The 2024 Michelberger Master Award Winners: Outstanding Researchers of the University of Pannonia

In November 2024, the prestigious Michelberger Master Award of the Hungarian Academy of Engineering (MMA) was awarded to two researchers from the University of Pannonia, Dr. Péter Bakonyi and his mentor, Professor Nándor Nemestóthy. They became the first winners in the award’s history from outside the capital. This recognition, granted annually to a “Master and Apprentice” pair, honors outstanding research and achievements in engineering sciences.

The Michelberger Master Award, presented each year by the Hungarian Academy of Engineering to the most exceptional young researcher and their mentor, rewards scientific achievements with significant results in technical, natural, or engineering sciences. The award consists of two parts: a plaque depicting Michelberger’s portrait and a certificate for the mentor, while the young researcher receives a one-year research grant of HUF 300,000 per month to support their continued research.

The Award and Its Significance

The application process requires both scientific and practical achievements, seeking young researchers who have demonstrated outstanding engineering or scientific results through “Master and Apprentice” collaboration. The award provides them with an opportunity to continue their research through a one-year grant, supporting further studies and developments.

Our Award-Winning Researchers

Dr. Péter Bakonyi earned his PhD in 2012 at the Doctoral School of Chemical Engineering and Material Sciences of the University of Pannonia. He is currently working at the university’s Research and Development Center for Bio-, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering. His publication record is remarkable in the field of membrane-based gas separation, where he has developed innovative solutions for separating industrial gases such as methane and carbon dioxide. His award-winning research, based on more than two decades of “Master and Apprentice” collaboration at the University of Pannonia, focuses on the development and industrial application of polydimethylsiloxane membranes.

Professor Nándor Nemestóthy, mentor of Péter Bakonyi, is a university professor and the director of the Research and Development Center for Bio-, Environmental, and Chemical Engineering at the University of Pannonia. He and Dr. Bakonyi have co-authored numerous publications, collaborated with industry partners, and achieved significant practical technological advancements. His role as a mentor has been crucial not only in guiding scientific research but also in shaping the career path of his young researcher.

The Significance of This Year’s Award

This year’s award ceremony was particularly special, as the researchers from the University of Pannonia outshone even the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and other research institutions in the capital. The award not only recognizes the individual achievements of the researchers but also highlights the successful collaboration and research efforts of the Faculty of Engineering and its research center at the University of Pannonia.