Ernst Eckhardt Koch Ceremony: Marcus Bär, Enggar Pramanto Wibowo and Franziska Emmerling (from left to right).
© HZB / Kevin Fuchs
Ernst Eckhard Koch Prize and Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025
Enggar Pramanto Wibowo during his presentation.
© HZB / Kevin Fuchs
Franziska Emmerling (BAM), Chair of the Friends of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin e.V.
© HZB / Kevin Fuchs
The laudatory speech for the Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025 was given by Christian Schroer, Scientific Director of PETRA III (DESY).
© HZB / Kevin Fuchs
The Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025 went to Tim Salditt as well as Danny D. Jonigk and Maximilian Ackermann (from left to right). Christian Schroer and Franziska Emmerling stood around the prizewinners.
© HZB / Kevin Fuchs
At the 27th BESSY@HZB User Meeting, the Friends of HZB honoured the dissertation of Dr Enggar Pramanto Wibowo (Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg). The Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025 went to Prof. Tim Salditt (Georg-August-University Göttingen) and Professors Danny D. Jonigk and Maximilian Ackermann (both, University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University).
The Ernst Eckhard Koch Prize 2025 honours outstanding doctoral theses in the field of synchrotron radiation research carried out at HZB or DESY. The award is named after the former scientific director of the BESSY GmbH, Ernst Eckhard Koch, who died in 1988.
This year, the Ernst Eckhard Koch Prize went to Dr Enggar Pramanto Wibowo from (Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg). In his dissertation, which was mainly carried out at HZB and at BESSY II, he deals with phosphorus chemistry in high-temperature PEM fuel cells. In doing so, he combines the further development of sophisticated in-situ/operando synchrotron methods with important contributions to the durability of fuel cells in the hydrogen economy.
The dissertation Elucidating the Complex Oxidation Behaviour of Phosphorus Impurities at the Pt|Aqueous H3PO3Interface in HT-PEMFCs by a Combination of X-ray Spectroscopies was proposed by Dr Raul Garcia-Diez and Prof. Dr Marcus Bär (Interface Design Department at HZB). The award committee emphasised: "An outstanding contribution to synchrotron radiation science, fully aligning with the spirit of this award. We especially wish to emphasise how Dr. Wibowo expanded the experimental capabilities of soft/tender X-ray synchrotron endstations to allow in situ/operando experiments under the harsh electrocatalytical conditions found in real-world fuel cells, while also expanding the understanding of phosphorous-focused X-ray spectroscopies."
Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation
The Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025 went to Prof. Tim Salditt (Georg-August-University Göttingen) and Professors Danny D. Jonigk and Maximilian Ackermann (both University Hospital of RWTH Aachen University). The laudatory speech was given by Prof. Christian Schroer, Scientific Director of PETRA III (DESY).
They are being honoured for the development and application of histological tomography, a novel, high-resolution 3D X-ray imaging technique for tissues based on phase contrast. This method allows complex tissue architectures to be visualised non-destructively and in unprecedented detail.
The team has made decisive advances in this method and transferred it in a unique way to biomedical research, in particular to elucidate acute, subacute and late tissue damage in the lungs and heart in COVID-19.
The work exemplifies the bridge between modern X-ray optics, innovative reconstruction algorithms and clinically relevant questions. It opens up new diagnostic and pathophysiological insights into inflammatory, vascular and oncological diseases.
- BESSY II is back in operation after maintenance shutdownOn 7 September 2026, BESSY II was set into operation after a four-week shutdown. BESSY II is scheduled to resume full user operation on 22 September.
- 3D magnetic field experiment at BESSY II takes spintronics a step further(Fe0.63Ni0.3Pd0.07)3P or FNPP is a magnetic material that exhibits complex magnetic structures even at room temperature. This makes the material of interest for spintronics, a field that could enable data processing with significantly lower energy consumption. One potential application is novel magnetic memory devices. However, generating and modifying the desired structures in a controlled manner remains a challenge to date. A new study led by HZB has now taken a step forward in this regard. They demonstrated at the worldwide unique VEKMAG-Station at BESSY II, that a tiny external B-field in the plane of the magnetic patterns is sufficient to change them.
- Confirmed figures for the first time: Investments in BESSY are worthwhile for Berlin and GermanyAn impact analysis by DIW Econ demonstrates the scientific and economic value of BESSY II. Every euro invested yields three euros for Germany and as much as ten euros for the State of Berlin. Furthermore, the study provides an economic forecast for the construction of BESSY III.
The impact analysis was presented on 3 September 2026 to Dr Henry Marx, State Secretary for Science and Research in the Berlin Senate. He supports the investment and is a strong advocate for BESSY III.