Strong Presence of IVW at the 29th National SAMPE Symposium in Aachen

On April 2–3, 2025, the RWTH Aachen University and the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) hosted the 29th SAMPE Germany Symposium. As one of the most important annual events in the field of composite materials, the symposium brings together experts from both research and industry to exchange ideas, present innovations, and foster collaboration for a sustainable future.

The Leibniz Institute for Composite Materials (IVW) was represented on site by a dedicated team.

Spotlight on Young Talent and Research Excellence

Two former IVW junior researchers delivered compelling presentations during the prestigious SAMPE Innovation Award competition, held on the day before the symposium:

• Rodrigo Luengo Scotto, who completed his Master's thesis at IVW and is now conducting research at the Chair of Carbon Composites at Technical University of Munich

• Dr. Andreas Baumann, who earned his PhD at IVW and continues to contribute to its research team

Both were selected as finalists in a high-profile pitch competition alongside nine other participants, showcasing their innovative work and representing the strength of IVW’s academic mentoring and research excellence.

Engaged Representation from IVW

Further members of IVW participated in the event, contributing to scientific dialogue and representing the institute:

- Prof. Dr. Thomas Neumeyer
- Dr. Sebastian Schmeer
- Dr. Andreas Klingler, who also served as local coordinator for the Kaiserslautern region within SAMPE Germany

Cross-Institutional Exchange and Collaboration

The symposium offered valuable opportunities for interdisciplinary discussions with representatives from institutions such as:

- Wagenfelder Spinnereien
- Hamburg University of Technology (TU Hamburg)
- Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) – including Niklas Lorenz
- Polymer Engineering at the University of Bayreuth
- Hanser Verlag – represented by Mark Smith

These conversations underscored the importance of international and inter-sectoral collaboration in advancing sustainable material technologies.

Explore the visual impressions and highlights shared by our colleagues at IKV:
https://ikv-aachen.de/en/the-29th-national-sampe-symposium-highlighted-composite-technologies-for-a-sustainable-future/

A special thanks to Prof. Christian Hopmann, the organizational teams of the hosting institutes, and the SAMPE Germany Board – including Christian-Andre Keun, Frank Henning, Dr. Henrik Schmutzler, and Andrea Piotrowski – for orchestrating such an insightful and well-organized event.