Spotlight – The Rector's Column

Dear Alums,

It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the new issue of “keep in touch.” On the following pages, you can expect inspiring stories and exciting insights into the lives, challenges, and successes of RWTH Aachen University and its alums.
In September, we had the great privilege of celebrating the successes of around 1,500 of the more than 7,000 graduates from the last two semesters at the Graduation Celebration. The weather turned out to be perfect for the occasion as well. We are proud to continue to produce such talented graduates who will shape our future in an innovative and sustainable manner.

One of these talented graduates is RWTH alumna Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, who completed her doctorate at RWTH in 1995 and was awarded the ninth Aachen Engineering Prize at the Graduation Celebration in Aachen's Coronation Hall. Her words: “chemistry is not the problem, but the solution,” describe not only her outstanding career at the chemical company BASF SE but also her commitment to providing innovative solutions. Her achievement in developing a safe plasticizer that can be used in children's rooms shows how our alums are making a positive difference in the world. Receiving the Aachen Engineering Prize recognizes not only her technical achievements but also her commitment and innovative strength. Her example really shows us how our alums are driving and shaping our future through innovation.

It is not only graduates who have a positive influence on our University but also student initiatives such as Team Sonnenwagen Aachen. The solar-powered vehicles that this team produces are shaping our future in an innovative and sustainable way. They won several prizes last year. Among other things, they took first place in the Italian Solar Challenge and the iLumen European Solar Challenge with their “Covestro Photon” car. This year, they competed in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in Australia. However, they were forced to end the race prematurely due to an accident.
Then there is Space Team Aachen, which contributes to space exploration by developing and constructing rockets, satellites, and rovers. As an academic project, they will be part of the “Demo#1 Mission” of the German Offshore Spaceport Alliance, and they will launch their rocket “Aquila Maris” on its very first mission.

Another outstanding student initiative is EcurieAix. They have been competing in Formula Student races for more than ten years, have been building racing cars exclusively with electric motors since 2014, and have been taking part with fully autonomous cars since 2017. This year, they won 1st place overall in the electric class out of over 70 teams, making them the 2023 Formula Student Germany Winner. The student initiatives make a significant contribution to promoting engineering and practical experience among our students.

With regard to our alumni initiatives, I am pleased to inform you that Professor Bernd Markert, Rector’s Delegate for Alumni and Director of the Institute of General Mechanics at RWTH, has been elected as the new Chairman of the proRWTH! association of friends. He succeeds Professor Ernst Schmachtenberg and will continue to support us in our work. His experience and commitment will help to further strengthen the association in its work.

The topics highlighted in this issue demonstrate the diversity and excellence of our University and our alums. We are proud of what we have achieved together and are excited about what the future holds for us.
I would now like to take this opportunity to wish you a peaceful festive season and I hope you enjoy reading this magazine. Stay in touch with us and help us actively shape the future of RWTH Aachen University.

Sincerely,