A passion for innovations - Scientific Award BMW Group 2005

What do the following all have in common? An artificial hand that grips as softly as a human hand, atomic "brains", "Transrapid" magnetic levitation technology inside tool machines, green fluorescent proteins as biological miniature dynamometers within cell interiors, electrons that surf on light waves in particle accelerators, and quick-locks for works of art. The answer: they are all winners of the international university prize, the BMW Group's Scientific Award 2005, after having been chosen from a pool of 230 entries from 26 countries and covering 24 specialist areas. Six up-and-coming scientists received the award at BMW's plant in Leipzig in the presence of more than 300 guests from the fields of politics, business, science and society. The prize was handed over by Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Burkhard Göschel, member of the board of directors of BMW AG and responsible for development and purchasing, and the chairman of the jury, Prof. Dr. Techn. Dr. E.h. Franz Pischinger. The idea behind the competition is to assume entrepreneurial responsibility towards society. "Like companies an economy must be innovative on all levels and in all areas: commercially, technologically as well as socially. Only then can it move forwards, develop and be successful on an international basis. A passion for innovation must therefore be rewarded because technological achievements carry societies forward", says Prof. Dr. Dr. E.h. Göschel. The BMW Group has been awarding this internationally-recognised prize to young academics from all disciplines for outstanding research work every two years since 1991. The award includes prize money of €70,000 - one of the highest-value research prizes in the world. The main assessment criteria are innovative potential, theory, realism, usefulness for the environment and society, efficiency and presentational form.

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