Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download

2013|14 Annual Report Fraunhofer IGB

22 ANNIVERSARY YEAR AT THE FRAUNHOFER IGB 60 years of research into interfaces – a commemorative symposium at the IGB The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Bio- technology IGB celebrated its 60th anniversary on Septem- ber 25, 2013 with a commemorative symposium. Founded in 1953 as a small research lab for interfacial physics and chemis- try in the Palatinate region (southwest Germany), the institute still bears “interfaces” in its name to this day. At an interface, a transition layer between two phases or substances that is only a few atomic or molecular layers thick, physico-chemical properties change almost abruptly. An interface is thus a place where new phenomena occur. Today, innovations are realized through the cross-fertilization of interface research with other disciplines at the institute. In his welcome speech at the commemorative symposium “60 years of research into interfaces” Prof. Thomas Hirth described his strategic focus at the Fraunhofer IGB: “Thanks to the tremendous support of the federal and state ministries and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, we have been able to focus our research consistently on the business areas of medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, energy and the environment, and an- chor key issues of the future such as sustainability and bio- based economy in the institute.” Fraunhofer president Prof. Reimund Neugebauer in turn in his address expressed his pleasure that almost a year ago he and Prof. Hirth had been able to greet Chancellor Angela Merkel at the inauguration of the Fraunhofer CBP in Leuna. The Rector of the University of Stuttgart, Prof. Wolfram Res- sel, gave words of thanks for the trust and mutually beneficial cooperation with the Fraunhofer IGB and its partner institute at the university, which is headed by Prof. Hirth. Represen- tatives of the federal government and the state of Baden- Württemberg – including MinDirig Dr. Fritz Holzwarth from the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conserva- tion, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), MD Rolf Schu­ macher from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance and Economics and Swantje Nilsson from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) – paid tribute to the evolution of the Fraunhofer IGB into an innovative research facility which, shaped by the respective institute directors, has played a deci- sive role in research into interfacial phenomena. In their words of welcome, they underlined Prof. Hirth’s contribution in pav- ing the way toward a biobased and sustainable economy in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and Europe through embrac- ing the themes of bioeconomy and sustainability. Prof. Wolfgang Peukert from the University of Erlangen and Prof. Christoph Syldatk from the Karlsruhe Institute of Tech- nology (KIT) gave commemorative lectures on interfacial engineering and biotechnology in which they showcased today’s areas of competence at the Fraunhofer IGB. One of the highlights was the short presentations by five young sci- entists from the Fraunhofer IGB, following the concept of an “Elevator Pitch”. Philipp Grimmer, Lea König, Florian Groeber, Matthias Stier and Silke Grumaz presented ideas and research approaches relevant to their research interests and thus pro- vided a potted overview of current topics at the institute: an innovative approach for an ice-free pavement, the varietal HIGHLIGHTS 2013 1 + 2 + 3

Overview