Dr. Steffen Nixdorf received the VBW Dissertation Award for his doctoral thesis “Reciprocal human-machine learning in manufacturing”. In his thesis, he develops the concept of Reciprocal Human–Machine Learning (RHML): a bidirectional learning process in which humans and AI systems learn from one another through interaction and purposefully combine their respective strengths.

The focus is on a collaborative approach that supports efficient task completion while also encouraging learning on both sides. Humans and AI systems thereby develop their capabilities through working together. The dissertation thus contributes to hybrid intelligence in manufacturing, where human and artificial intelligence work together.

VBW Dissertation Award for Dr. Maria Hulla

Dr. Maria Hulla received the VBW Dissertation Award for her outstanding doctoral thesis. Her research examines how small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) can successfully advance their digital transformation. It focuses on the competencies employees need and the particular challenges SMEs face compared with larger companies.

At the networking event held at TU Wien on 25 June 2025, five outstanding theses in the field of Industrial Management were honoured with the 2024 Diploma Thesis Award. The awards were presented by Professor Kurt Matyas.

The award-winning theses address a wide range of topics:

Alexandra Alexandru examined the influence of availability expectations on gender-specific career ambitions.

Lukas Künig developed a tool to improve the explainability of transformer models for industrial maintenance applications.

Alexander Martin explored a method for analysing the effectiveness of digitalisation measures based on model-based product definition.

Jeremias Meyer developed a nonlinear, two-dimensional maturity model for accounting for Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions.

Dominik Pülke focused on detecting boredom during manufacturing tasks using physiological signals.

Christina Schmidbauer was honoured with the VBW Prize at the end of 2023 for her outstanding dissertation.

Sebastian Schlund from the Institute of Management Sciences and VBW President Alfred Zimmermann presented the prize to Schmidbauer for her dissertation ‘Adaptive Task Sharing Between Humans and Cobots in Assembly Processes’, which she completed in 2022. This involves a method for adaptive task sharing between a human and a collaborative robot (cobot) in assembly processes. The method presented by Schmidbauer essentially consists of a task analysis, a partial task allocation and a task visualisation method. The results of the evaluation of the work showed a potential improvement in the economic efficiency of the processes and the physical ergonomics of the employees through the use of a cobot. The mental ergonomics are improved by the flexibilisation of the division of labour, as a monotonous way of working is counteracted by an increased variety of tasks.

Matthias Ondra and Michael Rachinger were honoured with the VBW Prize at the end of 2022 for their outstanding dissertations.

Matthias Ondra's dissertation ‘Investment in renewable energy technologies under uncertainty’ deals with the optimal investment decision in an energy portfolio consisting of wind and solar power plants. In his work, he analysed the diversification effect that occurs when these two technologies are combined under different electricity price scenarios and discussed various planning concepts on which the optimisation model is based.

In his dissertation ‘Exploring the Role of Business Models in Innovation-Centered Ecosystems A Multiple Case Study of Actors in the Ecosystem for Electrified Vehicles’, Michael Rachinger deals with design options for business models in the context of economic ecosystems that are created on the basis of new technologies.

In 2020, several students were honoured with the VBW Prize for their outstanding diploma theses and dissertations.

Matthias Karner for his dissertation ‘Phasenmodell zur Entwicklung einer werkzeug- und maschinenzustandsbedingten Produktionsreihenfolgeoptimierung’.

Matthias Wolf for his dissertation ‘Counteracting demographic challenges in industrial blue-collar work - Development of a structured approach for the identification of age-critical workplaces and their adaption by physical assistance’.

Johannes Breitschopf for his diploma thesis ‘A Procedural Model for Extracting Knowledge from Industrial Maintenance Reports’.

Simon Eder for his diploma thesis ‘Change Management bei der Einführung von Mensch-Roboter-Kollaboration und Cobots’.

Natascha Hajek for her diploma thesis ‘Einsatz von Exoskeletten als Assistenzsystem in der Produktion - Marktanalyse’.

Theresa Madreiter for her diploma thesis ‘Design and Development of a Prototype of TU-MARS’.

Stefan Salbrechter for his diploma thesis ‘Stock price prediction based on a sentiment analysis of financial news’.