Our colleague Tom Bender, a research assistant and doctoral candidate at IS Mainz, represented Mainz University of Applied Sciences at a high-profile conference organized by the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation on the topic of energy storage. The conference took place from June 18 to 22, 2023, at the Physics Center in Bad Honnef, where Tom Bender presented a research poster that earned him the coveted poster award.
Under the title “The Physical, Chemical, and Technological Aspects of the Fundamental Transition in Energy Supply from Fossil to Renewable Sources – Key Aspect: Energy Storage,” outstanding researchers gathered to discuss the challenges of the energy transition. Amid this high-caliber group, Tom Bender stood out with his poster, which impressed the jury with its well-researched content, technical execution, and—in particular—the expert discussions sparked by its design.
Tom Bender’s poster was titled “Technical Specifications for Pumped-Storage Solutions in Opencast Mining” and was clearly linked to a project led by Prof. Horst Schmidt-Böcking aimed at developing a pumped-storage solution at the Hambach opencast mine. With this connection between theory and real-world applications, Tom Bender’s poster proved to be highly relevant and forward-looking.
The overwhelming amount of interdisciplinary, positive feedback on our colleagues’ work at the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Foundation conference underscores the excellence and innovative spirit of our Civil Engineering department.
