Prof. Josef Kiendl receives the "ERC Consolidator Grant"

The "ERC Consolidator Grant" is one of the most valuable funding measures in the European Union and enables outstanding scientists to further expand their own research area.

Prof. Kiendl has been Professor of Structural Analysis at the Institute of Mechanics and Statics of the Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences since January 1, 2020. He studied civil engineering at the Technical University of Munich and before joining the Bundeswehr University in Munich worked in research and teaching at various universities in Germany, Italy and Norway.

The project "Structural multiscale modeling of extrusion-based 3D and 4D printed materials"

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, refers to a number of different technologies in which three-dimensional objects of any complex geometry can be created layer by layer. The most common 3D printing technology is fused deposition modeling. Due to the development of high-strength and durable plastics, this method represents a very interesting and cost-effective alternative in the manufacture of machine and component parts. However, a decisive hurdle here is the fact that the mechanical properties of the printed material differ greatly from those of the starting material , so that a reliable dimensioning of printed components is currently not possible. These differences are based on special microstructures in the material caused by the printing process.

The aim of this project is to explore the relationships between the controllable printing parameters (e.g. temperature, layer thickness, etc.), the resulting microstructures and the resulting material properties and to make them calculable. In a second step, this knowledge will then be used to create materials with extraordinary properties, so-called metamaterials, using specially developed microstructures in the 3D printer.

One of the most highly endowed funding measures in the EU.

Last year, 2453 applications from 24 different countries were submitted for the ERC Consolidator Grant program, of which 301 were approved for funding. The funding amount per project is a maximum of two million euros with a maximum funding period of five years. The total funding amount in 2019 was €600 million.

The European Research Council (ERC) is a science-led institution set up by the European Commission to promote cutting-edge research. It has existed since 2007 and is funded by the Horizon 2020 framework program for research and innovation. The "ERC Grants" are aimed at excellent individual scientists of any nationality who would like to carry out their research project in Europe. There are three categories depending on age and research experience: ERC Starting Grants are aimed at young, innovative researchers who want to set up a new research group, Consolidator Grants are aimed at established top researchers who have already achieved excellent research results, and ERC Advanced Grants are aimed at experienced top researchers with over ten years of research experience.

We are pleased with Prof. Kiendl about this success and welcome him and the newly appointed at the beginning of the year, Prof. Hedwig Richter, Prof. Antje Gieraths, Prof. Eric Jägle and Prof. Frank Müller-Langer, to the Universität der Bundeswehr München!