Sep 03, 2024
'Lightweight Engineering – a Diet Plan for the Heavyweights of Technology' – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler as a guest on 'Heimspiel Wissenschaft'
Imagine if you could halve the weight of the world on your shoulders without sacrificing performance or functionality. This is exactly what modern lightweight engineering does by combining technology, economy and ecology. At a time when resources are scarce and environmental protection is increasingly taking center stage, lightweight engineering offers solutions that both protect the environment and strengthen the economy. One key to this is the circular economy: products are not only reinvented, but also reused, refurbished and recycled.
On August 31, 2024, the Evangelical Lutheran parish of Limbach-Kändler was transformed into a place of scientific exchange and inspiration in order to make this topic comprehensible to those who do not deal with it on a daily basis. Under the title 'Lightweight Engineering – a Diet Plan for Heavyweights of Technology', Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler, Chair of Function-integrative Lightweight Engineering and member of the ILK Board, presented guests with well-founded insights into the world of modern lightweight engineering. The event is part of the 'Heimspiel Wissenschaft' initiative and brings scientists back to their hometowns to talk about their research and how their work affects everyday life. Funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the series of events aims to facilitate access to scientific education and research, while at the same time promoting understanding of important topics for the future.
In his presentation, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Modler emphasized how lightweight engineering can make a significant contribution to reducing the ecological footprint through the use of innovative materials and intelligent recycling processes. The evening provided a platform for lively discussions and exchange between science and society. Guests had the opportunity to experience science up close and personal, ask questions and actively participate in the discussions.
Events like this can promote understanding of the necessity and opportunities of structural change and arouse interest in scientific topics. The evening made it clear that lightweight engineering is far more than just a technical discipline – it is a 'diet plan' for our future that shows us how we can achieve more with less. By saving weight, we create space for innovation and new opportunities, even in regions that are undergoing change. The evening in Limbach-Kändler showed that this is not a distant dream, but a tangible reality.
The 'Heimspiel Wissenschaft' series is supported by a partnership between con gressa, the German Rectors' Conference (HRK) and the #WisskommLab at Heidelberg University. The ILK would like to thank Prof. Dr.-Ing. Modler, the Heimspiele Wissenschaft initiative and all participants for this special evening!
More information about the career of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler can be found here: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Niels Modler - Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology