This year’s Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence, presented at Deutsche Messe during Tire Technology Expo 2025 this week, celebrated the industry's best innovations and achievements over the last 12 months. Two awards are for the University of Twente. The Young Scientist Prize for 2025 was given to Katerina Filzer, a PhD student at the UT and Prof Anke Blume received the great honor of getting the Lifetime Achievement Award (as the first female ever, plus by far the youngest one).
The Young Scientist Prize 2025 was given to Katerina Filzer, a PhD student at Twente University in the Netherlands, for her presentation titled ‘An innovative method to incorporate a devulcanization aid into rubber'. The specialist jury panel – which is separate from the central categories – selected Filzer’s work not only for its complex and sophisticated nature but also for her clear, well-presented delivery.
In addition to recognizing the impressive accomplishments of manufacturers and suppliers, the awards are an opportunity to highlight the achievements of remarkable individuals within the industry. In 2025, the Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Prof. Anke Blume, head of elastomer technology and engineering at the University of Twente. Not only did her peers and colleagues wish to celebrate her technical expertise and academic achievements, but those who know and work with Blume also praised her contributions to the wider tire industry.
