We are pleased to announce the DGM Young Talent Prize 2024, which recognizes outstanding Ph.D. students who have graduated no more than two years ago at the time of application. This prestigious award is dedicated to young scientists who have made an outstanding contribution to nonprofit research in materials science and engineering. DGM congratulates Dr.-Ing. Julia Rau, Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology (Gothenburg, Sweden), on winning the DGM Young Scientist Award 2024.
1. Dr. Rau, what does the DGM Young Talent Prize mean to you and how do you see the role of the German Society for Materials Science in your career so far?
The DGM has accompanied me since my bachelor's degree, when I attended the Materials Week in Dresden as a young student. I was fascinated by the variety of topics and the interesting people working on them. This atmosphere helped me to consider a career in science. The DGM has also accompanied me throughout my career, be it at the DGM get-togethers or at conferences organized by the DGM. The DGM Young Talent Prize is a great confirmation for me that the career path I have chosen so far was the right one for me.
2. What insights or experiences would you pass on to other female academics based on your own journey in order to successfully combine career and family?
The framework conditions for academic work (e.g. part-time, flexible working hours, home office) make it easier to combine family and career. At the same time, it requires a partner who is equally or more involved in childcare. Understanding and support from superiors and colleagues are also important. For us, the final phase of our doctorate proved to be a good time to start a family. As part of the Walter Benjamin Postdoc Fellowship from the DFG, which I received for my postdoc stay in Sweden, childcare costs are covered and a child allowance is paid, which is a great relief. We wouldn't want to miss the experience of living abroad as a family for a certain period of time.
3. Your doctorate at KIT dealt with the tribological initiation and activation of tribochemical processes. What inspired you to work on this particular research topic?
During my compulsory internship for my Master's degree, I worked on the oxidation of artificial knee implants in the human body. I was fascinated by the surface changes caused by tribological stress. The semester before, I had a very exciting lecture with Prof. Dr. Christian Greiner at KIT. I therefore decided to do a PhD in the field of tribology with Prof. Dr. Greiner and Prof. Dr. Peter Gumbsch in order to understand more about the fundamentals of tribologically-induced oxidation.
4. You have been awarded the Walter Benjamin Postdoctoral Fellowship from the DFG for your research at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. What specific goals are you pursuing there and what are your future research plans?
The postdoctoral project is a continuation of the investigation of oxidized knee implants from my compulsory internship in my Master's degree, whereby I am working closely with Aesculap AG from Tuttlingen. The focus is on characterizing the oxide layer using high-resolution methods such as atom probe tomography. I was able to learn this fascinating method as part of the scholarship. The excellent facilities and expertise at Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg offer outstanding conditions for this project. For my return to Germany, I have received a DFG return scholarship, within which I will continue to dedicate myself to the project. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Martin Heilmaier from KIT in Karlsruhe will act as my host.