Antenna research, the development of novel measurement concepts for photovoltaic systems, or condition monitoring of bridges, pipelines, and ship hulls to reduce maintenance costs: these are some of the exciting topics that early-career researchers at Hamburg University of Technology (TU Hamburg) are working on. For their achievements, they were recently honored with the science awards from the Gisela and Erwin Sick Foundation for innovative solutions, receiving a total prize sum of 10,000 euros. The foundation is recognizing outstanding researchers at TU Hamburg for the eleventh time.
Awardee Jeremy Strätling
In his bachelor’s thesis, Jeremy Strätling developed a novel, mobile measurement method to determine the symmetrical component impedance of photovoltaic inverters, based on systematic frequency excitation by loading with a resistive load. This method enables precise stability analysis of the power grid. The developed measurement concept is currently being scaled and applied in the research project ImaStabil to ensure grid stability amid the increasing share of renewable energies. Jeremy Strätling completed his studies in General Engineering Sciences with a focus on Electrical Engineering at TU Hamburg. His commitment to the energy transition is reflected in his bachelor thesis, which forms a building block for system stability in the course of the energy transition. Through his scholarship at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, he is also deeply engaged with issues of sustainability and energy policy.
Awardee Niklas Frewer
Niklas Frewer was honored for his master’s thesis, in which he validated a multi-channel radar sensor capable of simultaneously detecting multiple targets and accurately measuring their relative movements. A specially arranged, sparsely thinned group antenna significantly improves the sensor’s spatial resolution. The sensor was built and tested in the laboratory and, using digital beam steering, allows precise direction and movement measurements of targets. Since 2024, Niklas Frewer has been a research associate at the Institute of High-Frequency Technology at TU Hamburg after earning his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering there the same year. He gained professional experience as a working student at NXP Semiconductors in firmware development for secure ICs and at Nexperia in bipolar transistor development.
Awardee Dr. Peter Oppermann
Condition monitoring of structures can reduce maintenance costs and increase safety but faces challenges such as hard-to-access, metallically shielded areas where conventional radio technologies work only to a limited extent. This dissertation shows for the first time that battery-less sensors communicating and powered via sound waves work reliably over distances of more than three meters, with innovative methods increasing data transmission rates and enabling automatic adjustments without expert intervention. Peter Oppermann studied General Engineering Sciences (bachelor’s) and Computer Engineering (master’s) at TU Hamburg and was awarded the Petersen Prize for his master’s thesis. After two years as a software developer at the Fraunhofer Institute MEVIS, he completed his PhD at TU Hamburg from 2019 to 2024 focusing on wireless acoustic communication and energy transfer. Since 2024, he has been working as senior engineer at the Institute for Autonomous Cyber-Physical Systems.
The Gisela and Erwin Sick Foundation Science Award
To promote engineering and natural sciences, the Gisela and Erwin Sick Foundation awards a prize at TU Hamburg for outstanding work in the field of “technical-scientific progress for the benefit of humans and society.” In awarding the science prizes, emphasis is placed on both fundamental scientific insights and technical practical relevance. The works should demonstrate the importance of innovative technology, especially measurement methods, sensors, or measurement technology systems, for sustainable benefits to humans and society.
The Gisela and Erwin Sick Foundation
The Gisela and Erwin Sick Foundation was established in 2002 by Gisela Sick, widow of Dr.-Ing. h.c. Erwin Sick, founder of SICK AG. Since then, the late founder devoted herself to comprehensive education of young people that goes far beyond imparting technical knowledge. In recognition of her late husband’s lifetime achievements, Gisela Sick placed a special focus on natural sciences and technology in her foundation activities. At TU Hamburg, the foundation has been engaged for many years, especially through awarding science prizes and supporting numerous Deutschlandstipendien scholarships. Since December 2019, Renate Sick-Glaser, daughter of the entrepreneurial family, has chaired the foundation’s board of trustees.
For more information about the foundation, please visit www.sick-stiftung.org/ges/
