Renate Sachse recently received the €10,000 Bertha Benz Prize from the Daimler and Benz Foundation for her dissertation "Variational Motion Design for Adaptive Structures" (Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Stuttgart). In her dissertation, she presents a mathematical method that can benefit not only those responsible in the construction industry, but also in aerospace, robotics and medical technology.
The method can be used to calculate optimum movements for flexible structures. In the construction industry, for example, when designing deformable façade elements for buildings or extendable stadium roofs. "This makes it possible to save energy, especially in the booming construction industry, where a lot of material and resources are consumed," explains Dr. Renate Sachse.
With the annual Bertha Benz Prize, the Daimler and Benz Foundation expressly aims to address women in engineering disciplines and support them in their professional careers. Only women whose dissertations have been graded "magna cum laude" or "summa cum laude", i.e. are considered to be an outstanding or particularly commendable achievement, can apply for the prize.
Source: idw-online.de/daimler-benz-stiftung.de
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