January 8, 2025
At the ceremony of the Fraunhofer HHI Young Scientist Award “Die Eule” at the Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institute (HHI), two PhD researchers were honored for their work, which impressed with both outstanding scientific quality and exceptionally strong impact in their respective fields of research.
The prize is sponsored and awarded by the Society of Friends of the Heinrich-Hertz-Institute e.V. In the current award round, the jury faced a particularly challenging decision. A total of five papers with excellent ratings were considered for the award, with two papers standing out. It was therefore decided to present two “Owls.”
Milan Deumer, PhD: Advances in terahertz research
Milan Deumer has further developed continuously operating terahertz systems by several orders of magnitude. His results have been published in 29 publications, leading to high scientific visibility and enabling the acquisition of extensive industry- and publicly funded projects.
Robert Emmerich, PhD: More efficient use of optical networks
Robert Emmerich focused on the more efficient use of existing optical networks. With five patents and 66 publications, he made a significant contribution to the international visibility of his field. In addition, prototypes based on his research results were successfully delivered to renowned customers in Japan, Great Britain, Germany, China, and Belgium.
The “Eule” as a symbol of scientific excellence
The “Eule” goes back to the ancient symbolism of the owl of Athena, which stands for intelligence and wisdom. It has been awarded to Fraunhofer HHI researchers whose work is characterized by novelty, inventiveness, and economic relevance. The Society of Friends of the Heinrich-Hertz-Institute e.V. was founded in 1924. It was established for the purpose of founding, maintaining, and supporting an institute for scientific and technical research in the fields of electrical, acoustic, and mechanical vibrations, and today contributes to its scientific and societal visibility.
With the double award, the jury emphasizes the exceptional quality of the submitted work and recognizes the lasting impact of the research conducted by Milan Deumer and Robert Emmerich.