The working group Non-Metallic-Inorganic Materials, in which the award winner Dr. Jurij Koruza researches lead-free piezoceramics, their application as energy storage and dislocation-based functionality of ceramic materials as well as their mechanical properties. Koruza's research focuses on three main areas, all of which deal with major trends in global energy development.

On the one hand, Koruza is researching environmentally friendly piezoelectrics – materials that change their shape due to electrical voltage – for ultrasonic motors and actuators. Due to the advancing miniaturization, these will play a major role in the future, for example in the fields of medical technology and humanoid robotics.