Honorary doctorate for Prof. Hans-Werner Schock

Tallinn University of Technology (TTU) has named Prof. Hans-Werner Schock recipient of an honorary doctorate in recognition of Schock’s achievements during TTU’s integration into the Western research community after the 1990 fall of the Iron Curtain.

According to Schock, “TTU was already actively conducting research on monograin layer solar cells way before 1990.” Once the Iron Curtain came down, it was necessary to integrate solid Eastern European research sites like Tallinn into the European research community.

“At the time, I was coordinator for a major EU project and had the chance to win over Estland with TTU as one of our partnering institutes,” says Schock. This marked the beginning of a regular success story: The TTU Institute of Materials Science quickly became integrated in the wet european research alliances and built up a solid international reputation for itself. Schock continued to collaborate with TTU over the years: “At this point, TTU has established itself as an important player in photovoltaics research – our collaboration has consistently proven very fruitful.”

Today, the university is internationally ranked among the very top. Hans-Werner Schock is the man to thank for giving the initial impulse back in the 90’s. Reason enough for TTU to bestow upon him their honorary doctorate in mid-September of this year.