NEFI Young Scientist Award 2024: Dual Leadership for Young Scientists

The transformation of the industrial energy system to a climate-neutral energy supply is an essential contribution to achieving the national climate targets and can only succeed with innovations and the development of concrete solutions. The NEFI-New Energy for Industry innovation network invited national and international experts for the third time to present the latest scientific findings and discuss the energy transition in Austrian industry with high-ranking representatives from industry, research and politics. The scientific contributions focused on the topics of the NEFI+ Innovation Hubs with electrification and energy efficiency, flexibilisation, CO₂ -neutral gases and hydrogen, carbon capture & storage, circular economy and industrial symbiosis.

During the evening event, young talents from Lower Austria and Styria were honoured with the NEFI Young Scientist Award. The conference took place on 24 and 25 October 2024 in the Museumsquartier Vienna with around 200 participants.

NEFI Young Scientist Award 2024: Dual Leadership for Young Scientists from Lower Austria and Styria

A special highlight of the conference was the award ceremony for the NEFI Young Scientist Award for outstanding scientific submissions. From the 34 submissions, the contributions of young researchers were evaluated according to their scientific impact and age. Due to outstanding ideas and high quality, two winners were honoured this year.

Dana Orsolits (AIT Austrian Institute of Technology) and Ladislaus Lang-Hogrefe (Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft) were honoured for their scientific submissions. The recognition includes a cheque for 1,000 euros in cash, sponsored by Energie Steiermark and INNIO Group. During the award ceremony, the certificates were presented by Bernhard Gahleitner (NEFI Network Coordinator at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology) and Thomas Kienberger (Head of the NEFI+ Innovation Laboratory and Head of the Chair of Energy Network Technology at the University of Leoben).

Bernhard Gahleitner, NEFI Network Coordinator at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology: "With her work on the dynamic simulation for modelling the feed-in of green hydrogen into gas networks, Dana Orsolits has made a significant contribution to how the infrastructure can be used for a sustainable energy supply with green hydrogen in the future. Her scientific excellence shows how innovative ideas can contribute to the transformation of industry. Congratulations on receiving the well-deserved NEFI Young Scientist Award 2024!"

Thomas Kienberger, Head of the NEFI+ innovation laboratory and Head of the Chair of Energy Network Technology at the University of Leoben: "Ladislaus Lang-Hogrefe's analysis of transition pathways for the steel industry impressively demonstrates how scientific contributions can lay the foundation for a climate-neutral industry. His commitment and visionary approaches make him a worthy winner of the NEFI Young Scientist Award 2024. Congratulations on this great honour!"

Honoured Award Winners 2024:

Ladislaus Lang-Hogrefe, Joanneum Research Forschungsgesellschaft: Scientific Paper on "Dynamic Prospective Life Cycle Assessment of Transition Paths for the Steel Industry"
Born in Graz, he grew up in Budapest and Rome, studied industrial engineering and mechanical engineering and advanced materials science at Graz University of Technology and is now doing his doctorate in natural sciences at the University of Graz. Following his master's thesis on the hot forming of magnesium materials and his professional experience in organ building, he is devoting his dissertation to the time-resolved modelling of transformation pathways to climate neutrality. The submitted work deals with a methodical further development of the dynamic life cycle assessment for the gradual approximation of scenarios to decarbonisation targets in the steel industry. As a scholarship holder of the PRO SCIENTIA scholarship programme, the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary exchange between the sciences to tackle major issues facing our society is particularly close to his heart in his pursuit of the good and the beautiful.

Dana Orsolits, AIT Austrian Institute of Technology: Scientific Paper on "On the Advantages of Dynamic Simulations When Modelling Multi-node Blending of Green Hydrogen"
Born in Lower Austria, she completed her bachelor's degree in physics at the Vienna University of Technology. Her bachelor's thesis, entitled "Dynamics of a Bose-Einstein-Condensate: Comparison between the truncated Wigner approximation and the MCTDHB", was written in the field of theoretical physics. She is currently developing a modelling tool for feeding green hydrogen into gas grids as part of her master's thesis at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. During her studies, she gained international experience through an exchange semester at La Sapienza University in Rome and a research internship in Norway at Amiblu Holding GmbH. In addition to her academic career, Dana Orsolits volunteers as a mentor and hub coordinator at Sindbad - Mentoring für Jugendliche Österreich. She also works as a youth officer and clarinettist for the Maria Enzersdorf brass band.

To the APA photo gallery of and the NEFI Conference 2024, the award winners and of the award ceremony

To the review of the NEFI Conference 2024

To the conference proceedings (PDF-File)

About NEFI

NEFI – New Energy for Industry was founded as an innovation network for the transformation of industry in the "energy flagship region". NEFI+ is the new innovation laboratory of the Climate and Energy Fund's RTI initiative for the transformation of industry. Important practical research and demonstration projects for a climate-neutral industry are being developed in six innovation hubs. The innovation network NEFI-New Energy for Industry, with the network partners AIT Austrian Institute of Technology, Montanuniversität Leoben, OÖ Energiesparverband and the Upper Austrian location agency Business Upper Austria, is implementing the development of the innovation hubs with its infrastructure, expertise and existing networks. Significant support comes from the two industrially strong federal states of Upper Austria and Styria. The constantly growing consortium, which currently has over 120 partners from companies, research organisations and public institutions, is developing technological and systemic solutions in 24 projects to enable the energy transition in industry. The Climate and Energy Fund is supporting the NEFI projects with a total of 30.2 million euros, funded by the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology (BMK).

Press Contact:

Mag. Margit Özelt
Marketing and Communications
NEFI – New Energy for Industry
T: +43 664 88390660
E: margit.oezelt@ait.ac.at I www.nefi.at