Presentation of the 2020 and 2021 sponsorship awards: Two award winners nominated by Schmalkalden University and honored by the VDWF
On October 20, Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, the city of Schmalkalden and the Society of Friends and Sponsors of Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences held their annual reception. At this event, the selection committee of the university and the Association of German Moldmakers and Toolmakers awarded the sponsorship prizes for 2020 and 2021. VDWF member and Formconsult Managing Director Stephan Hoffmann took over the laudationes and presented the awards to the two young engineers Samuel Werner and Julian Gundelwein in front of around 150 guests in the university's auditorium building.
"For the Association of German Moldmakers and Toolmakers and also the training committee of the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, it is always a real pleasure to see how research and science - in and for the region - are driven forward by many young people from the most diverse subject areas in the interests of the industry," explains Prof. Dr. Thomas Seul, Vice President for Transfer at the Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences and President of the VDWF. Many companies in the industry rely on these new minds, inquisitive players who also stand for the permanent transfer of the latest research results to the companies. Therefore, he said, it is a matter of concern for the VDWF to award outstanding theses here, and at the same time an honor to be able to do so within the framework of the university's annual reception.
Honors in a festive setting
After the welcoming speeches by Dr. Wolfgang Ramsteck, Chancellor of the University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden, and Thomas Kaminski, Mayor of the City of Schmalkalden, and the keynote speech by Prof. Dr. Gundolf Baier, President of the University of Applied Sciences Schmalkalden, the official awarding of the two prize winners followed in a festive setting and in front of around 150 invited guests.
First, Samuel Werner was honored with the Förderpreis 2020 for his master's thesis "Development of a safety clamp for infusion pumps". Werner enrolled in the summer semester of 2018 and completed his studies at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences in September 2019 with an overall grade of 1.2. His master's thesis was written in collaboration with B. Braun AG in Melsungen and supervised by Prof. Stefan Roth. The result of the master's thesis is in industrial implementation and represents as an example of successful and innovative collaboration between university and industry in the highly challenging field of medical technology. Samuel Werner continues to pursue his scientific career and is currently conducting research in a cooperative doctoral program at Schmalkalden University in the field of product development and design.
Julian Gundelwein was awarded the 2021 sponsorship prize for his bachelor's thesis "Condensation of siloxanes and their removal". Gundelwein enrolled in the winter semester 2017/18 and completed his studies at Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences in March 2021 with an overall grade of 1.7. His bachelor thesis was written in collaboration with Caldatrac Industrieofenbau GmbH in Höchheim and supervised by Prof. Robert Pietzsch. In this context, the graduate's creative, efficient and independent way of working deserves special mention.
"For Europe and Germany as a manufacturing location, the training of young executives is a fundamental building block," Stephan Hoffmann explained in his laudatory speech. He added that it is precisely the young engineers who leave universities full of drive and confidence with their diploma in their pockets who are the guarantors that new products, processes and also ways of thinking will find their way into private and professional life.
