VDMA
The 2021 winners (l-to-r): Dr. Martin Hengstermann, Irina Kuznik, Kai-Chieh Kuo (Source: VDMA)
Prizes have been awarded to 3 successful young engineers by the Chairman of the Walter Reiners-Stiftung foundation of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association, Frankfurt/Germany, Peter D. Dornier. The award-winning works provide practical solutions on the topic of circular economy, and the award ceremony took place online on November 9, 2021 as part of the Aachen-Dresden-Denkendorf International Textile Conference.
With a creativity prize, endowed with €3,000, the foundation honored the diploma thesis of Irina Kuznik, TU Dresden/Germany. She used a creative approach to realize solutions for processing chitosan into fiber yarn.
Kai-Chieh Kuo was awarded the diploma/master's thesis promotion prize of €3,500. With his master's thesis, which was written at RWTH Aachen University, Kuo contributes to the production of vital components used in medicine. The stents made of ultra-fine yarns are made possible by an innovative modification of the classic tube weaving process.
The Walter Reiners Foundation rewarded the doctoral thesis of Dr. Martin Hengstermann with the promotional prize in the dissertation category, endowed with €5,000. His thesis, which was written at TU Dresden, deals with the production of recycled carbon fibers. These can be used to produce lightweight components for motor vehicle and aircraft construction or the wind energy sector.
The environmental conditions of the textile industry and machine construction are changing. In 2022, the foundation will for the first time offer a prize with a focus on design/sustainability. The foundation will be looking for solutions for resource-saving design, technology and manufacturing processes.
The award ceremony of the Walter Reiners Foundation 2022 is to take place again as an in-person event. It is planned at the trade fair Techtextil in Frankfurt/Germany in June 2022.
