In 2019, the University of Bremen brought this new form of cooperation to life. For the first round of U Bremen Excellence Chairs, the university chose researchers in high scientific regard with whom researchers from the University of Bremen were to work on special issues with in their individual disciplines over several years. “Despite temporary restrictions due to lockdowns and travel restrictions, we were able to ensure that this cooperation was also able to get off to a good start with the second cohort,” says President Professor Bernd Scholz-Reiter. Alongside the seven chairs from the first cohort, another four top international academics, who hold top-level, scientific roles at their home universities, head up successful research groups, and are multi award-winners, have been chosen. The new additions are:
Prof. Dr. Maria Kanakidou, Professor of Computer-Aided Environmental Chemistry and Director of the Environmental Chemical Processes Laboratory (ECPL) within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Crete (Greece). Research topic: Investigating climate change and environmental pollution
Prof. Dr. Yvonne Rogers, Director of the Interaction Centre (UCLIC) at University College London (Great Britain) and Professor of Interaction Design at UCL. Research topic: The use of personal health data in combination with AI methods from a person-centered perspective.
Prof. Dr. Mario L. Small, Grafstein Family Professor for Sociology at Harvard University (USA). Research topic: Possibilities and boundaries of big data and the intelligent connection of data with qualitative and quantitative social research methods.
Prof. Dr. Thomas L. Schwarz, Professor of Neurology and Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and a scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital (USA). Research topic: Investigating cell biology of the nerve system, especially the dynamics of mitochondria.
“These researchers were nominated by colleagues from the University of Bremen, with whom they will now closely work,” explains the President. “With them they bring their networks and expertise to Bremen and will be especially supported so that they can dedicate themselves to very special issues together with the partners from Bremen.
Boost for International Cooperation
The U Bremen Excellence Chairs are a major boost for international cooperation at the university in Bremen and Bremen State. “We link very successful researchers from other countries to us in scientifically highly interesting areas and intensify professional collaboration. Both sides are able to benefit from the respective networks of those involved,” states Bernd Scholz-Reiter.
What Are the U Bremen Excellence Chairs?
The U Bremen Excellence Chairs are financed with one million euros per year from the so-called university lump sum from the Excellence Strategy. The University of Bremen will receive the support as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal Government and States from 2019 to 2025. These funds were granted to the university in addition to the successful cluster application from MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences. Bremen State will add a further 500,000 euros to this amount per year. The universities that were successful in the Excellence Cluster competition are to be able to develop strategically in all areas in this way. As “free strategic tools,” they can be used at will. The university established eight U Bremen Excellence Chairs and MARUM itself set up three Excellence Chairs from cluster funding resources. The long-term professorships will run for at least four years.
Closely Integrated into University Structures
Within the framework of the U Bremen Excellence Chairs, the University of Bremen finances two junior researcher positions for each visiting professor. The Bremen research group can also be expanded and developed with other funds. The U Bremen Excellence Chairs are closely integrated into the specialized structures in Bremen and can also supervise doctoral students here.
Further Information:
www.uni-bremen.de/en/u-bremen-excellence-chairs
www.uni-bremen.de/en/
Contact:
Funda Togar
U Bremen Excellence Chairs Coordinator
Administrative Unit 12- Research Services
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-60308
Email: funda.togarprotect me ?!vw.uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de
