Fraunhofer is building collaboration with British university

Sheffield Hallam University in the UK is appointing Prof. Dr. Günter Bräuer, Director and Prof. (TUT) Wolfgang Diehl, Deputy Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST in Braunschweig as visiting professors to the university‘s Materials and Engineering Research Institute.

Prof. (TUT) Wolfgang Diehl and Prof. Dr. Günter Bräuer (left to right) will in future be pursuing research and teaching in the HIPIMS field (high power impulse magnetron sputtering) at Sheffield Hallam University as well / Fraunhofer IST

These appointments acknowledge years of close scientific collaboration in the field of coating technology with HIPIMS or high power impulse magnetron sputtering as also the establishment of the HIPIMS Technology Centre, a venture started jointly in 2010 by Sheffield Hallam and Fraunhofer IST. In addition to tackling industry-oriented research projects in the field of vacuum coating technology, one of the main tasks of the centre currently being set up in England is client acquisition.

Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) appoints »visiting professors« in recognition of proven professional expertise and an international scientific reputation as well as outstanding performance in research and teaching. In guest lectures, scientific exchanges and the supervision of doctoral candidates Prof. Dr. Bräuer and Prof. (TUT) Diehl are already actively involved in the SHU‘s academic programme.

The appointments were officially announced at the 4th International HIPIMS Conference in Braunschweig by Professor Alan Smith, Director of the Materials and Engineering Research Institute at Sheffield Hallam University. Professor Smith said: "I would like to welcome Professor Bräuer and Professor Diehl to their new roles. Fraunhofer has an enthusiasm and commitment to HIPIMS technology that matches our own. At Sheffield Hallam we have recently announced a major £5.7m revamp for our centre, which includes state-of-the-art new equipment for HIPIMS applied research. With Günter and Wolfgang on board, our global reputation for innovative and applied knowledge transfer can only get stronger."

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