For the ninth consecutive year, the City of Innsbruck has recognized outstanding research achievements at the Entrepreneurial School® with the MCI Research and Innovation Award. This year, the award was presented to Stefanie Haselwanter, Lecturer at the Department of Tourism & Leisure Business, and Sabrina Dumfort, Senior Researcher at the Department of Environmental, Process & Energy Engineering.
The award ceremony took place at the Innsbruck City Library and was officiated by Vice Mayor Elisabeth Mayr, accompanied by MCI Rector Andreas Altmann and the respective department heads, Hubert Siller (Tourism) and Werner Stadlmayr (Environmental, Process & Energy Engineering).
Dr. Stefanie Haselwanter impressed the jury with her research titled "Entrepreneurial Leadership in a Spatial Context of Action: Characterization of Entrepreneurial Leaders as Actors in Tourism-Related Social Fields." Dr. Sabrina Dumfort's thesis "Improvement of the Storability of Wood Chips through the Application of pH Altering Additives" explores how innovative chemical processes can enhance the storability of wood chips.
“The award-winning researchers demonstrate in an impressive way how research and innovation from Innsbruck can provide answers to key future challenges – from sustainable energy solutions to new approaches to entrepreneurial thinking in tourism,” emphasized Vice Mayor Elisabeth Mayr. “With this award, we not only honor scientific excellence but also the courage to creatively and responsibly address socially relevant issues.”
MCI Rector Andreas Altmann expressed his delight: “These award-winning personalities exemplify the practice-oriented, interdisciplinary, and international research culture at MCI. On behalf of the Entrepreneurial School®, I would like to thank the City of Innsbruck for its longstanding partnership and appreciation of research and innovation, and I warmly congratulate the winners on their outstanding achievements.”
The City of Innsbruck Research and Innovation Award at MCI was established in 2017 and is presented annually based on the decision of a high-level expert jury. The final decision is made by the City Senate of the provincial capital of science and higher education, Innsbruck.
From left to right: Vice Mayor Elisabeth Mayr, Hubert Siller (Head of Department of Tourism & Leisure Business), Stefanie Haselwanter, Sabrina Dumfort, Werner Stadlmayr (Head of Department of Environmental, Process & Energy Engineering), Birgit Neu (Head of Division MA V, City of Innsbruck), Andreas Altmann (MCI Rector) at the award ceremony at the Innsbruck City Library. © M. Freinhofer
The award winners Sabrina Dumfort (left) and Stefanie Haselwanter © M. Freinhofer
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