The Prof. Hans-Joachim Hildebrand Prize 2017 was awarded by the Rector, Prof. Friedrich Albrecht, during the evening event of the 1st Upper Lusatian Energy Symposium at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences.

Dr. Matthias Kunick from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering received the award for his outstanding scientific achievements in his dissertation on "Fast calculation of thermophysical state variables in complex process simulations using the spline-based table look-up method (SBTL)". His dissertation includes the development of very accurate and at the same time extremely fast material value calculation algorithms and their application in complex energy-related process simulations. The dissertation was part of a project of the International Association for the Properties of Water and Steam (IAPWS).

Dr. Matthias Kunick had only recently completed his dissertation, which was part of a cooperative doctoral procedure between the Department of Technical Thermodynamics at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Hans-Joachim Kretzschmar, and the Institute of Energy Technology at TU Dresden, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Uwe Gampe, was defended with the grade "Summa cum laude", the highest grade awarded for a German doctoral examination. It was a special honour for him to be awarded this science prize. 

The founder of this prize, Professor Hans-Joachim Hildebrand, founding rector of the Zittau University of Engineering, stipulated that this prize should recognize and reward scientific achievements in the fields of energy technology and energy management that demonstrate novel theoretical and practical findings, or in which significant technical and/or economic effects are achieved through the application of known or modified laws, or which have led to the development of a scientific school.

With his scientific work, Dr. Matthias Kunick fulfilled the criteria of the award regulations in an outstanding manner. Overall, his large number of publications - five of which are in English - as well as his lectures at international conferences in the USA, Canada and England, among others, are also worthy of recognition. 

Dr. Kunick's top scientific achievement has gained national and international recognition beyond the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and thus contributed to the reputation of our university.

Since 1993, the Department of Technical Thermodynamics in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering at Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences has been carrying out extensive research work under the direction of Prof. Kretzschmar in the field of "Provision of thermophysical material data for working fluids in energy technology". This involves both basic research and practical research and development tasks for industry.