For Project Manager Professor Christof Büskens, there is no doubt: “Germany is in a math trauma,” says the industrial mathematics scientist at the University of Bremen. “Mathematics has a strange, quirky, quixotic, and platonic reputation here in Germany. The social and economic damage caused by this in recent decades ranges from parents’ homes and schools to all STEM degree courses, and causes an enormous backlog of innovation in the professional world and especially in industry today.”
The project “#MOIN! – MOdellregion INdustriemathematik” at the University of Bremen and its partners therefore pursues the vision that everyone can benefit from the universal knowledge of (industrial) mathematics. The aim of the project is to sensitize society and the economy to the great potential of industrial mathematics.
“Our day-to-day life would look very different without mathematics,” explains Christof Büskens. “For example, there would be no work on autonomous driving, we wouldn’t have CAT scans, and we would have to do without digital route planning and optimized energy management. Only through the use of new mathematical methods and thanks to the cooperation of industrial mathematicians can all of these – and many other technical innovations – succeed,” says the industrial mathematician.
“I am very pleased that we are bringing mathematics into society, schools, and business with this major transfer project,” says President of the University of Bremen, Professor Jutta Günther. “The team led by Christof Büskens convinced the BMBF with innovative and experimental transfer approaches. This is a great success for the team, the university, and Bremen.”
“With the Innovationsstrategie Land Bremen 2030 in 2021, we set out to promote key technologies in particular. Industrial mathematics forms an indispensable basis for many technologies, such as 3D printing, robotics, and AI,” says Kristina Vogt, Senator for Economic Affairs, Labor, and European Affairs. “The innovation department of the business department will act as the interface to the clusters and networks and will also use the DIGITAL HUB industry innovation center for this purpose. One of our goals is to get more women and girls excited about mathematics.”
To make society and business more aware of this topic, #MOIN! pursues a holistic transfer approach and focuses on four areas:
1. Industrial mathematics as a driver of innovation in industry #MATHWARE
2. Industrial mathematics on the way to entrepreneurship #MATHUP
3. Industrial mathematics at school #MATHDAYS
4. Industrial mathematics in the public sector #MATHINSIDE
In the coming years, for example, there will be corresponding projects for the general public, in schools, in business, and industrial companies. Starting in Bremen, Bremerhaven, and the district of Osterholz, the Modellregion Industriemathematik (industrial mathematics model region) will later be expanded to include other districts and cities.
The Partners
The #MOIN! project comprises a large number of partners who will continue to grow in the coming months. At the start of the project, the following are involved:
• Center for Industrial Mathematics (project management) and working group on Researching Practices in Mathematics Classrooms at the University of Bremen
• Senator for Economic Affairs, Labor, and European Affairs of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen
• Bremerhavener Gesellschaft für Investitionsförderung und Stadtentwicklung (BIS)
• District of Osterholz
• TOPAS Industriemathematik Innovation gGmbH
• Fraunhofer MEVIS
• AVIASPACE e.V.
• Maritime Cluster Northern Germany
• Automotive Nordwest e.V.
• Branchennetzwerk für Windenergie
In addition, there are numerous industrial companies from Bremen and the surrounding area.
Information on the BMBF Scholarship Program “T!Raum”
Within the framework of the BMBF “T!Raum” – TransferRäume für die Zukunft von Regionen” scholarship program, the project #MOIN! will receive almost 6 million euros in funding over the first three years. It may be renewed twice in total. The BMBF scholarship program enables higher education institutions and research institutes to develop innovative transfer instruments. This should enable innovations to reach the region more quickly and thus strengthen structural change.
Further Information:
Watch a short video about the project: https://youtu.be/HmpNGgyJb5o
https://www.innovation-strukturwandel.de/strukturwandel/de/innovation-strukturwandel/t_raum/t_raum_node.html
www.uni-bremen.de/en/
Contact:
Professor Christof Büskens (#MOIN! Project Manager)
Center for Industrial Mathematics (formerly Zentrum für Technomathematik)
Faculty of Mathematics/Computer Science
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-63861
Email: bueskensuni-bremen.de