Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHTAward for sustainable research in the shift in energy and raw materials
Minister of Science Schulze presents Fraunhofer UMSICHT with award as "Place of Progress"
Science Minister Svenja Schulze today presented the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (UMSICHT) in Oberhausen, Germany, with an award as "Place of Progress" (“Ort des Fortschritts”). At the award ceremony, the minister lauded the Institute especially for its special research achievements in connection with the shift in energy and protection of resources. "UMSICHT allows for safe, cost-efficient and climate-friendly solutions in the energy supply", declared Minister Schulze. The honorary title "Place of Progress" recognizes the special contributions of these scientific pioneers to progress in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). UMSICHT is the meanwhile fourteenth "Place of Progress" in NRW.
"For Fraunhofer UMSICHT, the honorary title 'Place of Progress' is a special recognition for which we are thankful for from the bottom of our heart", said Professor Dr.-Ing. Eckhard Weidner, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute UMSICHT. "We are delighted that this way our important cause is awarded for also including social aspects in the development process, in addition to technical and ecological ones, especially in the shift in energy and raw materials. To us, sustainable research also means to get in touch with a lot of people. With specialists, media, the public. Only in dialog, through the exchange of different points of view, can we develop progressive and holistic technologies."
UMSICHT is seeking exchanges with society at large
Minister Svenja Schulze singled out the many inter-disciplinary activities of the Institute: "UMSICHT does not close itself off, but rather seeks exchanges with society at large through 'discussion events' such as the Global Young Faculty, the Fraunhofer Environmental Talent School for high school students, or the award of the UMSICHT Science Prize for journalists." This way, UMSICHT helps to bundle competencies, promote the exchange of communication, and develop holistic technological innovations and establish them on the market.