Following the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the Annual Assembly and International Conference of the International Institute of Welding (IIW) took place in Singapore for the first time again this year as a purely face-to-face event. The highly respected national and international IIW awards were also presented at the opening ceremony. Niklas Sommer from the Department of Cutting and Joining Manufacturing Processes was awarded the coveted Henry Granjon Prize 2023 in the category of material behavior and weldability. The prize recognizes outstanding scientific work by young scientists in the field of welding technology. Dr. Sommer impressed the board of trustees with his work in the research field of welding process-metallurgy-property relationships and the intercrystalline corrosion resistance of stainless steels. His intensive work in this field has led to the successful publication of numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Sommer, who was born in northern Hesse, also focuses his research on laser beam welding and the additive manufacturing of metallic materials. In February 2023, Dr. Sommer completed his doctorate "Increasing the intercrystalline corrosion resistance of laser beam weld seams of ferritic stainless steels by laser powder cladding" with distinction.

"I am very pleased about this special award. My field of research is not only of great importance for welding technology, but also of great economic and social relevance - my work represents an important step towards durable technical products and increased resource efficiency," explains the award winner. "This award is proof of the excellent research carried out by young scientists in the field of welding and joining technology at the University of Kassel, which forms an integral part of the excellent education at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering through direct knowledge transfer in courses," emphasizes Prof. Dr.-Ing. h.c. Stefan Böhm, Head of the Department of Cutting and Joining Manufacturing Processes, and adds: "With this success, we hope to be able to continue to inspire numerous young people to study mechanical engineering and welding and joining technology at the University of Kassel in the future. It is clear that research is carried out here with the highest international visibility." Every year, the Department of Cutting and Joining Manufacturing Processes is responsible for organizing the internationally recognized training and further education course for welding engineers, which is held at the University of Kassel in close cooperation with the Vocational Training Centre in Waldau and the Welding Training and Research Institute in Halle.

Following a research stay at the National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence (NCAME) at the University of Auburn, USA, which was funded by the Department of Internationalization and International Cooperation at the University of Kassel, Dr. Sommer continues to work as a PostDoc and Department Head of Welding Technology at the Department of Cutting and Joining Manufacturing Processes.

Contact:

Dr.-Ing. Niklas Sommer
University of Kassel
Cutting and Joining Processes
Tel.: 0561 804 3880
E-mail: n.sommer[at]uni-kassel[dot]de