Snapshots

Berlin – City of Science

Berlin represents one of the largest scientific regions in Europe. Basic research takes place mainly at the three major universities: Humboldt University of Berlin (HU), Free University of Berlin (FU) and Technical University of Berlin (TU) as well as the Charité – University Hospital. There are also a further 70 institutions of important research organizations nationwide with a budget of almost two billion euros. About 29 of these institutions are supported by federal and state governments.

Outstanding scientific areas of the Berlin research institutes are, amongst others, planetary research, molecular medicine, crystal growing, zoo and wildlife research, applied mathematics and information technology, robotics and mechatronics, infectiology, rheumatism research, genetics, social research, ultra-high frequency technology, aquatic ecology, archeology and educational research.

In total, about 2800 professors are involved in research and teach at the 12 state universities. These have almost 46,000 employees, together with the non-university research institutes, and are therefore among the most important employers in the city.

Approximately 880 million euros are invested in the universities by the state each year. In return, the universities generate about 650 million euros with their research through third-party funding per year, of which the Charité generates 150 million euros in funding alone. Overall, about 175,650 people study in Berlin, many of them at one of the 30 private universities. At the three major universities HU, FU and TU there are about 97,230 students.

The universities do not keep lists of professors who are the most cited in research journals worldwide. They can however be found in the Thomson Reuters’ list of “The World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds”. The lists from 2014 and 2015 include the image communications professor Thomas Wiegand (TU Berlin), the computer scientist Giuseppe Caire, who holds a Alexander von Humboldt professorship at the TU Berlin, the personnel policy professor Gregory Jackson and the pharmacist Rainer Müller (both FU Berlin), the rheumatologist Gerd-Rüdiger Burmester (Charité), and Angelika Schaffrath Rosario, Panagiotis Kamtsiuris, Michael Lange and Bärbel-Maria Kurth, all researchers at the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin (Source: Anne Rasmus, Berliner Zeitung 20.06.16).

More facts on the Berlin scientific region (in German only) can be found at:

http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/24257594

(21.08.2016)

Scholarships for students in Germany

Is it possible to fund studies with a scholarship? “It is really only for overachievers” is often the response on the university campus. But this is not true. “This misconception prevents many students from applying”, explains Katrin Kowark from the Association of German Foundations (Bundesverband Deutscher Stiftungen, BDS). “But many more students should be encouraged to apply”. According to BDS, there are currently more than 2600 foundations that award scholarships. In principle, there are two types of scholarship which can also be combined, namely for the financially needy and for academic high performers. In the case of financial need, one can orient oneself on the student loan system BAföG, and a positive BAföG notification often indicates that the chances for a scholarship are good. For assessment of academic performance, both the study subject and general performance are taken into consideration, i.e. not only first-class candidates have the opportunity to receive support (Source: Nora Wanzke, Berliner Zeitung 30./31.07.16).

Young student at work (© axelle b @ PublicDomainPictures.net).

Amongst the most important funding options are the Germany scholarship scheme “Deutschlandstipendium” and other additional organizations that specifically promote talented students (Begabtenförderungswerke).

The “Deutschlandstipendium” provides financial and non-material support to high-achieving and committed students from all over the world. Modeled on the principle of public-private partnership, businesses, foundations or private individuals sponsor young talents with a pledge of 150 euros per month. The Federal Government matches this amount with a further 150 euros. However, there are more funding possibilities; many universities and private sponsors also support German scholarship holders by concurrent mentoring programs, networking events and internships (Source: Deutschlandstipendium.de).

Certain organizations promote talented students for their excellent performance by funding and non-material support during their academic studies. In Germany, there are 13 promotional organizations which award scholarships to students and doctorate candidates. Students currently receive a basic grant of up to 670 euros a month, which is dependent, in accordance with the conditions for BAföG, on their own income and assets, as well as their parents’ income. They can also receive an additional study fee of 300 euros a month. Doctorate students can receive up to 1150 euros per month. The framework for financial support is determined by the funding guidelines of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF) (Source: BMBF).

Detailed funding details can be found at:

http://www.deutschlandstipendium.de/de/2319.php

https://www.bmbf.de/de/die-begabtenfoerderungswerke-884.html

(21.08.2016)

Brexit FAQs for universities and students

The UK’s decision to leave the European Union (EU) has rattled the scientific community and has stoked fears that the so-called “Brexit” referendum could threaten funding for British research and collaboration across the continent. Nearly 52% of British voters chose to leave the EU, although the British scientific community has overwhelmingly opposed Brexit.

Brexit referendum UK (© George Hodan @ PublicDomainPictures.net).

For German students, as well as faculty and academic staff, Great Britain is one of the most popular destinations. Through the Erasmus exchange program alone, about 3000 German students spent one semester in the United Kingdom (UK) every year between 2007 and 2013. The UK is currently the number one destination for internships with up to 1792 students going to the UK every year.

In the academic year 2013/2014, 224 teachers and 208 university staff members spent time at a British institution. Now, after the Brexit vote, there is great concern as to how it will be in the future. One way to find out more about the latest academic changes is to consult the internet portal of the Universities UK, which is a higher education action group. Following the result of the EU referendum, with its Brexit FAQ, Universities UK aims to give advice and guidance for both universities and students alike.

For detailed information please visit:

http://www.universitiesuk.ac.uk/policy-and-analysis/brexit/Pages/brexit-faqs.aspx

(12.09.2016)

Winner of the Berliner Sparkasse Start-up Award announced for the fourth time in Berlin

Berlin, 20 July 2016. The Berliner Sparkasse Start-up Award was given for the fourth time at the network entrepreneurship summer festival of the FU Berlin. Under the motto “Maximal digital – The best digital business models” four finalists, who had been selected by an expert jury, competed for the prize which was endowed with a prize money of 5500 euros. They were:

• Inspirient GmbH, provider of a data management software for businesses,

• INURU GmbH, manufacturer of innovative organic light emitting diode (OLED) lighting components,

• Labfolder GmbH, manufacturer of electronic laboratory files, and

• Shyftplan GmbH, provider of an innovative personnel management software.

The start-ups presented their business ideas at the summer festival and the audience then voted to select the winner. This year the finalist whose business idea impressed the audience the most was INURU GmbH. The founders, Marcin Ratajczak and Patrick Barkowski, have developed a method to use thin-layer OLEDs for advertising on advertisement pages and packaging. The OLEDs have an integrated battery, are paper-thin, flexible and can be inexpensively produced in large quantities using printing processes.

The start-up award is part of collaboration between the Berliner Sparkasse and the FU Berlin and every year honors, with changing topics, a spin-off from the environment of the FU. The cooperation also includes the support of graduates on their way to self-employment (Source: Berliner Sparkasse).

More information on this topic can be found at:

http://blog.berliner-sparkasse.de/maximal-digital-gruenderpreis-zum-vierten-mal-verliehen/

(21.08.2016)

1400 km of optical fiber connect optical clocks in France and Germany

In the past few years, optical atomic clocks have made spectacular progress, becoming 100 times more precise than the best cesium clocks. So far, their precision has been available only locally, as frequency transfer via satellite cannot provide sufficient resolution. This has recently changed thanks to a new direct optical connection between France and Germany, established by the joint work of Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) in Braunschweig, Germany, Systèmes de Référence Temps-Espace (LNE-SYRTE) in Paris, France, and Laboratoire de Physique des Lasers (LPL) in Villetaneuse, France.

The metrological optical fiber link between LNE-SYRTE in Paris, France and PTB in Braunschweig, Germany, connected in Strasbourg. The overall link length is 1400 km (Graphic: PTB).

High-precision optical frequencies can now “travel” through a 1400 km optical fiber link between LNE-SYRTE and PTB, where the most precise optical clocks in Europe are operated. The first comparison between the French and German optical strontium clocks confirms the high expectations placed on the connection. It represents the first frequency comparison of its kind across national borders. The fully independent clocks agree with an unrivalled fractional uncertainty of 5×10⁻¹⁷. The scientists have reported their results in the current issue of Nature Communications. Their successful collaboration is a first step towards a European network of optical clocks providing ultra-stable high-precision optical reference signals to diverse users. This will benefit various research areas, with applications in fundamental physics, astrophysics and geoscience (Source: PTB).

The full press release of the PTB can be found at:

https://www.ptb.de/cms/en/presseaktuelles/journalisten/press-releases/press-release.html?tx_news_pi1%5Bnews%5D=7494&tx_news_pi1%5Bcontroller%5D=News&tx_news_pi1%5Baction%5D=detail&tx_news_pi1%5Bday%5D=8&tx_news_pi1%5Bmonth%5D=8&tx_news_pi1%5Byear%5D=2016&cHash=b36a30625b8897676a894b31dbaff8ce

(21.08.2016)

Please see also the original article: Lisdat C, Grosche G, Quintin N, Shi C, Raupach SM, Grebing C, Nicolodi D, Stefani F, Al-Masoudi A, Dörscher S, Häfner S, Robyr JL, Chiodo N, Bilicki S, Bookjans E, Koczwara A, Koke S, Kuhl A, Wiotte F, Meynadier F, Camisard E, Abgrall M, Lours M, Legero T, Schnatz H, Sterr U, Denker H, Chardonnet C, Le Coq Y, Santarelli G, Amy-Klein A, Le Targat R, Lodewyck J, Lopez O, Pottie PE. A clock network for geodesy and fundamental science. Nat Commun 2016;7:12443.

Solar Impulse landed in Abu Dhabi after completing the first round-the-world solar flight

Abu Dhabi, 26 July 2016. Taking turns at the controls of Solar Impulse 2 (Si2) – their zero-emission electric and solar airplane, capable of flying day and night without fuel – Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg succeeded in their crazy dream of achieving the first ever round-the-world solar flight. By landing back in Abu Dhabi after a total of 23 days of flight and 43,041 km travelled in a 17-leg journey, Si2 has proven that clean technologies can achieve the impossible. Beyond this historic milestone, the two Swiss pioneers will continue to urge the global implementation of energy efficient solutions through the creation of the International Committee for Clean Technologies and lever the expertise and technology gained over the years in Solar Impulse by launching new innovative projects, such as the development of solar-powered drones.

Golden sun (© Consuelo Suarez @ PublicDomainPictures.net).

Si2 is a concentration of clean technologies – a genuine flying laboratory. It is a single-seater aircraft made of carbon fiber that has a 72 m wingspan (larger than a Boeing 747) for a weight of 2300 kg (the equivalent of an empty family car). The 17,248 solar cells, built into the wing, power the four batteries (38.5 kWh per battery) that in turn power the four electric engines (13.5 kW each) and the propellers with renewable energy. The plane is therefore capable of saving a maximum amount of energy during the day and flying throughout the night on batteries. Si2 requires zero fuel and has virtually unlimited autonomy: theoretically, Si2 could fly forever and is only limited by the pilot’s sustainability (Source:solarimpulse.com).

The complete media release on the successful Si2 mission can be found at:

http://info.solarimpulse.com/tadmin/fileadmin/user_upload/Cloud/26_07_2016_SWISS_PIONEERS_BERTRAND_PICCARD_AND_ANDRE_BORSCHBERG_COMPLETE_THE_FIRST_EVER_ROUND-THE-WORLD_SOLAR_FLIGHT_EN.pdf

(21.08.2016)