As part of the graduation ceremony on 11 April 2026, the best theses from the Faculty of Engineering were honoured.
Graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Engineering
Every spring, the Faculty of Engineering honours the graduation of its graduates with a graduation ceremony. Since 2023, the ceremony, based on the traditions of graduation in English-speaking countries, has been held at Werk 2 Leipzig with a long gown, colourful sash, a solemn procession and professional musical accompaniment by the Bulsara Strings.
This year, over 70 graduates from the three degree programmes Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology and Energy, Building and Environmental Engineering were bid farewell. Together with their families and relatives as well as professors from the faculty, the Dean of the faculty, the Rector of HTWK Leipzig and guests of honour, over 350 people enjoyed a champagne reception to round off the morning.
Dean Prof Stephan Schönfelder: "As Dean, it fills me with pride every year to see how many committed, clever and creative young men and women complete their engineering education with us with flying colours. Congratulations to all graduates - this success is thanks to you!"
Honouring final theses
As part of this ceremony, the best Bachelor's and Master's theses as well as university and social commitment are also honoured with sponsorship awards.
On 11 April 2026, a total of 12 graduates, including one start-up, received the KARL KOLLE Prize and one Master's graduate received the Leipzig Energy Prize.
The KARL KOLLE Foundation's sponsorship prizes of 1,000 euros each for Bachelor's and Master's theses and a start-up prize of 4,000 euros were presented by Chairman of the Board of Trustees Prof Winfried Pinninghoff. For Prof. Pinninghoff, the award ceremony on 11 April 2026 was also a farewell. After 20 years, the Karl Kolle Prizes were awarded for the last time at the faculty.
The Leipzig Energy Prize, also endowed with 1,000 euros, for the best technical-scientific Master's thesis was presented by M.Eng. Jan Schubert, Team Leader Heat, Asset Management at Netz Leipzig GmbH, to graduate M.Eng. Pauline Werner.
All award winners at a glance
KARL KOLLE Prize for Bachelor's thesis
- B.Eng. Livia Melina Doß | "Modelling of a multifunctional 3D-printed composite material for energy storage", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Robert Böhm
- B.Eng. Jannick Schneider | "Characterisation and prediction of residual properties of disused rotor blade structural components", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Robert Böhm
- B.Eng. Sandy Schubert | "Development and testing of a fibre composite pouch bag system for structural batteries", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Robert Böhm
- B.Eng. Michelle Schulz | "Method for interference suppression in the measurement of Korotkoff tones", Electrical Engineering and Information Technology degree programme, supervisor Prof. Matthias Laukner
KARL-KOLLE Prize for Master's thesis
- M.Eng. Daniel Breinl | "Development of an extrusion-based thermoplastic pultrusion process with GF and PP", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Robert Böhm
- M.Eng. Jonas Alexander Cremer | "Numerical calculation of valve characteristics for a transient 1D simulation of the exhaust valves of a reciprocating compressor", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Uwe Bäsel
- M.Eng. Tobias Metzger | "Optimisation of heat storage sizes for load shifting of electricity-carrying large heat pumps in district heating networks on the basis of electricity exchange price forecasts", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisors Prof. Martin Gürtler, Prof. Robert Huhn
- M.Eng. Florian Schramm | "Investigation of the adsorption of anthropogenic trace substances on activated hydrocarbons from sewage sludge and other biomass substrates", Energy, Building and Environmental Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Ingo Hartmann
- M.Eng. Jonas Waselau | "Validation of Ritz vector-based virtual sensing for offshore wind turbine support structures", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Guido Reuther
- M.Sc. Julian Thomas Ziegler | "Towards robust and accurate camera calibration for automated 2D tactical view generation from live football broadcasts", Electrical Engineering and Information Technology degree programme, supervisor Prof. Mirco Fuchs
KARL KOLLE Prize for the foundation of a start-up company
- M.Eng. Malte Koesling and M.Eng. Jonas Knoll for start-up "HydroHacke"
- Master's thesis M.Eng. Malte Koesling: "Development of a robotic system for automatic weed control using a visually controlled high-pressure water jet", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Detlef Riemer
- Master's thesis M.Eng. Jonas Knoll: "Development of an autonomous demonstrator for precision weed control using machine learning-based control of a high-pressure water jet system", Mechanical Engineering degree programme, supervisor Prof. Detlef Riemer
The aim is to develop a herbicide-free weed control device for vegetable growing. They are receiving financial support from an EXIST start-up grant.
Leipzig Energy Prize
- M.Eng. Pauline Werner | Master's thesis "Development of a methodology for the optimised positioning of geothermal probes", Mechanical Engineering course, supervisor Prof. Anke Bucher
Pauline Werner wrote her Master's thesis as part of the research project "EASyQuart Plus - energy-efficient design and planning of decentralised supply networks for heating and cooling urban districts". The focus was on the modelling of geothermal probe systems and their optimisation through a targeted spatial arrangement, particularly where space is limited. The aim was to develop an automated optimisation methodology with which thermal interactions between geothermal probes can be systematically taken into account and efficient probe arrangements can be identified.
Jan Schubert, Netz Leipzig GmbH: "In her work on the transformation path of the urban energy transition, Ms Werner has dealt with a scientifically challenging and at the same time highly practice-relevant topic. She convincingly demonstrates which is the most technically efficient and economically viable way to systematically utilise renewable energies at a local level. Overall, the work can be classified as very high quality and is characterised by a clear scientific argumentation and careful methodological implementation."
The Faculty of Engineering congratulates all award winners and wishes them every success for their future careers.
Information | The awards
The KARL KOLLE Prize of the KARL KOLLE Foundation
The foundation was established in 1998 by Dortmund entrepreneur Karl Kolle. The foundation's assets are based on the company KODA Stanz- und Biegetechnik GmbH - a supplier to the automotive industry. In addition to education, the most important areas of support include "science and research". In this combination, the foundation awards scholarships for particularly outstanding students and prizes for excellent scientific work.
From 2006 to 2026, the KARL KOLLE Foundation supported students at HTWK Leipzig on study visits abroad and honoured students for outstanding technical and scientific theses. The Executive Board and the Board of Trustees of the KARL KOLLE Foundation jointly decide on the awarding of grants. The Board of Trustees comprises representatives from science, business and social fields of activity.
The Leipzig Energy Prize of Netz Leipzig GmbH
Since 2017, Netz Leipzig GmbH has honoured students from the Faculty of Engineering at HTWK Leipzig for outstanding technical and scientific theses with the Leipzig Energy Prize. These are focussed on the energy world of tomorrow and address current developments in technologies or energy grid structures. Among other things, the context of implementation capability and the categorisation of economic principles and ecological consequences are criteria for the award. The decision is made by the Asset Management department in consultation with Netz Leipzig's management.
