Guest address by Minister Silke Gorißen
The speech by Silke Gorißen, Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, focused on social responsibility and sustainability at state level. She placed the current environmental, economic and social challenges facing agriculture and climate protection within a historical context and emphasised that the concept of sustainability has been firmly rooted in agriculture for centuries, with the aim of ensuring a food supply for the population. Even today, sustainable and, at the same time, economically viable agriculture remains important – particularly with regard to the long-term viability of farms. According to Gorißen, the agricultural sector must not be left to cope on its own in this regard. In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, there are over 30,000 farms with an annual production value of more than seven billion euros. This makes the sector one of the most important economic sectors and one of the largest employers in North Rhine-Westphalia. Through its work on farms at the start of the food chain, agriculture ensures that people are provided with sufficient food that is safe and of the highest quality. That is why the Ministry is committed to greater planning certainty for the agricultural sector and to stable framework conditions, in order to give farms in North Rhine-Westphalia good prospects for the future.
Sustainable management is also essential in our forests: it has always been important to use only as much timber as regrows or is replanted. In this context, the Minister drew a parallel between the current challenges facing our forests and the necessary restructuring of woodland in the wake of climate change – moving away from pure coniferous forests towards more deciduous woodland. A native of Kleve, she attaches great importance to the university’s role in addressing the wide range of challenges.
Keynote address by Prof. Dr Brigitte Spieß
In her lecture at the opening of the Research and Transfer Day, Prof. Dr Brigitte Spieß, Head of the Institute for Sustainable Transformation and Professor at the International School of Management in Berlin, focused on the feasibility of sustainable change in the face of multiple crises and social justice: she argued that this is only possible in a socially just manner, for the benefit of all people – whilst also achieving economic success. What might sound like a utopia at first glance places a responsibility on us all: we must find the creativity and courage to tackle these challenges constructively – whether as consumers, citizens, investors, managers or bank advisers. “This is a responsibility we cannot delegate,” said Spieß.
Lecture by University President Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen
HSRW President Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen agrees with both speakers: he believes that every single individual bears responsibility, but that universities of applied sciences occupy a particularly key position: “Standing still is a step backwards. We must move forward to secure a successful future. The COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, anti-democratic tendencies, climate change and, last but not least, the need for holistic transformation – we are in the midst of profound change,” he began his lecture. The art lies in emerging successfully from this transformation. It is precisely this ability to respond to changing conditions with innovation and a creative spirit that universities of applied sciences such as the HSRW embody. “We need young people with their fresh ideas. Our responsibility, in turn, is to equip students with the tools they need to tackle today’s challenges. “I am particularly proud and delighted that, as an international and diverse university, we have achieved so much to date,” Locker-Grütjen continued. The extent of these successes was evident during the academic year celebration, which took place for the fifth time this year, not least through the honours bestowed upon students and academics.
Research
Award The Research Award was presented to Dr Conor Watson, a research assistant in horticulture, agricultural and environmental sciences at the Faculty of Life Sciences. He was honoured for his outstanding research into insect farming as part of the circular economy. Demand for affordable, high-quality protein is set to rise in the coming years as we face the challenge of feeding a growing global population that will soon number around 10 billion people. Due to climate change, meat consumption and livestock farming on the current scale cannot be the answer to this challenge. Watson’s work focuses on addressing social and economic challenges by recycling food waste using insect larvae: The production of insect larvae, utilising their by-product ‘feed residue’ (a nutritious mixture for plants consisting of larval excrement, shed exoskeletons and undigested substrate), can become a waste-free industry by serving as a cheap organic fertiliser. This approach not only reduces waste but also provides high-quality protein with a lower environmental impact compared to conventional livestock farming, increases the protein concentration in the soil, and can be absorbed by plants, which in turn provide the human body with a higher protein content when consumed. However, in order to reduce livestock farming, animal by-products must also be economically viable for the agricultural sector and other producers, and must not entail any negative environmental impacts. Watson’s research findings contribute to promoting sustainable agriculture and reducing the ecological footprint of intensive farming.
Transfer
Prize The Transfer Prize was awarded to Dr Roland Schmetz, Professor of Drive Technology, specialising in power electronics, at the Faculty of Technology and Bionics. He was awarded the Transfer Prize for his proposal to electrify the rail network and convert the Lower Rhine–Münsterland network to battery-electric trains. His proposal is based on extensive research and demonstrates the potential to make local public transport more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Electrification and the use of battery-electric multiple units can reduce primary energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. Schmetz has not only published his concept and presented it in lectures, but has also held direct discussions with various individuals and organisations to drive his idea forward. His commitment and achievements clearly demonstrate how research and knowledge transfer can go hand in hand to make a tangible contribution to sustainability in the transport sector. His research thus addresses economic challenges that are relevant both within and beyond the region, whilst tackling issues of the future – both of which are criteria for the Research and Knowledge Transfer Prize.
“A university generates knowledge. However, a university also has a responsibility to disseminate this knowledge from the institution out into society and the economy. Only by fulfilling this task can we contribute to change in the region, but also globally. The Transfer Prize is intended to highlight and recognise precisely this effect,” explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Kisters, HSRW Vice-President for Research, Innovation and Transfer. Both prizes carry a prize fund of 10,000 euros each and are earmarked for specific purposes. The prize money is intended as an investment to enable Dr Conor Watson and Prof. Dr.-Ing. Roland Schmetz to carry out further research activities in their respective fields.
Prizes for scientific poster presentations
In addition, prizes were awarded for the best scientific posters displayed during Research and Transfer Day. These are posters on which information, data, diagrams and graphics relating to a current research topic are presented clearly. Awards for posters are presented to recognise the presentation of high-quality research. Competition was fierce amongst the 60 entries; ultimately, the following three were honoured: First prize went to research assistant Julia Mai and her team (Faculty of Society and Economics), who are investigating emotional labour amongst educational professionals. The aim is to develop methods to ensure that these professionals do not suffer any adverse effects on their health or performance whilst carrying out their challenging work. Further prizes were awarded to research assistant Rebecca Lauther and her team (Faculty of Communication and Environment) for their presentation of a project on the upscaling of alkaline water electrolysis, and to Prof. Dr Alexander Struck and his team (Faculty of Technology and Bionics), who aim to create an astronomy trail in Kleve. Minister Gorißen also congratulated the prize-winners and expressed her delight at the achievements made, particularly at such a young age, as demonstrated by the two awards presented to female students at HSRW.
DAAD Prize
This year’s DAAD Prize was awarded to Irina Pohilco, a fifth-semester bioengineering student. According to Dr Joachim Fensterle, a professor at the Faculty of Life Sciences, Pohilco is among the best in her year group, possesses outstanding intercultural skills and demonstrates a high degree of empathy in her dealings with students and staff. “In the DAAD-funded ‘Capacity Building’ project, she co-ordinated – largely independently – the integration of the Ukrainian students, as well as liaising with and supporting the female professors during their stay. Her exceptional achievement lies not only in the fact that she mastered this complex coordination – which, due to changing circumstances, required an extreme degree of flexibility – but also in the fact that she demonstrated an exceptionally high level of empathy and sensitivity in her dealings with people from the war-torn region,” said Fensterle, who nominated the student for the award. Prof. Dr Tatiana Zimenkova, Vice-President for International Affairs and Diversity, also emphasised: “This meant that both the students and the female professors felt very well looked after and were able to really ‘take a breather’ during their stay in Kleve. ‘Irina is a shining example of just how much we as a university benefit from our international students,’ said the Vice-President.
ZONTA Club Niederrhein
Award In the evening, the ZONTA Club Niederrhein Award, worth 1,000 euros, was presented for the eleventh time. With the help of the professors, who can nominate suitable candidates, this year’s award went to an HSRW student who has shown exceptional commitment to Rhein-Waal University of Applied Sciences and her fellow students, and who is also involved in voluntary work outside the university. The 2023 winner is Deepal Kumar – nominated by Dr Lily Chambers, a professor in the Faculty of Technology and Bionics. The sixth-semester Bachelor’s student on the Electrical and Electronics Engineering programme is a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field of study and hopes to contribute to greater diversity and representation in STEM subjects. Originally from India, she became a member of the faculty’s student council during her third semester; the council acts as the voice of the student body. She is also an active member of TechWomen – a club dedicated to supporting female students in STEM subjects. At the close of the academic year celebrations, Prof. Dr Oliver Locker-Grütjen called on the university community to take bold action: “Universities bear an enormous responsibility – from training the next generation of specialists to conducting innovative research with regional and global impact. The honours presented this evening show that we are on the right track. We should not be daunted by the challenges we face today. The motto in these times is: just do it,” said the President.
