Young Scientists Award
The Young Scientists Award honours outstanding achievements at HTW Dresden in the field of applied research. Researchers at HTW Dresden and ZAFT e.V. who have started a cooperative doctoral project or completed their doctorate no more than one year ago are eligible to apply. The jury consists of the members of the Senate Commission for Research of HTW Dresden.
The deadlines for submitting applications for the HTW Dresden Young Scientists Award 2025 will be announced in spring 2025. Further information and documents for submission will be available here then.
Young Scientists Award 2024
Chemical engineer Philipp Scherhag is this year's winner of the HTW Dresden's Young Scientists Award. He was awarded the prize of 1,000 euros for his doctoral project entitled Purification of industrial wastewater with microalgae and investigation of a recyclable material production process.
The award-winning research topic
In the fight against climate change and with the aim of utilising resources more efficiently, the concept of the circular economy is seen as a solution. Waste streams are utilised as raw materials for new production processes. In his approach, Mr Scherhag uses microalgae to convert nutrients from wastewater into useful products. Specifically, he uses the extremophilic red algae Galdieria sulphuraria, which can live in extreme environments such as acidic or hot water. This alga can absorb sugars from wastewater and at the same time produce a valuable blue dye called phycocyanin (PC), which is used in the food, cosmetics and medical industries. Mr Scherhag's research aims to use the process to produce valuable biomass during the purification of wastewater in the food industry.
With his contribution to optimising the use of resources, the chemical engineer was able to convince the jury in both evaluation rounds. At the Young Scientists Symposium, he presented a functioning bioreactor to illustrate his research topic to the audience. „The young researchers and their doctoral theses at our university are an important part of our innovative strength. Their tireless dedication and creativity not only drive progress in their respective disciplines, but also make a significant contribution to solving global challenges. I would like to express my sincere thanks for this,“ said Professor Göbel, Vice-Rector for Research, Sustainability and Transfer, in recognition of the finalists’ contributions.
The second and third-placed entries
Florian Franke qualified in second place with his doctoral project on Spatial temporal dynamics of fluids and tissues: discrete vs continuous modelling. In his work, Mr Franke develops and optimises mathematical models for the simulation of biofluids - a variety of cells that act like liquids. With the help of these models, the mathematician can, for example, make more realistic predictions about the growth of tumours, which enables doctors to treat cancer more efficiently. He received the prize of 500 euros for his work. Third place went to Lars Baldauf from the faculty of Agriculture/Environment/Chemistry. In his doctoral project on Floating vegetation stands, he is investigating which alternative and ecologically compatible materials can be used to create floating bodies for floating islands. These floating vegetation structures are modular solutions that enable the renaturalisation of a body of water even under limited spatial conditions.
The award ceremony took place for the tenth time at HTW Dresden. The winners were honoured by Professor Salchert and Professor Göbel during the Dies Academicus on 5th June 2024. On the evening before, the young researchers answered questions from an interested audience at the Young Scientists Symposium.
Impressions of the Young Scientists Award 2024
Award winners of the past years
Award winner (1. place): Lucas Kurzweg
Topic: Untersuchungen zur Transformation von polymeren Materialien – Tribologie, Kohäsion, Adhäsion und Transport in mehrphasigen aquatischen Systemen
Faculty: Agriculture/Environment/Chemistry
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Kathrin Harre
awarded: 07.06.2023
Award Winner (1st price): Dr. Philipp Otter
Topic: "Solar-powered electrolytic oxidizer production for decentralized water treatment and its economic feasibility in developing regions" (dt. Solarbetriebene elektrolytische Oxidationsmittelproduktion für die dezentrale Wasseraufbereitung und dessen wirtschaftliche Machbarkeit in Entwicklungsregionen)
Faculty: Civil Engineering
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Thomas Grischek
Awarded: 01.06.2022
Award Winners: Franziska Bielefeldt und Lisa Obst
Topic: "Service robot use in inpatient geriatric care. Explorative analysis of relevant factors, taking into account various stakeholder perspectives as well as work-science analyses of a company in this service industry" (dt. Servicerobotereinsatz in der stationären Altenpflege. Explorative Analyse relevanter Faktoren unter Berücksichtigung diverser Stakeholderperspektiven sowie arbeitswissenschaftlicher Analysen eines Unternehmens dieser Dienstleistungsbranche)
Fakultät: Business Administration
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Rüdiger von der Weth
Awarded: 22.06.2021
Award Winner: Marcel Mokbel
Topic: "An ALE model for simulations of elastic surfaces in flow" (dt. Ein ALE Modell für Simulationen von elastischen Oberflächen in Strömung)
Faculty: Informatics / Mathematics
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Sebastian Aland
Awarded: 04.07.2020
Award Winner: Dr. Sebastian Paufler
Topic: "Studies on the control of manganese concentration in bank filtration and subsurface iron removal/de-manganization" (dt. Untersuchungen zur Steuerung der Mangankonzentration bei der Uferfiltration und Unterirdischen Enteisenung/Entmanganung)
Faculty: Civil Engineering
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thomas Grischek
Awarded: 05.06.2019
Award Winner: Dr. Claudia Scharff
Topic: "Influence of electromagnetic radiation on growth and metabolic processes in microalgae from the Chlorophyta department" (dt. Einfluss elektromagnetischer Strahlung auf Wachstums- und Stoffwechselprozesse bei Mikroalgen aus der Abteilung Chlorophyta)
Faculty: Agriculture/Environment/Chemistry
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Dr. agr. Fritz-Gerald Schröder
Awarded: 06.06.2018
Award Winner: Dr. Thomas Neumann
Topic: „Reconstruction, Analysis, and Editing of dynamically deforming 3D-Surfaces“ (dt. „Rekonstruktion, Analyse und Editierung dynamisch deformierter 3D-Oberflächen“)
Faculty: Informatics / Mathematics
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Markus Wacker
Awarded: 14.06.2017
Award Winner: Loreen Pogrzeba
Topic: "Therapy analysis with markerless motion capturing using the example of Swedish function oriented music therapy" (dt. "Gesundheit nach Maß: Bewegungsanalyse in Therapie und Rehabilitation")
Faculty: Informatics / Mathematics
Doctoral Supervision at the HTW Dresden: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Markus Wacker
Awarded: 01.06.2016
Award winner: Michael Kuntzsch
Topic: Optische Synchronisation und Elektronenstrahldiagnose am Linearbeschleuniger ELBE
Faculty: Electrical Engineering
Doctoral supervision at the HTW Dresden:
Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Wilfried Klix
awarded: 03.06.2015
