Young scientists  make important contribution to climate protection

Active participation in research projects offers students at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences the opportunity to work on current and relevant research topics, which enriches their final theses and gives them practical experience. Students experience that what they are researching is significant and makes an important contribution to finding answers to current challenges. Every year, the Freids Association of Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences (Verein zur Förderung der Hochschule Bremerhaven e.V.) honours graduates who have written outstanding Bachelor's and Master's theses. This was also the case at the association's most recent guest evening, where Prof. Dr Ulrich Sander, member of the board and honorary senator of the university, gave three young scientists a stage for their research activities and honoured their achievements. 

Student does pioneering work in the lab and investigates healthy and tasty CO₂ utilisation

Michelle Martienß studied Biotechnology of Marine Resources at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences. In her bachelor's thesis, she focussed on the use of CO₂ emissions from industry for the production of red algae. These algae use CO₂ for photosynthesis, which promotes their growth. Martienß explained that selected algae could serve as a raw material for various applications. In many Asian countries, for example, they are already popular as a foodstuff as they are rich in vitamins, minerals and proteins. One of the best-known industrial applications of red algae is the production of agar-agar, a plant-based gelling agent used in the food industry as a thickening agent and in microbiology as a culture medium for the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. "It is worth noting that the methodology and instruments used in this project were new to the lab and no one had used them before," Sander quoted from the jury's decision in his laudatory speech. "Ms Martienß was able to create a suitable protocol for measuring oxygen production in this algae with minimal guidance and to independently programme suitable analysis software." Her research topic is "of great relevance". The graduate receives 800 euros in prize money for her work. "I am surprised and very happy about the award," said Martienß after receiving the prize. She wants to "put the money aside for now": "I'll be starting my Master's thesis soon and then it will certainly be very helpful.’"

Process engineering knowledge leads to sustainable production processes in regional industry

Mara Stöhr, a graduate of the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies degree programme, is also saving her prize money of 1000 euros, as she will often have to commute for her further research. She wrote her bachelor's thesis at Arcelor Mittal in Bremen. The company aims to produce climate-neutral steel by 2050. Stöhr investigated and compared different technologies for removing CO₂ from flue gases. "The focus of the thesis is on a technical and economic analysis of current and, as far as can be foreseen, future capture technologies," explained Ulrich Sander in his laudatory speech. "With this Bachelor's thesis, Ms Stöhr shows that she is able to successfully work on a challenging topic from the core area of the Sustainable Energy and Environmental Technologies degree programme using scientific methods in an outstanding manner." She competently demonstrates how process engineering knowledge can lead to sustainable production processes in the process industry, "both in terms of resource efficiency and cost-effectiveness". The award also came as a surprise to Mara Stöhr. "I'm delighted, and it's nice to receive feedback from the sponsorship organisation and to see how others perceive my work."

How renewable energy can be stored and utilised in a more environmentally friendly way
 
The third prize winner is Dhruvil Virani, who was honoured with 1000 euros for his Master's thesis in the Process Engineering and Energy Technology degree programme. His research deals with the optimisation of batteries for storing renewable energy. The jury selected his work from over 20 theses for the award because "Mr. Virani's results are of great importance for the development of alternatives to lithium-ion batteries and represent a decisive step towards more sustainable energy storage solutions". The master graduate took the audience on a journey through the topic of battery technology and showed that the current, expensive lithium-ion batteries, some of which are produced under inhumane and environmentally unfriendly conditions, could soon be replaced: The future in battery technology belongs to materials that are cheaper and ecologically more compatible with nature, he said. "I am proud that what I have done is important and is being recognised," said the award winner, who gave his lecture in English but illustrated his research results with a presentation in German for the sake of his audience.
Translated on behalf of DeepL.