In the north they say “Moin” as a greeting. In the northwest this also stands for “Model Region Industrial Mathematics.” Mathematics has a very bad reputation in Germany, which causes great damage – not only financially – as well as an enormous innovation backlog. The “#MOIN Model Region Industrial Mathematics” initiative has set itself the goal of changing this. The transfer project has now been awarded the 2024 NordWest Award.
The Metropolitan Region Northwest has presented the award every two years since 2014 and acknowledges outstanding projects, ideas, and initiatives that align with the motto “NordWest.Zusammenhalt” (Northwest. Solidarity) in a variety of ways. Around 70 applications were submitted this year. #MOIN won first prize, which is endowed with 6,500 euros and an image film. The award ceremony took place in Wilhelmshaven on August 26 under the patronage of the Mayor of Bremen, Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte, and the Lower Saxony Minister for Regional Development, Wiebke Osigus.
Making Industrial Mathematics Accessible to All
#MOIN has been supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) since 2023 as part of the “T!Raum” – TransferRäume für die Zukunft von Regionen” sponsor program. The initiative is led by the Center for Industrial Mathematics at the University of Bremen and is being implemented in collaboration with other partners from academia, business, and administration. "#MOIN aims to show that (industrial) mathematics is accessible and full of opportunities for everyone, from schools to high technology, from business to politics," says principal investigator Professor Christof Büskens. The aim is to free mathematics from its elitist, abstract reputation and make it a vibrant and useful academic subject – for schools, industry, and society in general. To this end, #MOIN engages in a broad exchange process with society, culture, education, politics, and business. #MOIN wants to become an integral part of the economy and civil society and play a decisive role in shaping the digital transformation in the region, for example in schools, industry, and society.
"The NordWest Award is a great recognition of our work and encourages us in our efforts to anchor (industrial) mathematics as an essential part of our society and economy, to continue developing innovative solutions, and to make our contribution to the positive development of the region," Büskens continues. The presentation of the NordWest Award underlines the importance of #MOIN as a forward-looking project that not only sheds new light on the field of mathematics, but also makes a significant contribution to strengthening the innovative power of the entire region.
Further Information:
www.uni-bremen.de/moin-industriemathematik (available in German only)
www.innovation-strukturwandel.de/strukturwandel/de/innovation-strukturwandel/t_raum/t_raum_node.html (available in German only)
www.nordwest-awards.de (available in German only)
www.metropolregion-nordwest.de/ (available in German only)
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Christof Büskens (principal investigator)
Center for Industrial Mathematics
Research Group Optimization and Optimal Control
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-63861
Email: bueskens@uni-bremen.de
