01.07.2022

Helmut-Schaefer Prize for excellent Master’s theses

Since 2019, FfE has awarded the Helmut Schaefer Prize once a year for master’s theses that make a particularly significant contribution to an innovative and sustainable energy system.

This prize not only honours the lifetime achievement of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Schaefer, the long-standing director of FfE, but also provides an excellent platform for recognising and presenting outstanding master’s theses.

To apply for the award, a grade certificate for the Master’s thesis is required, which must not be older than 15 months. For the first selection round, applicants submit a one-page synopsis of their thesis and a CV. The complete long version of the Master’s thesis will be required later for the final selection.

Based on the submitted exposés, three finalists will be selected in advance in each of the categories ‘External’ (external applicants) and ‘Internal’ (internal applicants). They will be given the unique opportunity to present their work in front of an expert audience. The presentations will be reviewed by the jury members Prof Dr.-Ing. Ulrich Wagner, Prof Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang Mauch and Dr.-Ing. Serafin von Roon and will be included in the assessment together with the submitted exposé. In addition to recognising outstanding scientific achievements, prize money of € 500 will be awarded for the best paper. The second and third place entries will each be honoured with prize money of € 100.

 

How can I apply?

  • One-page synopsis of the thesis & current CV (PDF, see abstract template)
  • Long version of the thesis (PDF/Word)
  • Certificate of grades from your Master’s thesis and degree programme (not older than 15 months)
  • Send the documents to hsp@ffe.de with the subject ‘Helmut Schaefer Prize 2025’

Apply now! The application deadline for the Helmut Schaefer Prize 2025 is 31 March 2025.

Foto: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Helmut Schaefer

Helmut Schaefer, born in Opladen in 1926, came from a Protestant pastor’s family. He studied high-frequency engineering at the Technical University of Karlsruhe before turning his attention to the energy industry. He took over the management of FfE in 1967 and was subsequently its scientific director for 27 years. In 1969, he was appointed to the Chair of Energy Economics and Power Plant Technology in Munich.

He became known among experts for his work in the field of rational energy utilisation. With his contributions to technology and the development of a system for the sensible implementation of new technologies in the energy industry, he contributed to increasing efficiency in many areas. In the last decade of his work as a full professor, the focus was on his work on cumulative energy consumption, which went beyond a purely academic interest to form a valuable basis for the implementation of the holistic assessment of energy systems demanded by energy policy and led to the life cycle assessment of products and energy chains.

Helmut Schaefer has always been involved in voluntary work. His many years of involvement in and chairmanship of the VDE and VDI-GET, his membership of the German Bundestag’s Enquete Commissions and the German Science Council, as well as his activities on the Energy Advisory Council of various federal states are particularly worthy of mention. In these and many other committees, his commitment to making technical and scientific issues understandable and, in particular, to informing politicians and the media in an energy-neutral way has always been at the forefront. His activities have been honoured with the Federal Cross of Merit, an honorary doctorate, the Bavarian Order of Merit and many other awards.