Two MCI graduates awarded the 2017 Science Prize

Tyrolean Economic Chamber hosts ceremony to honor Martin Anderl, MCI graduate of Entrepreneurship & Tourism, and Christoph Guem, MCI graduate of Mechatronics & Smart Technologies

Management Center Innsbruck (MCI) is delightedto announce that two of its graduates have recently been awarded the Tyrolean Economic Chamber Science Prize. The award winners are Martin Anderl, BA MA, graduate of the Entrepreneurship & Tourism Master’s program, and Christoph Guem, BSc MSc, graduate of the Mechatronics & Smart Technologies Master’s program. The jury lauded the high level of innovation and emphasized the practical relevance of the winners’ works. Despite covering entirely different subjects, both theses stand out due to their focus on providing usability and benefits for those who are directly affected.

In his Master’s thesis on “Knowledge transfer in the context of family-external succession in small and medium-sized enterprises”, Martin Anderl addresses the previously neglected aspect of external succession. The focus of his thesis is on the transfer of relevant knowledge as the company’s most important resource for future generations. As part of his empirical research work, Anderl developed a model that takes both influencing factors and knowledge transfer between the source and the recipient into account. The thesis was supervised by MCI Professor Anita Zehrer, who is also the head of the MCI Family Business Center.

Christoph Guem’s goal was to improve the working conditions for operators of construction machines. His Master’s thesis provides a “Numerical investigation of the vibro-acoustic system behavior of a bulldozer”. By using the example of a bulldozer, Guem developed a simulation method to enable the early detection of noise emission that potentially interrupts the construction work. He was able to directly apply his findings to the development of a respective prototype. As a result, he could not only achieve considerable cost and time savings, but also, and in particular, an improved work environment for machine operators. This thesis was supervised by MCI Lecturer Franz-Josef Falkner in conjunction with Liebherr.

MCI Rector Andreas Altmann thanks President of the Tyrolean Economic Chamber, Jürgen Bodenseer, whose commitment has proved essential in creating and sustaining the valuable symbiosis of science and economy: “From a total of 41 submissions, 18 have come from MCI graduates. This alone shows our students’ high potential to transform research findings into practical solutions, directly benefitting relevant businesses.”

This year, altogether 41 applications were received for the renowned Tyrolean Economic Chamber Science Prize, which includes prize money of 1,000 euros. Only five of the submissions could convince the jury, consisting of Andrea Berghofer (Adler Lacke), Wolfgang Sief (SIKO), and Martin Dax. Submission eligibility requires for Master’s theses to be written at the University of Innsbruck, the Kufstein University of Applied Sciences, and Management Center Innsbruck and that were awarded an “Excellent” grade and demonstrate a high level of innovation as well as relevance to small and medium-sized businesses.

“The Science Prize is awarded to honor the best of the best. In Tyrol, there are many young talents ready to achieve great things with creativity and motivation. We want to support them in realizing their visions and, thus, build a bridge between the world of science and business adventure,” as President of the Tyrolean Economic Chamber, Jürgen Bodenseer, explains.

Tyrolean Economic Chamber press release

Further information:
Entrepreneurship & Tourism Master’s degree
Mechatronics & Smart Technologies Master’s degree
Family Business Center
Research & Development at MCI

Press contact
Ulrike Fuchs
+43 512 2070-1527
ulrike.fuchs@mci.edu