his master’s thesis, entitled “Rapid Prediction of Electro-Chemo-Mechanical Degradation of Li-Ion Batteries for End-of-Life Options”, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA. Prior to this, he completed the T.I.M.E. double master’s programme at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. He was supervised by Professor Dirk Uwe Sauer, also from the Institute for Power Electronics and Electrical Drives at RWTH Aachen University. Since May 2023, Ipers has been employed as a technical project manager at a Swedish automotive supplier.
Moritz Diewald, from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering in the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, impressed the jury with his Master’s thesis, in which he investigated sub-stoichiometric combustion as part of multi-stage flameless oxidation, using both numerical and experimental techniques. In the same department, Jan Krusenbaum was honoured for his Master’s thesis entitled “Thermal conditioning of Li-ion battery shredders as part of a novel recycling process: Effects of the process gas atmosphere and other determinants on the recovery of the critical element lithium”.
The awards were bestowed at a celebratory ceremony. Udo von Berg, Chairman of the Otto Junker Foundation, and Ulrich Rüdiger, Rector of RWTH Aachen University, presented the awards. Professor Wolfgang Bleck, who holds the title of Professor Emeritus and serves as Chairman of the Foundation’s Scientific Advisory Board, extended congratulations on the occasion.
The awards, which are named in honour of the foundation’s founder, Dr. Otto Junker, are bestowed annually upon the most distinguished graduates of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and the Materials Science and Engineering Group, which is part of the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering. The foundation, which was established in 1970, is dedicated to the advancement of young scientists and provides substantial support for a multitude of individual research projects.
The exceptional accomplishments of these four graduates not only exemplify their individual excellence but also reflect positively on RWTH Aachen University as an institution of higher educations that nurtures outstanding individuals. We would like to extend our sincerest congratulations to Daniel Baggen, Gerrit Ipers, Moritz Diewald and Jan Krusenbaum on this well-deserved recognition. We wish them continued success in their promising careers.
Day of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology 2024
After five and a half years in the role of Dean of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm (left) was given a ceremonial farewell. The farewell was given by Managing Director Martina Dahm (right) and the new Dean of the Faculty, Professor Albert Moser (centre). © Martin Braun
On the 25th Day of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (TDEI), which took place on 22 November 2024, we presented our success this year and once again brought together companies, students, faculty members and graduates.
The Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at RWTH Aachen University has a longstanding reputation as an institution that produces highly qualified and responsible engineers, a reputation that has been established over the course of five decades. This is corroborated by the faculty’s consistent performance in national and international rankings, in which it consistently ranks at the top. The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Albert Moser, commenced proceedings at the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Day with a review of the preceding year and the welcoming of new professors to the Faculty team.
From right: Professor Alber Moser with Professor Volkmar Schulz © Martin Braun
Professor Volkmar Schulz’s expertise in the field of image processing enriches the research in biomedical engineering. He previously led the “Physics of Molecular Imaging” group at the Institute for Experimental Molecular Imaging and is now the head of the Institute of Imaging and Computer Vision at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, a role he assumed in September 2024.
From right: Professor Simon Steentjes and Professor Albert Moser © Martin Braun
Professor Simon Steentjes had been pursuing the objective of returning to RWTH Aachen University for a considerable period of time, as part of his personal mission.
„Working with young minds fosters fresh ideas that keep me attuned to current developments. It’s wonderful being back in teaching“, says Professor Steentjes, who assumed the role of head of the Institute of Electrical Machines and Chair in Electromagnetic Energy Conversion in October.
Having previously held leading positions at Audi AG and the Hilti Group, Professor Steentjes has many years of experience in the industry.
Professor Peter Jax © Martin Braun
Another item on the programme was the report presented by the Dean of Studies, Professor Peter Jax, who is also the Head of the Institute of Communication Systems. Based on the results of quantitative surveys, he conducted an analysis of the academic teaching provided within the degree programmes offered by the faculty, identifying potential areas for further development.
Subsequently, Professor Jax presented the Team Award, which was bestowed upon Cinar Algül, Maxim Klosa and Wenjie Zeng for their exemplary contributions. The three students had demonstrated outstanding performance in their work on the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology project, entitled MATLAB meets Lego Mindstorms.
Best Bachelor Award winner Fritz Stracke © Martin Braun
One of the key factors contributing to success is the constructive collaboration with other companies, which provides students with the opportunity to engage in and contribute to challenging projects and theses. At the TDEI event, Gold sponsor Intravis participated in an interview. Furthermore, the Rohde & Schwarz Best Bachelor Award was bestowed upon Fritz Stracke in the current academic year. The student, who is also distinguished by his dedication to the student council for electrical engineering and information technology, was recognized for his bachelor’s thesis, entitled “Investigation of the bare-metal support of Rst Unikernels in heterogeneous computing systems”.
Another noteworthy feature of the event was the keynote address delivered by Professor Andreas Hierlemann from ETH Zurich, entitled “Interfacing with brain cells at subcellular resolution”. The interview with Professor Sven Ingebrandt, Head of the Institute of Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 at RWTH Aachen University, and the presentation of the key visual and the institute’s projects also provided valuable insights.
The graduation ceremony marked the traditional conclusion of the event. After the graduates were introduced by name on stage, the Dean congratulated each of them on their academic success.
Professor Antonello Monti expressed his gratitude to the students in a unique manner. He once caused a great deal of excitement at the TDEI 2019 with a surprise performance. In the current year, he reappeared on the stage in the company of the ERC Band. Two musical compositions, “Knockin on E.ON’s Door” and “AC to Hell”, were presented as part of the performance.
We would like to express our gratitude to all faculty members and assistants, as well as the RWTH International Academy, for their contributions to the organisation and implementation of the Electrical Engineering and Information Technology Day.
Further details regarding TDEI 2024, along with photographic documentation of the event, can be accessed on the official website.
Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm recieves SMPTE “Digital Processing Medal”
In recognition of his leading role in the development of several highly successful MPEG and ITU video compression standards, Professor Jens-Rainer Ohm receives a ‘Digital Processing Medal’.
This is awarded by the SOCIETY OF MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION ENGINEERS, SMPTE for short.
Professor Ohm has been an active member of MPEG since 1998 and has chaired the MPEG Video Subgroup for the past 16 years. He co-chaired the Joint Video Team (JVT) that developed the H.264/MPEG AVC standard. As co-chair of the Joint Collaborative Team (JCT), he oversaw the development of the H.265/HEVC standard. He also co-chaired and eventually chaired the Joint Video Experts Team (JVET), which developed and further improved the H.266/VVC standard.
The AVC and HEVC standards co-developed by Professor Ohm have received three Emmy Awards for their broad application in the delivery of video content.
We congratulate Professor Ohm on this well-deserved honour.
Birthday edition of the RWTH Science Night ‘5 to 12’
The magnetic globe rotates weightlessly on its own axis – just like in outer space
For the 20th time, RWTH Aachen University offered a glimpse behind the scenes. This time, 7,200 visitors, including many children, came to the C.A.R.L. auditorium between 6 p.m. and midnight to experience the world of research at close quarters.
What started out as a modest idea to present science at an unusual time, in an entertaining way and free of charge to anyone interested, has grown over the past 20 years into a mega-event that not only attracts thousands of guests, but also inspires the members of the university involved. Once again, the team of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology welcomed curious children of all ages and were on hand to help them with experiments.
With questions such as “Why isn’t the light on now?”, “How does that work?” or “Can I do one more experiment?” younger children followed their natural urge to discover new things.
The programme included reconstructing electrical circuits where they could visualise electric current as light or movement. They made switches, explored the magnetic and thermal effects of electricity, learned to distinguish between conductors and non-conductors, and finally became familiar with electricity.
Faculty members provide support when experimenting with electric circuits
Older children ‘already had this at school’ and enjoyed putting their theoretical knowledge to the test. But adults also found their way to our station, taking the opportunity to generate lightning with the influencing machine, thoughtfully lingering in front of the floating globe, or attentively studying the model of the power distribution network set up by the Chair of Automation of Complex Power Systems. The joy of experiencing research and progress together is clearly at the centre of the Science Night.
„We want to show in an entertaining way what RWTH has to offer – and in such a way that everyone who wants to know something can understand it,’ said Rector Ulrich Rüdiger.
The potential of the Science Night is therefore even greater, as it represents an important interface where the direct transfer of knowledge takes place in a social and cultural context. In line with the motto ‘from the laboratories to the people’, it makes an important contribution to promoting proximity between science and society.
The station of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Information Technology, equipped with numerous child-friendly experiments
The programme for this year’s Science Night took place in ten lecture halls and numerous seminar rooms. There were over 80 shows and lectures, experiments, talks and discussions. From Artificial Intelligence (the experts from the RWTH’s AI Centre had brought along the robot ‘Pepper’ for support) to the ‘Physics Fair’, from the latest information on the US elections and the spectacular ‘Fascination of High Voltage’ to the circular economy, floating Teslas and the construction site of the future. The range of topics was as colourful and diverse as the RWTH itself.
Further information on the programme, as well as impressions and experiences of the organisers – Department of Press and Communication, Section 3.2 – can be accessed via the links.
Professor Leonhardt admitted to the National Academy of Science and Engineering
acatech
Berlin, 15.10.2024
Foto: ©Svea Pietschmann
On 10 October 2023, Professor Steffen Leonhardt was admitted to the National Academy of Science and Engineering together with 38 other leading scientists.
On the occasion of the General Assembly and the acatech ceremony 2024 in Berlin, he was now able to receive his membership certificate.
Acatech is an association of elected experts dedicated to providing independent, fact-based and public interest-oriented advice to policymakers and society. Its aim is to promote sustainable growth through innovation.
We congratulate him on taking up this important honorary position.
‘Colloquium Biomedical Engineering and Related Fields’ – Invitation to the current lecture
The lecture, entitled ‘Electrical impedance of muscle: from muscular dystrophy to Mars’, will be moderated by Professor Steffen Leonhardt, Chair holder of the Medical Information Technology (MedIT) at the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, on Wednesday, 25 September 2024.
In his presentation, Dr Seward B. Rutkove, Nancy Lurie Marks Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School Chair, Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, will talk about innovations in the field of skeletal muscle electrical impedance. His lecture will focus on primary disorders that impact muscle, including muscular dystrophies, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscle injury and the effects of unloading, such as those caused by microgravity or partial gravity. He will then discuss methods and technologies for measurement, and review the data collected in a wide range of conditions in both human and animal models.
„It is necessary to clarify which analytical approaches are currently available and in which direction future research will go“,
indicates Dr Rutkove in his abstract, setting the scene for the discussion that will follow.
The ‘Colloquium on Biomedical Engineering and Related Areas’ is a regular series of events organised by RWTH Aachen University. The objective of the series is to facilitate interdisciplinary education in these fields and to encourage the interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.
A cordial invitation is extended to all students, clinicians, engineers and scientists to attend this illuminating lecture and engage in discourse with experts in the field of biomedical engineering.
The event will take place from 5 to 5:45 pm at the Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering at RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstraße 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany, seminar room 2.70. It will be coordinated by Prof. Dr. Klaus Radermacher, Chair of Medical Engineering, RWTH Aachen University. For further information please contact the secretariat at meditec@hia.rwth-aachen.de or call +49-(0)241-80 23870.
Who run the work? – Team ÜEW
From left: Stefanie Samaan, Ricarda Kriete, Carolin Guntermann, Sophia Tepe, Lina Fischer, Muriel Krüger, Jana Einsiedle, Claire Lambriex ©Martin Braun
A look at the team from the chair of Transmission Grids and Energy Economics at the Institute of High Voltage Equipment and Grids, Digitalization and Energy Economics (IAEW) presents a pleasing picture for the field of electrical engineering: almost a third of its researchers are female.
The share of women in engineering has increased in recent years, and female engineers are a natural part of an institute team. All of the female researchers in the team have completed a degree in the field of electrical engineering and then decided to complete a doctorate at the university and start their professional career here. Of course, working in electrical engineering requires a certain interest in science and technology, but the key to success and fun is usually the curiosity to understand new things.
We are always motivated by the question: ‘How does this work?’, says Lina Fischer, who is researching a robust planning model for the future energy system.
The next step is simply to have the bravery to actively pursue these questions – even if it means venturing into the unknown.
© Martin Braun
Everyone at the IAEW is driven by the vision of researching and developing solutions for the energy transition. The work at the chair of Transmission Grids and Energy Economics is primarily focusing the question:
„How should we design the future energy system so that it is environmentally friendly, reliable and economically efficient?“
This covers a wide range of interesting aspects. For example, lot of research is done on how the large amounts of energy from photovoltaic and wind energy plants, as well as alternative energy sources such as hydrogen, can be integrated into the current energy system. The transmission grid for electricity is essential for this. It can be seen in everyday life, for example, by the high-voltage power lines running alongside the freeways. The transmission grid enables electricity transport over long distances and thus the transport of large amounts of energy from wind turbines in northern Germany to regions with high electricity consumption. Current projects at the chair are investigating how the transmission grid needs to be expanded and operated in the future in order to facilitate the energy transition. Research is also ongoing in determining the locations where power lines to offshore wind turbines in the North and Baltic Seas should be connected to the grid or where large electrolysis plants for the production of hydrogen should be positioned. In addition to the technical aspects of the components, these studies must also take economic aspects into account, such as the costs arising from investments or possible congestions in the transmission grid.
In general, the consideration of economic and market aspects plays a major role in the transformation of the energy system. European efforts to further strengthen electricity trading between the individual countries are leading to increasing electricity exchanges in Europe and thus to further challenges for the transmission grid. The chair is therefore developing methods and models to simulate the European electricity markets. In this way, various future developments can be examined and their potential impact on market participants and the transmission grid can be analyzed.
A further focus of the chair is to deal with innovative concepts that will ensure the secure and reliable operation of transmission grids in the future and thus protect against blackouts. To this end, models and processes must be developed that can represent and investigate the dynamic system behavior of transmission grids and their components under changing conditions.
© Martin Braun
When you think of working at a university institute, your first thoughts usually revolve around working solely on your own research project. This often gives a false impression of work life at an institute, especially in the field of engineering. Work at the IAEW is characterized above all by the variety of different projects with both research and industrial partners. This allows you to get to know different topics and to gain a wide range of experience. You are often involved from the very beginning of the projects through working on them on to the presentation of the results. The different project teams make the collaboration very varied. In addition to scientific knowledge, your time at the institute gives you the opportunity to acquire a range of skills that qualify you for management positions in the industry.
Of course, you also experience many other things that make working at the institute worthwhile.
“In particular, the joint activities with other young colleagues after work, various institute traditions, parties and sporting events are all part of it.”
Notably, the IAEW also offers the opportunity to gain insight into the institute and its research topics through student assistant jobs or a thesis.
Be inspired and find your own way!
On our website we inform you about our study programmes.
School’s out! – What next?
© Martin Braun
Which study programme is right for me? And what will my working life look like?
During the orientation phase, we develop a first picture of our future professional life. This image is shaped by various influences, usually from our immediate environment: What are my parents’ professions? What did my teacher advise me to study? But as individual as we are, the possibilities are just as varied – and the more often we take the opportunity to gain an insight into different professions, the wider our field of vision becomes and the clearer our personal path appears.
The researchers at the Institute for High Voltage Equipment and Grids, Digitalization and Energy Economics (IAEW) at RWTH Aachen University share their professional and personal experiences in three articles. The scientists, each team work in one of the institute’s three chairs, have different research focuses. However, they all have one goal in common: to integrate their ideas into people’s lives and thus advance our society.
Among other things, they address the following questions:
- How can large amounts of energy from photovoltaic and wind power plants be integrated into our electricity system in the future?
- What challenges will arise from the increasing share of renewable energies and flexible consumers such as heat pumps and electric cars?
- What is necessary to ensure a reliable energy supply and to avoid blackouts?
What else will the scientists share with you:
- How do typical researchers think? Do they work alone on their own research projects?
- What are the career prospects after a PhD? Do science and business exclude each other?
- When did the desire to become an electrical engineer arise, what is a typical working day like and what role does work-life balance play?
© Martin Braun
Be inspired and find your own way!
On our website we inform you about our study programmes.
Team AixSense successful in the SensUs competition 2024
This years AixSense team at the SensUs competition 2024 ©RWTH
The RWTH team impresses with its biosensor for monitoring kidney failure
For the seventh time already, the 15 students of the AixSense team successfully took part in the SensUs competition, organised by Eindhoven University of Technology. This year, 18 teams competed against each other in the international competition with their point-of-care (PoC) biosensor solutions for the real-time detection of creatinine for monitoring acute kidney failure. The AixSense team also included 3 students from the Japanese partner university Tokyo Institute of Technology.
This year, AixSense won three out of five categories with its PoC and also took second place in the technological innovation and technical feasibility categories. Particularly noteworthy is the performance in the area of public relations and scientific communication: the team from Aachen received the Vlog Award for their video diary and AixSense also won the public voting for the Public Inspirations Award.
The Institute for Materials in Electrical Engineering 1 at RWTH Aachen University has been involved in the competition since 2018. Every year, Professor Sven Ingebrandt and Dr. Vivek Pachauri put together a team from various degree programmes. The team is supported by various structures and profile areas at RWTH, such as the Lab center for micro and nanotechnology (ZMNT), which advises the team on technical issues.
The annual competition encourages international and interdisciplinary collaboration in fields such as electrical engineering and micro-nanotechnology, transformative materials, biology, engineering and medical sciences, among others.
Interested parties can apply for the SensUs 2025 competition at pachauri@iwe1.rwth-aachen.de until November 2024.
