Presentation of the Heitfeld Awards 2012
Excellent junior RWTH Aachen scientists in the geosciences received awards from the Professor Dr. Karl-Heinrich Heitfeld Foundation. Two dissertations and two Master's theses were honored this year, and a travel grant was awarded. The award ceremony took place at the RWTH Aachen SuperC. After Rector Ernst Schmachtenberg greeted guests, the Dean of the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering, Univ.-Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Ralf Littke delivered the certificates to Dr.rer.nat. Andre Banning and Dr.rer.nat. Christoph Grützner for their outstanding dissertations. Michael Kettermann, M.Sc., and Julia Melcher, M.Sc., were also recognized for their Master's theses. Dipl.-Phys. Yves Gensterblum received the travel grant. The foundation was started in 1995 by professor emeritus of engineering geology and hydrogeology, Prof. Dr. Karl-Heinrich Heitfeld, and his wife. Heitfeld, who has received an Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany First Class, was appointed at RWTH Aachen in 1970. In 1990 he received emeritus status. During this time, he contributed greatly to the development of engineering geology in Germany.