JR Managing Director Heinz Mayer together with Paul Hartmann, MATERIALS Institute director and Georg Jakopic, a member of staff at the site from the very beginning, talked through the past, present and future of the institute. The programme also included a panel discussion with Erwin Eggenreich (former Mayor of Weiz), Franz Nöhrer (Mayor of St. Ruprecht/Raab), Bernadette Karner and Roman Neubauer (Managing Directors of the Innovation Centre W.E.I.Z.).
Among the well-wishers were Provincial Councillor Barbara Eibinger-Miedl, Provincial Councillor Ursula Lackner and the Mayor of Weiz, Ingo Reisinger. There was an exciting keynote speech by well-known ORF presenter and climate expert Marcus Wadsak entitled ‘Climate change. Facts versus Fake & Fiction’.
Review of the MATERIALS Institute: From the beginnings to top international research
The success story began in 1999, when a site was established in Weiz as part of a regionalisation offensive. The choice fell on the promising research field of nanotechnology. Today, 25 years later, the MATERIALS Institute, now known as the ‘Institute for Sensors, Photonics and Manufacturing Technology’, is one of the world's leading competence centres for materials science, surface technologies and photonics. With over 100 employees, the institute has achieved national and international recognition.
Thanks to the close cooperation between JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Graz University of Technology and numerous industrial companies and educational institutions, the Weiz site has developed into a driver of innovation. From the founding of the nanotechnology network NANONET Styria and Photonics Austria to current research in the field of quantum computing and bionic surfaces - the expertise from Weiz is setting trends worldwide. In addition to the Weiz site, MATERIALS also has branches in Niklasdorf and Pinkafeld.
Looking into the future
The importance of MATERIALS as a research and development partner is set to grow further in the coming years. For example, projects in the field of wood technologies and strategic goals to strengthen the research campus are planned. Heinz Mayer, Managing Director of JOANNEUM RESEARCH, emphasises the role of the institute as an innovation leader and partner for companies: ‘MATERIALS offers access to the latest technologies and is a guarantee for high-quality jobs in the region.’
The celebrations on 24 October 2024 thus offered not only a look back at a successful history, but also an outlook on future developments at the Weiz site - an important player for research, technology and the region.
