AIBE Department nominated for the “Bestes Forschungsumfeld 2024” Award!

The Department of Artificial Intelligence and Biomedical Engineering (AIBE) has been nominated for the first-ever “Bestes Forschungsumfeld 2024” (“Best Research Environment 2024”) award, presented by Die Junge Akademie in collaboration with the Volkswagen Foundation.

The new award honors research environments that actively encourage collaboration, innovation, and a supportive academic culture. AIBE is one of the nominated teams selected from across Germany to be recognised in this inaugural round.

The application, submitted by four doctoral researchers from the department –  Luisa Neubig (anki Lab), René Groh (anki Lab), Alina Schüller (Sensory Neuroengineering Lab), and Johanna P. Müller (IDEA Lab) – highlights several qualities that align with the award’s evaluation criteria. These include a shared sense of purpose and identity, clearly defined roles and inclusive structures, and an ongoing commitment to transparent communication and collaborative practice.

AIBE supports flexible workspaces and organises social events, from ski trips to sports tournaments, through its Social Integrators team.

Regular feedback sessions, career discussions, and an annual conference ensure continuous professional development.

The department also emphasises gender diversity programmes like the ARIADNE Mentoring programme, which supports female researchers in their academic careers. AIBE’s strong industry and academic partnerships, including Siemens, Adidas, Fraunhofer IIS, and University Hospital Erlangen (UKER), enrich its research and outreach efforts.

The nomination acknowledges these efforts and the department’s continued focus on creating a research environment that is both rigorous and supportive, and that encourages innovation while planning for sustainable development into the future.

Each winning team will receive €10,000 to invest in measures that strengthen their working environment, such as retreats, coaching, or skill-building initiatives. The award ceremony will take place on June 7, 2025, in Berlin, where the final award recipients will be announced.

The department is grateful for this recognition and sees the nomination as a meaningful affirmation of the values and collaborative spirit that shape its daily work.