Ernst Eckhard Koch Prize and Innovation Award on Synchrotron Radiation 2025
Ernst Eckhardt Koch Ceremony: Marcus Bär, Enggar Pramanto Wibowo and Franziska Emmerling (from left to right). © HZB / Kevin Fuchs
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 (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 (University of 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.
- Synchrotron radiation sources: toolboxes for quantum technologiesSynchrotron radiation sources generate highly brilliant light pulses, ranging from infrared to hard X-rays, which can be used to gain deep insights into complex materials. An international team has now published an overview on synchrotron methods for the further development of quantum materials and technologies in the journal Advanced Functional Materials: Using concrete examples, they show how these unique tools can help to unlock the potential of quantum technologies such as quantum computing, overcome production barriers and pave the way for future breakthroughs.
- Peat as a sustainable precursor for fuel cell catalyst materialsIron-nitrogen-carbon catalysts have the potential to replace the more expensive platinum catalysts currently used in fuel cells. This is shown by a study conducted by researchers from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and universities in Tartu and Tallinn, Estonia. At BESSY II, the team observed the formation of complex microstructures within various samples. They then analysed which structural parameters were particularly important for fostering the preferred electrochemical reactions. The raw material for such catalysts is well decomposed peat.
- Helmholtz Investigator Group on magnonsDr Hebatalla Elnaggar is setting up a new Helmholtz Investigator Group at HZB. At BESSY II, the materials scientist will investigate so-called magnons in magnetic perovskite thin films. The aim is to lay the foundations for future terahertz magnon technology: magnonic devices operating in the terahertz range could process data using a fraction of the energy required by the most advanced semiconductor devices, and at speeds up to a thousand times faster.