Annika Laimmer is best trainee in materials testing and wins Max Planck Trainee Award 2020

September 21, 2020

Annika Laimmer, newly graduated materials tester specialized in metals technology at the Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung (MPIE), has won the Max Planck Trainee Award 2020 of the Max Planck Society. Moreover, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce Düsseldorf (IHK) also awarded her as best trainee in the field of materials testing, this year. In her final examination, she achieved 97 of 100 points.

At the MPIE, she works on preparation methods and microstructure analysis of metals. During her apprenticeship, she also worked in the field of electron microscopy. She conducted experiments on various metallic materials to test their properties, thus contributing to the development of better materials for energy, mobility, infrastructure and medicine, on which the MPIE scientists are working. "Scientists from all over the world are at the MPIE. I had the chance to meet and work with many of them and learned a lot not only about science but also about the many different cultures," says Annika.

"I think we offer young people a very good vocational training," notices Heidi Bögershausen. Together with Herbert Faul, she is responsible for the trainees in the field of materials testing at the MPIE. "Annika has developed personally and professionally and is also socially engaged in our institute," she says. Annika is youth and trainee representative at the MPIE and helps to look after student internships.

The MPIE is often recognized for its efforts in promoting trainees by the Max Planck Society and the IHK Düsseldorf. Since 2007, the Max Planck Society yearly awards 20 outstanding trainees from over 80 Max Planck institutes. The MPIE trainees have already won the award several times. In addition, the IHK Düsseldorf honors the best trainees of a given year in a formal ceremony, to which MPIE trainees are regularly invited. Following the rules to condemn the corona pandemic, the official award ceremony had to be cancelled this year.

The MPIE offers six apprenticeships: Chemistry laboratory assistant, IT specialist for system integration, industrial mechanic, office management clerk, mathematically technical software developer and materials tester specializing in metal technology. The graduated trainees have many job opportunities afterwards. Some stay at the institute, others work in industry. Annika will study mechanical engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen and will remain working as student assistant at the MPIE.

Author: Saskia Schlesinger

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