From overly hot city centres to technically sophisticated insect traps and a replica of the nave roof truss of Regensburg Cathedral: OTH Regensburg graduates showcased the university's wide range of research at the Science Award ceremony. The prize from the Association of Friends of OTH Regensburg e.V., which has been awarded since 2017 and is endowed with 500 euros each, was presented at a ceremony on Tuesday, 15 October. Prof. Dr Oliver Steffens, Vice President of OTH Regensburg for Research and International Affairs, welcomed around 100 guests and explained what was important when selecting the award winners: ‘The jury focused on the transfer and cooperation with companies or civil society institutions and perspectives on the transferability of the relevant content into practice.’
Just how successful this was was demonstrated by the guests in attendance: in addition to members of the university, representatives of the city of Regensburg and various companies, some of which were involved in the final theses in co-operation, were also present.
Michael Thurner, Chairman of the Association of Friends of OTH Regensburg e.V., emphasised what made this evening so special in his welcoming address: ‘Today, the most important people are taking centre stage: the graduates. They have not only presented particularly good theses, they have their say here and present the results of their work.’
In ten minutes each, the prizewinners presented the challenging topic of their thesis, its elaboration and the result in a way that everyone could understand.
This year's award winners and their topics
In his bachelor's thesis in the Building Climatology programme (Faculty of Architecture), Jakob Hötzinger dealt with the topic ‘Analysis of the microclimate in Maximilianstraße in Regensburg - investigation of the air temperature and thermal comfort in the outdoor space for various scenarios using computer-aided simulation’. Based on his calculations, he came to the conclusion that there is potential to reduce the temperature in Maximilianstraße through greening measures.
Corinna Kainz and Eva-Maria Mader dealt with the topic of ‘Static-constructive investigation of St. Peter's Cathedral in Regensburg with static calculation of the various roof systems, verification of the nodal points and analysis of the erection process’ in their Master's thesis in the Building in Existing Contexts programme (Faculty of Civil Engineering). To this end, the two women had painstakingly built a model of the nave roof truss.
In her Master's thesis in the Leadership and Communication Management degree programme (Faculty of Social and Health Sciences), Corinna Scheibenzuber examined the ‘Future of youth association work: challenges and opportunities for action from the perspective of volunteer and full-time leaders of the CAJ youth association’. She posed the question of how youth organisation work can become more attractive for volunteers and developed several ideas on how this can be implemented in practice.
Leo Scherer dealt with insect traps in his Master's thesis at the Sensory Application Centre (SappZ) of the Faculty of Natural and Cultural Sciences. In his thesis ‘Study of a Capacitive Measurement System for the Detection of Insects in Traps’, he developed a sensory pest control system that recognises cockroaches as soon as they are on the trap.
In his Master's thesis in the Computer Science programme (Faculty of Computer Science and Mathematics), Maximilian Siedlaczek implemented an immediately usable software for a company. In his thesis on the ‘Development of a forecasting tool in the context of material planning for a system provider in the construction supply industry’, he demonstrated the potential for optimisation in the planning of stock levels at various locations.
Sjusanna Scholz scrutinised the topic of ‘Boundary Spanning in Humanitarian Aid’ in her Bachelor's thesis in the International Relations and Management degree programme (Faculty of Applied Natural and Cultural Sciences). She showed strategies on how cultural and language barriers in humanitarian aid can be overcome for more effective cooperation.
There was a great deal of interest in the award winners afterwards. During a lively exchange, they discussed the implementation and results of their work with the guests.
The Science Award:
The Science Award has been presented by the Verein der Freunde der OTH Regensburg e.V. since 2017 and recognises graduates from various disciplines for their outstanding theses. The award includes a prize of 500 euros each and a free annual membership of the Friends' Association. The award winners were selected by an independent jury, which recognised the quality and innovative content of the work.
