News 2018

When it comes to digitization, digital data is increasingly being produced in schools. The Institute for Information Management Bremen (ifib) at the University of Bremen is coordinating a three-year joint project investigating its use. It is financed by the Federal Government with 1.2 million euros.

This year, the DAAD prize, endowed with 1,000 euros, goes to student teacher Samuel Xavier from Brazil. The award recognizes students or graduates of the university for outstanding achievements in their studies and also in their social environment.

The Virtual Academy of Sustainability and the Hochschule an Nachhaltigkeit – HOCH-N (sustainability at higher education institutions – HOCH-N) network at the university have been recognized by the German Commission for UNESCO (DUK) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

Eine Studie unter Beteiligung des Wirtschaftswissenschaftlers Lars Hornuf der Universität Bremen zum Thema Datenschutz bei FinTech-Unternehmen zeigt, dass sich der Umgang mit Nutzerdaten seit Inkrafttreten der DSGVO in vielen Fällen verschlechtert hat.

In August 2014, two Galileo satellites did not reach the planned height. This was a stroke of luck for ZARM scientists at the University of Bremen who are researching Einstein’s theory of relativity. The results have now been published in the Physical Review Letters.

The Faculty of Physics of the University of Bremen invites guests to the Physik zum Advent show. On Saturday, December 15, at 11 a.m. university scientists will present physical phenomena in mechanical science, acoustics, and electrical science in a short and relaxed format. Admission is free.

Professors Christoph Burmann, Maik Eisenbeiß, and Kristina Klein, together with their teams, have founded a new institute in the Faculty of Business Studies & Economics at the University of Bremen. The three marketing experts have called it markstones Institute of Marketing, Branding and Technology.

The chemistry department once again invites you to attend a traditional Christmas lecture. The event with Dr. Stephan Leupold, Katharina Schneider, and Anne-Marie Lilje starts in the large lecture hall C1, building NW 2, block C, in Leobener Strasse on December 6 at 4 p.m. Admission is free.

The guest of the fourth Senghaas Lecture of the Institute for Intercultural and International Studies is Professor Hans Joas from Berlin. He will reflect on the subject of postnational imperialism. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, December 5, 2018, in the Haus der Wissenschaft.

The University of Bremen is expanding its research expertise and establishing the Center for Decision Research together with Jacobs University. The institute is meant to combine science and application-oriented tasks. The ceremonial opening takes place on November 30 in the Haus der Wissenschaft.

Donald Trump’s victory in the election for the 45th president of the USA has strengthened the support of Europeans for the European Union. This is the result of a study that now features as an article in a special issue of the US magazine Perspectives on Politics.

A test procedure developed by the TVET Research Group at the University of Bremen (I:BB) is now being introduced nationwide in China. The Chinese Ministry of Education regards the COMET method – also known as “Vocational Education and Training PISA” – as a key quality assurance project.

Due to a suspected act of sabotage, the entire university and indoor pool facility have to remain closed for the next few days; the police are investigating. Bremer Bäder GmbH and the Verein für Hochschulsport will announce on their websites in the near future when the swimming pools can open again.

The University of Bremen is a partner in a research project on digitization in higher education. The Bremen project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) with around 845,000 euros.

A hundred years ago, not only did World War I end, but the first German democracy was born. This time of upheaval is the focus of the new dramatic reading from the series “From the Files to the Stage.” The premiere is on November 26 at 7:30 p.m. at the Theater am Leibnizplatz, Bremen.

With the support of the Deutsche Telekom Stiftung, scientists from the University of Bremen have investigated whether the use of Calliope computers in elementary schools makes sense. The results of their study have now been published. Teaching materials will follow shortly.

How can understanding succeed in times of inequality and populism? Political scientist Professor Martin Nonhoff argues that no one should be excluded from the social debate. On the occasion of the 31st Bremer Universitäts-Gespräche, he gives an insight into the broad field.

In the coming years, the University of Bremen will be given the opportunity to receive funding from the female professors program of the Federal Government and Federal States. In addition, it is one of ten HEIs to be honored by the Joint Science Conference (GWK) for approaches to gender equality.

On November 15 and 16, 2018, the 31st Bremer Universitäts-Gespräche conference will take place. “Liberal Democracies under Stress: Economic Inequality, Cultural Diversity, and Populism” is this year's theme. The panel discussion in the Schütting at 6 p.m. on the opening night is open to the public.

The Bremen research lab “Film, Media Art and Popular Culture” at ZeMKI is involved in an international research project. It concerns the digitization, analysis, and mediation of films documenting the liberation of concentration camps.

Around 2.5 million people in need of long-term care in Germany are cared for by relatives; these caregivers are more likely to be ill than persons from comparison groups. These are the results from the Pflegereport 2018 (Care Report) written by a team of SOCIUM authors and commissioned by BARMER.

Christian Palentien, professor in the Faculty of Educational Sciences at the University of Bremen, has been appointed chairman of the federal government’s commission of experts for the preparation of the 16th report on children and youth.

European regions should learn from each other in order to improve their capacity for innovation. This is the aim of the EU-funded project “TraCS3,” in which the Institute for Labour and Economy (iaw) of the University of Bremen is significantly involved. A project meeting will take place in Bremen.

The University of Bremen and the Dr. Hans Riegel-Stiftung have honored students from the region for their particularly good prescientific work. The Dr. Hans Riegel specialist prizes are endowed with a total of around 5,000 euros.

On November 6, 2018, the eighth Bremen StartUp-Lounge will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the University of Bremen. It is organized by the BRIDGE university initiative with the support of STARTHAUS and brings together people with start-up experience and those interested in start-ups.

Novel, atomically thin materials could be used in the future as energy-efficient and versatile light sources. Physicists from the University of Bremen have now published the results of their research into these materials in the internationally renowned journal “Nature Physics.”

At the ZeMKI, a mobile app is currently being developed for news about life in Bremen and the surrounding area. Local news and information from clubs will be available via the “molo.news” app. The competition for ideas for the development of a logo will run until November 15, 2018.

Students of the University of Bremen have researched the history of the Bremen-Schützenhof satellite camp in Gröpelingen. They have developed an audio walk for smartphones. It describes the forgotten fates of the forced laborers who were sent to the A.G. Weser shipyard every day.

The Institute for Biophysics at the University of Bremen is involved in a multinational research network that is to develop new tools in biomedicine. These tools could be used to treat various diseases such as cancer. The Bremen team is supported with 500,000 euros.

The Colloquium on Health Policy, which is aimed at the broader public, begins in the Haus der Wissenschaft (house of research). This time, the series of lectures initiated by the SOCIUM – Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy of the University of Bremen focuses on nursing professions.

The University of Bremen will continue its successful work within the framework of the Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung (Teacher Training Quality Campaign). Its Schnittstellen gestalten (designing interfaces) project has been recommended for further funding of around 2.7 million euros by 2023.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is planning to establish an institute for social cohesion. A network of 11 research institutes from ten Federal States was selected for this purpose SOCIUM – Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy of the University of Bremen is one of them.

The overall enrollment figures for the winter semester at the University of Bremen are at the same level as last year. The freshman orientation week from October 8 to 12 and the university start portal ensure a good start to your studies.

The University of Bremen is expected to reopen the indoor pool on campus at the beginning of next week. The chlorine dosing system in the building was defective. The pool therefore had to be closed at the end of July for operational and health reasons.

People with dementia in assisted living communities should be admitted to hospital less frequently. This is the aim of a research project at the University of Bremen and Erlangen that will begin in March 2019. Dementia living communities in Bremen, Bavaria, Berlin, and Hamburg will be involved.

The University of Bremen is successful in the Excellence Strategy. Its cluster application “The Ocean Floor – Unexplored Interface of the Earth” from the MARUM Center for Marine Environmental Sciences was selected from 88 applications. It will be funded for seven years from 2019 onward.

The moorland fire near Meppen caused by Bundeswehr shooting exercises has been one of the top news items in the media. Researchers from the Institute of Environmental Physics at the University of Bremen have now analyzed the composition of the exhaust plume using highly accurate satellite data.

Affordable housing for students is becoming increasingly scarce. But the housing situation in Bremerhaven is more relaxed compared to Bremen. These are the findings of a study by the Institute for Labour and Economy (iaw) and the Institute of Geography at the University of Bremen.

The Center for Computing and Communication Technologies (TZI) of the University of Bremen is developing a detailed simulation of Valles Marineris on Mars for the DLR Explorer project. In the virtual environment, the collaboration of autonomous space robots is to be rehearsed under real conditions. …

Students present their research on the high-rise bunker in Walle. “Der Bunker, der auf Bremen schaut. Kriegskrankenhaus, Atombunker, Kulturclub” (the bunker overlooking Bremen. Wartime hospital, nuclear bunker, cultural club.) exhibition will open on September 15 and will run until October 12, 2018.

Professor Kerstin Schill, head of the institute of Cognitive Neuroinformatics at the University of Bremen since 2003, will become the new rector of the Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg (HWK) in Delmenhorst on October 1, 2018. She is succeeding neurobiologist Professor Reto Weiler.

The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) will provide funding of 366,000 euros for a project under the direction of Professor Ingrid Darmann-Finck at the Institut für Public Health und Pflegeforschung. The study examines subjective training courses for nursing trainees.

Professor Bernhard Karpuschewski has been awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Miskolc for his outstanding scientific achievements. This also honored his long-standing cooperation with the Hungarian university.

The MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes of the University of Bremen is participating in the “Der Zahn der Gezeiten – Maritime Schätze unter der Lupe” exhibition at the German Maritime Museum (DSM) in Bremerhaven for the European Year of Cultural Heritage 2018. The opening is on August 19, 2018.

The University of Bremen is breaking new ground in adult education: with the LIFE module course, those interested can take part in selected modules from the courses on offer, sit examinations, and acquire credit points. Registrations can be submitted until September 15, 2018.

Professor Friedhelm Hase, expert for health law at the University of Bremen, was appointed deputy chairman of the Federal Joint Committee in July. The committee decides on which specific care measures should be provided to those insured by statutory health insurance.

From August 6 to 24, 2018, the University of Bremen will host the international summer university for women students and professionals in engineering. On August 15, 2018, at 11 a.m., the public is invited to the theme day on gender policy and women in engineering in the MZH building, room 1470.

Hard at work despite the heat: 54 students are currently involved in the second summer camp of the Faculty of Economics. For three weeks, 16 teams in 13 companies in Bremen are working on projects that were conceived together with the companies. The results will be presented on August 17.

The Institute for Advanced Energy Systems (AES) in the Faculty of Production Engineering at the University of Bremen will coordinate a high-ranking joint project in energy research. Together with six partners, electricity-based green kerosene is to be brought one step closer to market launch.

In recent weeks we have received several inquiries from the media regarding predatory publishing. ARD, Süddeutsche Zeitung and SPIEGEL have also addressed the problem. Journalists’ research shows that almost the entire German science system is affected by the machinations of predatory publishers.

Cyberattacks in the form of fraudulent phishing mails and malware that can paralyze entire computer systems are continuing to increase. These are the findings of a nationwide IT security study conducted by researchers at the University of Bremen.

A new master’s study program will start at the University of Bremen at the beginning of the 2018/19 winter semester on October 1, 2018. The degree course is open admission and applications can be submitted until September 15, 2018.

The soccer robots from the University of Bremen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) are runner-up world champions. They were also the clear winners in the additional penalty shootout event and the so-called Mixed Team Competition.

Hurdles to modernization in the science and economy of the former GDR and their consequences in the transition to the Federal Republic of Germany: This is the topic of a collaborative research group led by Professor Jutta Günther in the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics.

Whether residues of pesticides in chicken eggs or crop protection products that threaten ecosystems and biodiversity: Many of these chemical substances have a damaging effect. Scientists are therefore calling for more extensive authorization procedures for pesticides.

Three cartoonists have been examining gender aspects in the STEM subjects on behalf of the Center for Equal Opportunities at the University of Bremen. On June 21, 2018 there will be a public showing of the cartoons in the LION building (Klagenfurter Straße 5).

KARL the ecorobot, is a personal digital assistant, designed to help consumers behave in a more environmentally friendly manner. A prototype is already available and waiting to be tried out by those interested – and the KARL team is looking for reinforcements.

The Theater InCognito (TIC) embedded in the Faculty of Cultural Studies is currently staging a classic piece: “Die Physiker” by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. The premier takes place on Tuesday, June 19 at 8 pm in the University of Bremen’s theater hall, which is adjacent to the Mensa.

“Horizon 2020”, the 8th EU Framework Program for Research and Innovation, will end soon. What happens next? Some 350 participants will come to the University of Bremen to discuss just this at the 30th KoWi Conference on EU Research and Innovation Funding. The event will take place from June 19 to 21

Until 1988 Helga Grubitzsch taught French literature at the University of Bremen. Now, she has decreed that after her death a foundation for female refugees should be founded and held in trust at the University.

Scientists at the University of Bremen and the Free University of Berlin are measuring the spatial distribution of methane in the atmosphere at Europe's largest source of methane, the Upper Silesian coal district around Katowice, Poland. The aim is to enable the monitoring of this greenhouse gas.

New perspectives enhance the overview – the dissemination of science is no exception. On action day June 2, 2018, the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1232 "Colored States" at the University of Bremen and students of the Kunstschule Wandsbek will be taking a look at the research done in the CRC.

"Cup2date" is a successful project run by Bremen students of Economics. The idea to supply 28 bakeries and cafés with returnable cups for “coffee to go” has attracted keen interest. Now the team needs support from a crowd-funding campaign.

Seven young universities belonging to the YERUN network have joined forces under the name of YUFE – Young Universities for the Future of Europe – in order to participate in an EU pilot funding call for European university networks. The University of Bremen is on board.

The digital neighborhood guide for senior citizens has been in operation for several months now. It was developed by the Institute for Information Management (ifib) at the University of Bremen. Initially only for the Bremen suburb of Osterholz, as of May 28, 2018, it will also include Hemelingen.

Professor Simone Scherger of the University of Bremen‘s SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy has been appointed a member of the German Government’s pension commission.

One of the focuses set at the University of Bremen’s Center for Media, Communication and Information Research (ZeMKI) is on the development of research software. The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding further development of the project with over 700,000 euro.

On May 17, the Staats-und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen (SuUB-Bremen State and University Library) opens an exhibition on Justus Möser. It documents the life and work of the politician and publicist, who in the 18th century was considered one of the most important personalities in Northwest Germany.

“Out of the files, onto the stage”, a cooperation between the University of Bremen and the bremer shakespeare company, goes into its twelfth round. “Vom Eis gebissen – Im Eis vergraben” will premiere on May 23 in the German Maritime Museum and on May 28 in the Theater am Leibnizplatz.

The Center for Computing and Communication Technology at the University of Bremen is cooperating with Wits University in South Africa on the development of sensors designed to reveal the location of miners who go missing underground.

“I dream that we will be visible in excellent teaching,” said Professor Thomas Hoffmeister at his re-election as Vice President Academics at the University of Bremen. The Academic Senate has now reappointed him in this capacity for four more years.

To improve the management of research data, the German Research Foundation is prolonging funding of the project Deutsche Föderation für Biologische Daten (GFBio) in an amount of 4.3 million euro. Project coordinator is the MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen.

The German Research Foundation (DFG) is funding an infrastructure project titled QUALISERVICE at the University of Bremen’s SOCIUM Research Center for Inequality and Social Policy with one million euro. The goal is to implement a national data service center for qualitative social science data.

The association FEAV – Bremer Frauen- Erwerbs- und Ausbildungsverein – is closing down. Its mission, though, will live on. In future, its century-and-a-half tradition will be continued under the umbrella of the University of Bremen Foundation. 

At the RoboCup German Open, the Team B-Human “trained” by the University of Bremen and the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) took third place in the Standard Platform League. Of the 32 goals scored in seven games, the reigning world champion conceded only one.

On Thursday, 19 April 2018, the CAMPUS AWARD: Research for a Sustainable Future was awarded to two young researchers from Bremen. The award in the master’s thesis category went to Natalie Prinz. Jann Lasse Grönemeyer was honoured by the University of Bremen for his dissertation. 

May I introduce myself: KARL, the eco-robot – one day, this personal digital assistant will help make consumers more aware of the environment. Kirsten Hillebrand, a research associate in business administration at the University of Bremen, developed KARL together with master student Hendrik Hinrichs

Students of economics gave support to start-up entrepreneurs in Namibia during a three-week project. They presented the results of their work on site at the Bokamoso Start-up Center in Windhoek with great success, and will now write master's theses on them.

The Center for Labor and Political Education at the University of Bremen (zap) is among the winners in the university competition in celebration of Science Year 2018 – Working Life of the Future “Show Your Research!”. The focus: How can science help to shape the working life of tomorrow?

A welcome development for the Bremen State and University Library: Seven historic books thought lost since the Second World War have now been unexpectedly returned to Bremen via the German Embassy in Tbilisi (Georgia). After a thorough restoration, they will find a place in the library’s historical

The Institute Labor and Economy (iaw), a cooperation of the University of Bremen and the Chamber of Labour Bremen, has started work on the European Cohort Development Project (ECDP). The project is preparing a Europe-wide long-term study that investigates the well-being of children.

The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded an ERC Advanced Grant to Lutz Mädler, a professor at the University of Bremen and head of the Department of Process Engineering at the Leibniz Institute for Materials Engineering – IWT. The award is endowed with 2.5 million euro.

Does the Kleinanlegerschutzgesetz (Small Investor Protection Act) keep its promise to protect private individuals from risky investments? In order to find out, the research group led by professor Lars Hornuf from the University of Bremen will collect and evaluate market data for an expert opinion.

The University of Bremen mourns Professor Stephan Leibfried. “It was a great shock to learn about his sudden death. He leaves a big gap. As an outstanding scientist, he was instrumental in the success of our university”, says Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter, President of the University of Bremen.

The future of mobility lies in automated and connected driverless automobiles – and the University of Bremen is making a major contribution to the extensive research and development going into the new technologies. The project “AO-Car” has just presented initial results.

Under the scientific leadership of the University of Bremen, a research aircraft belonging to the German Aerospace Center is currently measuring the air quality of major Asian cities. The aim is to better understand the effects of urban air pollution on the Earth's atmosphere.

Researchers from the Universities of Bremen and Innsbruck show in a recent study that the further melting of glaciers cannot be prevented in the current century - even if all emissions were stopped now.

High-ranking visit to the University of Bremen: Friday, March 16, the University of Bremen is hosting the annual general meeting of the Young European Research Universities (YERUN). The meeting is to discuss further steps of cooperation between the 18 member universities from 12 European countries

On the eighth of March, International Women’s Day, women are taking to the streets for their rights. In Turkey, the women's movements are a major force for social change. A study by researchers at the University of Bremen now gives an insight.

Microorganisms from the group of the Archaea would also feel comfortable on the Saturn moon Enceladus. This is revealed in a study in which a Bremen geoscientist is involved. The results have now been published in the prestigious journal Nature Communications.

Physicists from the University of Bremen are part of an international team of researchers who have managed to develop a highly energy-efficient nanolaser. It took Hanseatic expertise to make it possible to detect the microscopically small light emissions.

On February 21, 2018, the Academic Senate of the University of Bremen re-elected Andreas Breiter to the post of Vice President. At the same time, his area of responsibility has grown. He is now the University’s Vice-President for Research, Young Academics and Transfer.

A recent study by the Faculty of Law at the University of Bremen leaves no doubt: 99% of facebook users are not aware of the conditions they have actually consented to in connection with the handling of their personal data on the Internet.

The State and University Library Bremen (SuUB) has a collection of 84 papyri. Now the precious documents on the antique writing material – a forerunner of the paper we know today – are having the glass in their display frames replaced. Over the next few weeks, visitors to the library can learn about

The Faculty of Mathematics / Computer Science at the University of Bremen has been cooperating with the Faculty of Information and Communication Technologies of Mahidol University in Bangkok for some time. Now they have established a joint research laboratory in Thailand.

Researchers from the University of Bremen and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials Research (IFAM) are involved in the EU program Mat4Rail. Together with 16 partners from seven European countries, they are working on new developments in railway technology.

They have jobs or want to study despite family responsibilities; they are returnees or have university degrees awarded abroad: Some examples of the people addressed by the “konstruktiv” project of the University of Bremen since 2014. Thanks to renewed funding, the project can now be continued.

Around 500 senior high-school students attended the first Bremer Ocean Day. This meant the event held at the University of Bremen in the auditorium building on the Uni Boulevard was fully booked. Expert researchers held four lectures to bring their work to life.

Offshore wind energy is on everyone's lips when it comes to securing future energy supplies, and the need for research in this area is acute. Increasingly, the state of Bremen is seen to possess the requisite technical expertise.