The Rodolphe and Renée Haenny Foundation awarded its prize to Dr Arnaud Magrez, senior scientist at the Institute of Physics and head of the Crystal Growth Facility at EPFL.
In 2001, following the wish of her late husband, Mrs. Renée Haenny founded the Rodolphe and Renée Haenny Foundation, aiming to support metallurgy and materials science students and to honor outstanding scientists, educators and engineers from EPFL or the University of Lausanne. The Rodolphe and Renée Haenny Prize, which consists of a cash award of CHF 10’000, distinguishes highly original work in metallurgy and materials science with a fundamental and interdisciplinary component, as well as specific actions with respect to the promotion and education of students in materials science and engineering.
Arnaud Magrez receives this award "for his important contribution and leadership of the Crystal Growth Facility at EPFL, for his production of outstanding quality crystals, which enabled collaborators to perform high impact studies in a wide variety of materials with very diverse applications, for his strong involvement in education and teaching of students as well as training of scientists at all levels for the use of various characterization techniques, and finally for his implication in several EPFL communities, in particular as the present President of its Assemblée d’Ecole."
The R. & R. Haenny Prize was presented to Arnaud Magrez during La Doctorale that took place on October 27th at the Forum Rolex (the video of the ceremony is available with the awarding of the R. & R. Haenny Prize starting at 24’45). When asked what makes him most proud about the Crystal Growth Facility, Arnaud pointed out that the facility has contributed to the discovery of numerous new materials, some of which have unique crystallographic structures.