Panel Discussion on 15 January

What is our future made of?

11. December 2023 by Redaktion

The highlight and closing event of the semester question was a panel discussion with renowned panellists at the Main Ceremonial Hall of the University of Vienna: Ranging from materials science to design and urban research. Materials researcher and NYT bestselling author Mark Miodownik from UCL gave the keynote speech.

Impressions from the event:

Gruppenfoto im Rektorat

Rector Schütze (centre) invited the panellists to the Rectorate of the University of Vienna to get to know each other in advance: materials physicist Georg Kresse, Climate Lab Director Gebhard Ottacher, moderator Petra Stuiber, designer Heike Stuckstedde, materials researcher Mark Miodownik and urban researcher Kerstin Krellenberg. © Markus Korenjak

Rektor Schütze am Podium

Rector Schütze welcomed the numerous guests, including many students, staff and alumni, in the Main Ceremonial Hall of the University of Vienna. He emphasised that technological innovations such as new materials are not just a matter for the natural and technical sciences, but must be considered more broadly in terms of social sustainability. © Markus Korenjak

Mark Miodownik am Podium

In his keynote speech "The Materials of the Future", Mark Miodownik, Professor of Materials & Society at UCL, took the audience into the wondrous world of materials and opened the discussion by talking about his favourite topic, the role of new materials for the current challenges of our time. At the end it was clear: "We make them and they make us." © Markus Korenjak

Around 200 participants attended the event on the semester question in the Main Ceremonial Hall of the University of Vienna, while a further 350 people followed the panel discussion online. © Markus Korenjak

Gebhard Ottacher

Gebhard Ottacher, economic historian and graduate of the University of Vienna, is Managing Director of the Innovation Hub Climate Lab. The "historian with no specialist background", as he describes himself, specialises in issues relating to the energy transition and the circular economy. "We have to start with product design and design things in such a way that they are modular and can also be separated and dismantled again." © Markus Korenjak

Krellenberg, Kresse und Miodownik am Podium

Urban researcher Kerstin Krellenberg, whose research interests include "circular cities" and the question of how we can use materials to conserve resources, answered questions from the audience together with materials physicist Georg Kresse (both from the University of Vienna) and keynote speaker Mark Miodownik. © Markus Korenjak

Heike Stuckstedde am Podium

Heike Stuckstedde, designer and graduate of the University of Vienna, is co-founder of the start-up AKEMI - Rethinking Light GmbH, which is currently applying for a patent for a sunlight technology. "Sunlight indoors can make a significant contribution to our well-being and helps us to reduce the amount of energy we need." © Markus Korenjak

Gruppenfoto Podium

The panellists from left to right: Petra Stuiber, Gebhard Ottacher, Kerstin Krellenberg, Georg Kresse, Mark Miodownik and Heike Stuckstedde visibly enjoyed the event. © Markus Korenjak

Empfang Kleiner Festaal

To round off the event, the university invited visitors to enjoy refreshments in the Small Ceremonial Hall, where they were able to socialise. © Markus Korenjak

Video of the panel discussion on January 15, 2024

Re-watch the concluding panel discussion on the semester question "What is our future made of?" in the Main Ceremonial Hall of the University of Vienna on January 15. The keynote by Mark Miodownik from UCL is in English and starts at minute 6:50.

Energy transition, circular economy, "Self-Repairing Cities": What innovative materials are essential to make these visions a reality? What are possible solutions? And where do we need radical new designs?

Materials scientist Mark Miodownik (University College London), urban researcher Kerstin Krellenberg, physicist Georg Kresse (both from the University of Vienna), head of the Climate Lab Gebhard Ottacher and designer Heike Stuckstedde discuss these questions in the concluding panel discussion of the semester question.

You may also read

Semester question

"If we want a future it will be material"

In the interview, material scientist Mark Miodownik from UCL, who will deliver the keynote address at the panel discussion on the semester question on January 15th, explains what matters today in the development of new materials.

As an introduction Mark Miodownik, Professor of Materials & Society and Director of the UCL Institute of Making, gave a keynote on the impact of new materials on the challenges of our time (note: Keynote was held in English; following panel discussion in German). He described a new age of materials research in which the boundaries between animate and inanimate matter are blurred. Is the vision of self-repairing cities achievable? How far are we from achieving the aim that all materials and products in future will need to be part of a circular economy in which they are designed primarily for repair and reuse? (Read more in the Rudolphina-Interview with Mark Miodownik!)

Joining Mark Miodownik on the panel (Note: the panel discussion was held in German)

Kerstin Krellenberg: The environmental scientist is Professor of Urban Studies and member of the Environment and Climate Research Hub (ECH) at the University of Vienna. Her research focuses on sustainability transformations, vulnerability and adaptation in urban spaces as well as global environmental changes. The Urban Sustainability Living Lab (USLL) of her working group serves as a platform for integrative exchange and communication on the issue.
Georg Kresse: The physicist is Professor of Computational Materials Physics at the University of Vienna. His research focusses on theoretical solid state physics and surface science. Kresse is the main author of the influential computer code "VASP" (Vienna ab initio simulation package) for quantum mechanical simulations. Read the Rudolphina article to learn more about his research.
Gebhard Ottacher: The economic historian and graduate of the University of Vienna is Managing Director of the Climate Lab innovation hub, an initiative by the Climate and Energy Fund together with Wien Energie, EIT Climate KIC and Impact Hub. 200 people are involved in the Climate Lab, developing solutions aimed at achieving climate neutrality and a circular economy.
Heike Stuckstedde: The designer and graduate of the University of Vienna is co-founder of the start-up company AKEMI – Rethinking Light GmbH which is currently in the process of patenting a solution involving sunlight technology. She studied history of art and architecture at the University of Vienna as well as interior design at the New Design University St. Pölten. After working in the field of museums and art, she now focuses on the design of light objects as well as the use of sunlight as a sustainable and healthy source of energy.

The panel discussion took place in cooperation with the Austrian daily newspaper DerStandard – deputy editor-in-chief Petra Stuiber moderated the discussion.

The panellists

Mark Miodownik sitzend, im Hintergrund ist ein Marsmobil zu sehen

Materials scientist Mark Miodownik, University College London:"We are living through a revolution in the way we manufacture materials and products to make them truly sustainable. What the outcome of this paradigm shift will be is not yet clear – but one thing we do know is that consumerism is dead." © BBC

Porträt von Kerstin Krellenberg

Urban researcher Kerstin Krellenberg, University of Vienna:"Turning old into new is not new and yet it is not a step backwards – we need to rethink efficiency, consistency and sufficiency together." © Universität Wien/Daniel Dutkowski

Porträtfoto von Prof. Georg Kresse

Georg Kresse is Professor of Computational Materials Physics at the University of Vienna. His research focuses on theoretical solid state physics and surface science. © Alexander Bachmayer

Porträt Gebhard Ottacher

Head of the Climate Lab, Gebhard Ottacher, alumnus of the University of Vienna:"The materials of the future are recyclable and recorded in a digital product passport. This means we know at every point where they come from and where they are going to." © Luiza Puiu

Porträt Heike Stuckstedde

Designer and start-up founder, Heike Stuckstedde, alumna of the University of Vienna:"AKEMI.suntec brings real sunlight into all interior spaces around the world, making an important contribution to people's health and protecting our climate." © Atara Design

Porträtfoto von Petra Stuiber

Petra Stuiber, deputy editor-in-chief of the Austrian daily newspaper DerStandard. © STANDARD Peter Rigaud

More first-hand knowledge on materials of the future

Curious? Delve into the world of the materials of the future and see the contributions on the focus topic of the current semester question in the research magazine Rudolphina as well as on the website of DerStandard (in German only).

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