Frank Rhein

The cryptocurrency Bitcoin is a prominent example in blockchain technology. It depends on a decentralized digital ledger which uses “proof of work” to reach consensus. The blockchain is trustworthy, as manipulating it requires an unachievable amount of work and computing power. However, this security comes at the price of a massive electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. Frank Rhein wants to develop a 'proof of physical work' where the blockchain protocol is based on expensive physical resources and time instead of cheap electricity. The Carl Zeiss Foundation now funds his research with 1.5 million euro within its Nexus program.

KIT

Jingyuan Xu is one of four excellent young female scientists who will be awarded the "For Women in Science" prize in 2025 for their contributions to research. She focuses on the development of environmentally friendly cooling technologies based on the use of shape memory alloys. This innovative method enables more energy-efficient cooling and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cooling systems. The award is presented in cooperation with the German Humboldt Network under the motto "The world needs science - and science needs women".

Amadeus Bramsiepe, KIT

Manuel Krannich has convinced the European Research Council (ERC) with his project on manifolds and functor calculus. His research combines several areas of pure mathematics and unveils new relationships between symmetries of high-dimensional manifolds and laws of algebra. Krannich is specialized in algebraic and geometric topology. Manifolds are topological spaces that seem to be flat from a local point of view, but have a more complicated shape when seen globally – comparable to a representation of the globe’s surface by many overlapping maps. The ERC is funding Krannich's basic research with 1.5 million euros over the next five years.