Material design: START Prize for TU Graz physicist

By Birgit Baustädter TU Graz physicist Oliver Hofmann has been awarded the renowned START Prize for his work in the field of material design. He aims to make production of materials with certain properties easier. Many material properties depend upon the internal structure of a material. The internal structure can in turn be influenced by the production process. What conditions need to prevail during the production process in order to confer certain properties on the material is valuable knowledge not easily won. This is where Oliver Hofmann's MAP DESIGN project, which was awarded the START Prize, comes in. Its aim is to simulate conditions by means of quantum-mechanical computer calculations which can lead to the production of materials with precisely defined properties.