Research & International Partnership

Research & International Partnership

University of Kaiserslautern

TU KaiserslauternPR & MarketingPostfach 304967653 KaiserslauternTelefon: + 49 631 205-2049Telefax: + 49 631 205-3658E-Mail: [email protected]: www.uni-kl.de

■Editor: University of Kaiserslautern

PR & Marketing

Co-ordinator for Research and Technology

Co-ordinator for EU Research Programmes

P.O. Box 3049

67653 Kaiserslautern

E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

Internet: www.uni-kl.de

■ Date of Issue: April / May 2013

■ Design & Layout Content: Printing Office of University of Kaiserslautern

(Hauptabteilung 5 – Abt. 5.6 Foto-Repro-Druck)

■ Photography Uwe Bellhäuser, Thomas Koziel, Dr. M. Cuntz, istockphoto, Departments of the University

■ Print: Printing Office of University of Kaiserslautern


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Table of ConTenT

Editorial ............................................................................................................................................................6Introduction to the University‘s Research ...........................................................................................................8The University of Kaiserslautern .......................................................................................................................10

State Research Centers and State Research Units

State Research Centers Center for Mathematical and Computational Modelling (CM)² ............................................................................12Center for Optics and Material Sciences (OPTIMAS) ...........................................................................................14

State Research UnitsAdvanced Materials Engineering (AME).............................................................................................................16Ambient Systems – Technologies and Applications (AmSys) ..............................................................................18Membrane Transport: From Molecular Principles to Physiological Relevance (RIMB) ...........................................20Nanostructured Catalysts for an Efficient Use of Raw Materials (NanoKat) ............................................................22Sustainable Resource Conservation in Civil Engineering, Urbanism and Economy (RESCUE) ................................24Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology (ZNT) ...............................................................................................26Region and City ..............................................................................................................................................28

Coordinated Programmes

Graduate School within the excellence InitiativeGraduate School of Excellence “MAterials Science IN MainZ” (MAINZ) ...............................................................30DfG Collaborative Research Centers (CRC)DFG CRC/TRR 49 “Condensed Matter Systems with Variable Many-Body Interactions” ......................................32DFG CRC/TRR 88 “Cooperative Effects in Homo- and Heterometallic Complexes” (3 MET) ...................................33DFG CRC 926 “Microscale Morphology of Component Surfaces” (MICOS) .........................................................34DfG Research UnitsDFG Research Unit 967 ”Functions and Mechanisms of Ribosomal Tunnel Exit Ligands” (RTeLs)..........................35DFG Research Unit 1061 “Dynamic Storage Funcions of Plant Vacuoles” ............................................................36DFG/JST Research Unit 1464 “Advanced Spintronic Materials and Transport Phenomena” (ASPIMATT) ...............38DfG International Research Training Groups (IRTG)DFG IRTG 1131 “Visualization of Large and Unstructured Data Sets, Applications in Geospatial Planning, Modeling and Engineering” .............................................................................................................................40DFG IRTG 1830 “Complex Membrane Proteins in Cellular Developent and Disease” ...........................................41DfG Priority Programmes (co-ordination) DFG SPP 1391 “Ultrafast Nanooptics” ..............................................................................................................42DFG SPP 1489 “Algorithmic and Experimental Methods in Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory” ..................43DFG SPP 1608 “Ultrafast and temporally precise information processing: normal and dysfunctional hearing” ....44DfG Reinhart Koselleck ProjectsDFG Reinhart Koselleck Project “Grinding of complex structures on the nanometer scale” ..................................46DFG Reinhart Koselleck Project “Energy transport in cells. Physiological functions and structural aspects of nucleotide transport proteins” .....................................................................................................................47DFG Reinhart Koselleck Project “Molecular Modeling and Simulation in Chemical Engineering“ .........................48

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european Research Projects ............................................................................................................................... 50Projects funded by European Programmes ........................................................................................................52

Grants of the european Research Council (eRC) Grant of the European Research Council “Counting Conjectures” .......................................................................54Grant of the European Research Council “QuantumProbe” ................................................................................56

University of the Greater Region (UniGR) ........................................................................................................... 58

Innovation Center applied System Modeling ...................................................................................................... 60

Science alliance Kaiserslautern ......................................................................................................................... 62The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) .............................................................................64Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research (IBWF) ........................................................................................68Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (IESE) .....................................................................70Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) .....................................................................................74Institute for Surface and Thin Film Analysis (IFOS) .............................................................................................78Research Institute for Technology and Work (ITA) ..............................................................................................82Institute for Composite Materials (IVW) ............................................................................................................86Max Planck Institute for Software Systems (MPI) ...............................................................................................90University of Applied Sciences (FH Kaiserslautern) ............................................................................................94Commercial Vehicle Cluster (CVC) .....................................................................................................................96

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eDIToRIal

The University of Kaiserslautern, originally linked with its twin institution, the University of Trier, became fully independent on July 13th, 1970. Here, students will find future-oriented courses, education with applied orientation, and a modern infrastructure.

Since 1970, our university, the sole institution of higher education dedicated primarily to the study of technology and the natural sciences in the State of Rhineland-Palatinate has gained a considerable regional and international reputation. The quality of our pro-grammes is on a par with other wellestablished universities of technology and the natural sciences throughout the world.

Students can also benefit from the many well-known research institutes operating direct-ly on campus. In fact, we currently co-operate closely with ten renowned institutes, inclu-ding the prestigious Fraunhofer and Max Planck Institutes. All of these enduring institu-tional collaborations are guaranteed and managed by the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern (coalition of the institutes).

Situated in the heart of Europe, close to France and the Benelux region, just an hour away from Frankfurt Airport - gateway to the world - Kaiserslautern occupies an important eco-nomic location.

This brochure describes the research activities at the University of Kaiserslautern and illustrates its continuing partnership with associated institutes.

When you visit Kaiserslautern, we look forward to welcoming you to our campus.

Prof. Dr. Helmut J. SchmidtPresident of the University of Kaiserslautern

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Introduction to the University’s ResearchDuring the past 40 years, the University of Kaiserslautern has continuously developed and sharpened its research profile. Today the University of Kaiserslautern, is characterized by special networking between the natural sciences and the engineering sciences, amen-ded by social and economic sciences. The University is internationally renowned for its excellence in both basic and applied research. It covers several fields of innovation with high relevance for society and economy. Focus areas of research are established in fields such as applied mathematics/computer science & engineering, materials sciences and optics, efficiency in the use of raw materials and commercial vehicle technology.

The University provides an outstanding research environment with the central campus and institutes of the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern in direct neighborhood – jointly forming the Science Alliance Campus Kaiserslautern. The list of institutes comprises two Fraunhofer institutes (Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM and Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE) and the Department of Terahertz Measurement and Systems of the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems. Furthermore there is the Institute for Surface and Thin Film Analysis (IFOS), the Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research (IBWF), the Institute for Composite Materials (IVW) and the Research Institute for Technology and Work (ITA). Recently the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, the Commercial Vehicle Cluster (CVC), the Westpfalz Clinical Center (WKK) and the Technology Institute for Applied Sport Science (IAS) joined the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern.

Advancement in coordinated research at the science location Kaiserslautern led to the establishment of a coherent structure with implementation of three collaborative research centers, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG): the collaborative research cen-ter SFB 926 “MICOS: Microscale morphology of component surfaces” and the transregio-nal collaborative research centers, SFB/TRR 49 “Condensed matter systems with variable many-body interactions” in cooperation with the Universities of Frankfurt and Mainz, Germany and SFB/TRR 88 “Cooperative Effects in homo- and heterometallic complexes (3MET)” in cooperation with the KIT Karlsruhe, Germany.

The University of Kaiserslautern continuously expands its activities of internationalization. Outstanding advances are visible by the establishment of the joint DFG-JST International Research Unit FOR 1464 “Advanced Spintronic Materials and Transport Phenomena

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ASPIMATT” in cooperation with the Universities of Mainz, Germany and Sendai, Japan, and two internatio-nal Research Training Groups funded by the DFG – IRTG 1131 “Visualization of Large and Unstructured Data Sets, Applications in Geospatial Planning, Modeling and Engineering” in cooperation with Davis, Salt Lake City and Tempe, U.S.A. and IRTG 1830 “Complex Membrane Proteins in Cellular Development and Disease“ in cooperation with Saarbrücken, Germany and Edmonton, Canada.

In 2008, the University of Kaiserslautern and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate jointly established the “Research Initiative”, as an instrument to develop research in priority areas. Two State Research Centers and seven State Research Units have been set up at the University as part of the Research Initiative. It also includes mentoring programs and summer schools aimed at young researchers. Currently the continuation of the program is in preparation.

A strategic aim of the University is to support young researchers groups, to further-enhance the Kaiserslautern mentoring program and to integrate junior professors in coordinated activities, as a con-tinuation and an advancement of the very successful concept of junior professorships at Kaiserslautern. In the frame of the dedicated junior professorship-pro-gram 77 appointments since 2002 have been made, 45 former junior professors were advanced to tenured positions.

Central Office for Research and TechnologyCo-ordinator: Dr. rer. nat. habil. Thorsten KowalkeE-mail: [email protected]/forschung/forschungsservice/forschungsreferat/

Prof. Dr. Burkard HillebrandsVice President for Research, Technology and Innovation

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The University of Kaiserslautern

The University of Kaiserslautern is a relatively new research-oriented German university with a scientific-technological profile, including social and economic sciences. It has a beautiful mid-size campus located at the edge of the world-famous UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Palatinate Forest.

It consists of 12 departments offering over 100 study programmes to 13,700 students. The University has 1,125 employees, 206 professors, and 920 academicstaff. Our Center for Distance Studies and Continuing Education is Germany’s second lar-gest provider in Graduate Distance Education.

The University of Kaiserslautern is internationally renowned for its excellence inresearch and graduate education. It is located amidst a high-profile cluster of research centers and technology transfer institutes. A special feature of research activities and gra-duate education is the strong link to national and international industries and the benefi-cial interaction with the affiliated research institutes, united in the registered association “Science Alliance” and lined up in the so-called ‘science mile’ along our campus.

Prospective engineers and natural scientists are well-prepared for their career if they study at the University of Kaiserslautern. Internships in companies as well as living/studying abroad provide an academic education closely related to professional practice. Further, students benefit from the numerous well-known participating research institutes located near our campus. In terms of applied research projects, the institutes closely co-operate with the University.

Kaiserslautern is known as one of the largest IT clusters in Europe.

All departments offer state-of-the-art technology equipment and laboratories as well as highly attractive research opportunities. A number of modern university residences and international guest houses contribute to the excellent living conditions and the high satisfaction of our multi-cultural student body and faculties.

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www.uni-kl.de DePaRTMenTS:

architecturewww.architektur.uni-kl.de

biologywww.bio.uni-kl.de

Chemistrywww.chemie.uni-kl.de

Civil engineeringwww.bauing.uni-kl.de

Computer Sciencewww.informatik.uni-kl.de

economicswww.wiwi.uni-kl.de

electrical and Computer engineeringwww.eit.uni-kl.de

Mechanical and Process engineeringwww.mv.uni-kl.de

Mathematicswww.mathematik.uni-kl.de Physicswww.physik.uni-kl.de

Urban and environmental Planningwww.ru.uni-kl.de

Social Scienceswww.sowi.uni-kl.de

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State Research Center (CM)²

Center for Mathematical and Computational Modelling The Center for Mathematical and Computational Modelling extends the tried and tested approach of technomathematics to the larger and rapidly growing area of computational science and engineering. Massive and detailed experimental data about materials and processes may be used for formulating and fitting complex mathematical models as the basis for developing simulation, visualization and optimization procedures. The latter allow for an efficient and sustainable virtual design of new materials and production pro-cesses in industry using the resources of high performance computing.The development of such mathematical and computational models and methods requires the combined efforts of mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers and scientists. The center encourages truly joint research inspired by complex problems from science and engineering which profit from customized model-based solutions in contrast to the plain application of generic methods from scientific computing. The main focus currently lies on research in five different areas:• Computational Process Engineering (e.g. multiphysics modelling and feature based

visualization, factory modelling in virtual environment)• Computational Materials Engineering (e.g. micro mechanical analysis of the deformation

behaviour of elastomers, modelling multi-phase metallic materials, image analysis for high performance concrete)

• Mathematics and Hardware Engineering (e.g. verification of system-on-chip design with computer algebra, hardware assisted acceleration of Monte Carlo simulations in finan-cial engineering)

• Computational Emergency Engineering (e.g. optimization of evacuation schemes, risk management for urban flooding)

• Computational System Biology (e.g. modelling the influence of proton micro-domains on the interaction between MCT and carbonic anhydrases, system biology in the auditory system)

The strategic goal of (CM)² is combining excellence from six different departments of the University of Kaiserslautern to establish it as an internationally visible center for compu-tational science and engineering. To strengthen the research potential in that area with respect to quality and quantity, (CM)² also involves many scientists from four large and internationally renowned research institutes of the Science Alliance: DFKI, Fraunhofer IESE, Fraunhofer ITWM and IVW.

computational modellingco-operation

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computational modellingmathematical modelling

Virtual Materials Design

Networking

systems-on-chip

The acitivites of the center in the field of computational process engineering are closely connected to Modelling and Simulation of the Collobarative Research Center SFB 926 “Bauteiloberflächen”. Several other applications for Collobarative Research Centers and Graduate Training Centers are pending. Additionally, the center is actively involved in many applied research projects with participation of industry.A particular focus of (CM)² is the promotion of young academics in the field of mathematical and computational modelling. The center has established a board of young researchers with an own budget who has actively been involved in setting new standards for an interdisciplinary PhD training as well as furthering the independent research of young postdocs.

The micro structure of materials is one of the research focusses of (CM)². Here: Visualization of a polymer foam based on µCT imaging

Spokeperson: Prof. Dr. Jürgen Franke E-mail: [email protected]

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State Research Center oPTIMaS

Center for optics and Material Sciences

Spin - Light - Matter, this is the comprehensive theme of the State Research Center Optics and Material Sciences (OPTIMAS) of the University of Kaiserslautern. Optics and material sciences are studied across the traditional borders of sciences and engineering with spe-cial areas of expertise being quantum optics, applied optics, magnetism, surface physics, and molecular and material sciences. The manifold research projects range from basic research, e.g. spin dynamics of theoretical spin chains, all the way to technology-orien-ted research, like the development of novel data carriers for sensors. Pivotal OPTIMAS research areas are spintronics, plasmonics, meta materials, Bose-Einstein condensates und optical switches.

OPTIMAS’ scientific goal is the quest for an enhanced understanding of the variety of interactions between electronic, spin and photonic phenomenas and elementary exci-tations in engineered material systems at a fundamental level, but with an eye towards applications. In order to achieve its scientific goals, OPTIMAS combines the proven exper-tise of its members in physics, chemistry, engineering, scientific computing and materials sciences. The chosen area of basic research has an enormous potential for innovations, especially to key technologies of the 21st century.

The strategic goal of OPTIMAS is to foster nationally and internationally competitive struc-tures in research and higher education at the University of Kaiserslautern in the interdisci-plinary field of photonics, spintronics, and molecular/magnetic functional materials with a strong emphasis on engineered nanostructures. OPTIMAS is designed as a platform for collaborative research centers (Sonderforschungsbereiche) and other high profile research networks. For this, the internationally competitive areas of quantum and applied optics, molecular and macroscopic magnetism, as well as surface science and new func-tional materials are strengthened by integrating all expertise in the Kaiserslautern area, and, in particular, by bridging the different fields with new research projects.

OPTIMAS’ membership consists of more than 20 research groups from the uni-versity departments of Physics, Chemistry, Mechanical & Process Engineering and Electrical & Computer Engineering. In addition, high profile research institutes asso-ciated with the University, the department “Material Characterization and Testing ” of the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques (IPM), the Institut für Ober-

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flächen- und Schichtanalytik GmbH (IFOS, Institute for Surface and Thin Film Analysis), the Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (IVW, Institute for Composite Materials) and the Photonik-Zentrum Kaiserslautern (PZKL, Photonics Center) are partners of OPTIMAS. The center also hosts the Nano Structuring Center (NSC) of the University of Kaiserslautern.

The strength of the alliance lies in the close interaction between the participating scientists and the concer-ted advancement of science which benefits from synergies and the guidance of an active scientific board. OPTIMAS‘ high-ranking scientific potential becomes apparent from the many research networks, OPTIMAS scientists are part of. Among those coordinated research programs are the Transregional Collaborative Research Centers “Condensed Matter Systems with Variable Many-Body Interactions” (SFB/TRR 49) and „Cooperative Effects in Homo- and Heterometallic Complexes- 3MET” (SFB/TRR 88), the Collaborative Research Center (Sonderforschungsbereich) “Microscale Morphology of Component Surfaces” (SFB926), the German-Japanese Research Unit (Forschergruppe) 1464 “Advanced Spintronic Materials” (ASPIMATT) and the Graduate School of Excellence “Materials Science in Mainz” (MAINZ).

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Martin AeschlimannE-mail: [email protected]

Laser play a key role in OPTIMAS research, here: Time Domain Spectroscopy

Research on Bose-Einstein condensates: Detection and manipula-tion of single atoms in a two-dimensional optical lattice

Clean room facilities of the Nano Structuring Center (NSC): preparation of innovative materials

Molecular Sciences: model of a multinuclear transition metal complex with an iso-surface of the calculated spin density

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State Research Unit aMe

advanced Materials engineering The key issues of the research focus of AME are high and ultrahigh strength steels, light alloys, ceramics, hybrid and filter materials as well as composites and materials in particle shape. These materials are key materials for future lightweight design concepts and offer innovative solutions in the field of transportation and energy systems and mechanical engineering in general. In addition hybrid materials are used as filter materials in process engineering and functionalized materials as well. Materials in particle shape are candi-dates for high-quality coatings. Furthermore nanoparticles are used for drug delivery systems as well as for environmental technology like biofilms to avoid fouling. Intensive crosslinking of experiment, modelling and simulation is one important feature of the research in AME. The range of research topics includes the fields materials sciences, pro-duction and process engineering and stands for one of the central competence fields at the University of Kaiserslautern and the intensive collaboration between Engineering andnatural sciences as well as computer science groups. Key issues of the research of AME are the development of innovative products for the automotive and aircraft industry as well as for the biological and medical area. In the field of transportation systems these research topics are a basic condition for more effec-tive material and primary energy consumption and finally for the reduction of pollution. According to this, current research activities are concentrated on the characterization, modelling and simulation of localized deformations in different kinds of advanced multi-phase materials.One vision of AME is to use materials as their own sensors for early damage detection in components on the basis of physically coupled cross effects. A high degree of interdisci-plinary and international collaboration is necessary for the research projects of AME. This is demonstrated by invited presentations to get latest results on international conferences and especially by direct co-operations between research groups from Kaiserslautern with international researchers. A fast industrial application of the latest results is a central aim of AME research.

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Members:12 Professors and 3 young researchers from the following departments:• Mechanical and process engineering• Computer Science• Institutes of Science Alliance: IFOS and IVW

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. habil. Dietmar EiflerE-mail: [email protected]/ame

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State Research Unit amSys

Technologies and applications

Constitution June 2008Members 11 Professors from the following departments • Electrical and computer engineering (6) • Computer Science (4) • Mechanical and Process Engineering (1) • Insitutes of Science Alliance: DFKI and FhG IESE

AmSys is focusing on technologies and applications of ambient systems, a new genera-tion of networked embedded systems which enable a collaborative aggregation of infor-mation between connected devices. Furthermore these embedded systems provide an enhanced context awareness of its environment. Equipped with intelligent sensors and actuators for interaction with the physical world, the control of distributed complex appli-cations becomes feasible. Also AmSys currently addresses only small scale applications, fundamental research issues are investigated which are essential for large scale Cyber Physical Systems like Smart Cities, Smart Grids or E-mobility. Competence areas: • Hardware platforms and robotics • Control, sensors, actuators • Real-time signal processing • Communication (sensor networks, wireless communication, navigation,

localization) • Software architectures • Human-machine interaction • Context awareness • Reliability, safety and securityApplications of ambient systems are currently scientifically investigated in the following areas: • Medicine & Assisted living: application of ambient systems for emer-

gency recognition with activation of rescue actions and for elderly people with advanced home automation.

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• Assisted Working: Application of ambient systems in industrial production environments (www.smartfactory.de).

• Assisted training: Application of ambient systems for the optimization of bicycle training in coope-ration with the Heinrich-Heine Gymnasium and the coach of the national junior bicycle team.

AmSys is well embedded in many national and international coordinated activities and has cooperation with many international universities and research institutes. AmSys is also coordinating the European Erasmus Mundus Master Programme “European Master in Embedded Computing” which is conducted together with the University of Trondheim and Southampton.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Norbert WehnE-mail: [email protected]

Assisted Bicycle Training System – Indoor Simulator (left picture), Outdoor training (right picture)

Assisted Living – “Persönlicher Assistant” (PAUL)

SmartFactory - Overview (left picture), Human interface (right picture)

Assisted Living Lab – Fall recognition

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State Research Unit RIMb

Membrane Transport: from Molecular Principles to Physiological Relevance

Due to their positioning at the interface of cells and their environment or between cellu-lar compartments, membrane proteins are essential mediators of cargo and information transfer. Malfunctions in membrane transporters are associated with various human disorders and defects in plant or microbial development. Because of their critical func-tion in inter- and intracellular communication most of the presently used drug targets are membrane proteins. Despite their outstanding relevance for biology and medicine our knowledge on the structure and function of membrane transporters is still scarce. The development of strategies to overcome the technical difficulties associated with the characterization of hydrophobic proteins is a major challenge of the future both for basic and for applied life sciences.

Research on membrane transport processes is a main focus at the University of Kaiserslautern. The groups that work in the Research Initiative on Membrane Transport (RIMB) come from different fields and cover a wide range of aspects, ranging from studies on the biophysical and biochemical characterization of individual membrane transporters to the physiological relevance of membrane transport processes for complex systems such as the auditory (hearing) center of our brain or carbohydrate-producing cells in crop plants like sugar beets. Over the last years, a number of renowned scientists could be hired to strengthen this research group even more, resulting in an internationally visible scientific focus of the Life Sciences in Kaiserslautern that is well documented by many publications in internationally renowned top journals every year including Science, Nature, PNAS, Molecular Cell and Plant Cell.

The initiative is funded as a Priority Project (“Landesschwerpunkt”) of the Research Initiative Rheinland-Pfalz and raises almost 3 million Euros per year from funding agen-cies, predominantly from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The Research Initiative particularly fosters interactions and collaborations among the participating groups thereby specifically focusing on the structural, financial and scientific support of young scientists. Most of the participating groups are headed by young researchers who strongly benefit from this research initiative. RIMB stimulates the exchange of tech-nologies and knowledge between students and scientists and improves the chances for competitive funding programs.

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RIMB plays a central role for a number of collective research initiatives of the DFG that were initiated by principal investigators in Kaiserslautern, such as the DFG priority program 1608 (Ultrafast and temporally precise infor-mation processing: normal and dysfunctional hearing) or the DFG research groups 967 (Functions and mecha-nisms of ribosomal tunnel exit ligands) and 1061 (Dynamic storage functions of plant vacuoles). Several of the participants of RIMB are part of the International Research Training Group 1830 which has the central focus on membrane transport processes, constituting the first German-Canadian graduate school funded by the DFG.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Johannes HerrmannE-mail: [email protected]/rimb

Symposium Villa Denis

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State Research Unit nanoKat

nanostructured Catalysts for an efficient Use of Raw Materials

The groups engaged in NanoKat are working on the synthesis and characterisation of novel nanostructured catalysts. This research includes the examination of model reac-tions and Iow-scale catalytic experiments as well as investigations related to the tech-nical applicability of such systems. A special focus is drawn on the use of renewable materials as substrates. Most probably, the upcoming shortage of carbon based fossil resources will not only affect the future energy supply but also lead to a change in the supply of the chemical industry with raw materials. These shortages may impact our life even more seriously than a hypothetic limitation of mobility. Under the superordinate concepts of “White Biotechnology” and “Green Chemistry” chemists and process engi-neers are investigating alternative ways to new resources based on natural renewable substrates and products.

Catalytic reactions are herein of funda-mental importance! They allow running chemical transformations under mild con-ditions and precise control of chemo-, regio- and enantioselectivity, reducing the formation of undesirable by-products and keeping the energy demand of che-mical production as lows as possible. Almost all final products coming from chemical industry are made with at least one catalytic reaction in the production

process. Catalysis is therefore of decisive importance for an economically and ecologi- cally efficient chemical production and thus is one of the crucial technologies of developed societies.

Owing to their morphology, nano-structured catalysts can be considered to be somewhere on the way from heterogeneous to homogeneous systems. Their small particles allow an efficient use of most of the catalytically active sites of the material and therefore strongly limit the influence of diffusion on the overall reaction rate leading to highly active systems. Due to the broad diversity of experiences required for this topic, it has to be managed by close and interdisciplinary collaborations. Colleagues of three different departments from the University of Kaiserslautern have therefore joined in the programme “Nanostructured Catalysts for an Efficient Use of Raw Materials”.

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Since 2008, a series of projectss have emerged out of NanoKat or were set up under the participation of NanoKat members: PIs of NanoKat are contributing with their experiences in the SFB/TRR 88 3MET and the SFB926 MICOS that started in the years 2010 and 2011, resp.. In 2011 the BMBF research cluster MAGNENZ was funded, wherein NanoKat members are investigating in collabo-ration with colleagues from the FH Trier the use of magnetic nanoparticles in bioprocess engineering. Two new groups directed by young researchers could be established since 2011, one of them funded by the Carl-Zeiss-Foundation, the other by the federal ministry of food, agriculture and consumer safety (BMELV). Two further groups will follow in 2013, one of them financed by industry. It is a common sense in NanoKat, that the development of young researchers is of crucial importance for the science location Kaiserslautern. This started with offering courses for schoolgirls/-boys and for skill enhancement of teachers in the fields of catalysis and bioprocess engineering and resulted in establishing an interdisciplinary bachelor/master course on “Bio and Chemical Process Engineering”, that is running since 2011 at the TU Kaiserslautern, taking up 35 students per year.

NanoKat research bases on a firm configuration of technical equipment, that is - by the members of NanoKat - also accessible for colleagues from industry and medium and small companies. There are five NMR spectrometers including a solid state machine, powder and single crystal diffraction, IR, UV/Vis, EPR and Mößbauer spectrometers, mass spectrometry, GC, HPLC, SEM, access to x-ray spectrometers and a series of reactors allowing to carry out reactions up to the technical scale, to name just a part of the equipment.

For the future it is planned to concentrate the research within NanoKat on sustainable processes starting from renewable resources. This strategy inclu-

des new process technologies for the upcoming changes in resources, catalyst research devoted to transformations with renewable resources and alternative material flows related to these topics.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Werner R. Thiel E-mail: [email protected]/nanokat

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State Research Unit ReSCUe

Sustainable Resource Conservation in Civil engineering, Urbanism and economy

This research unit deals with the preservation of natural resources under the aspects of planning and construction activities. This covers the impact of spatial planning as well as tasks of environmental engineering, construction materials and techniques, structural engineering, energy conservation in buildings and all other environmental impacts of buildings during their lifetime.

Resources are understood as all material and non-material goods providing benefit for manhood. Material goods are all materials including soil, air, water, land and energy

that are used and influenced by the economic, ecologic and social systems of mankind. Non-material goods like man-power, health, intellectual abi-lities and capabilities are the basis of human activities and its co-existance with nature.

Resource conservation means the prevention or minimization of use or damage as well as the promotion of preservation and of development of material and non-material resources.

Construction has a great impact on many basic natural resources. For example, about 40 percent of the world’s CO

2 emissions are caused by buildings during their production, erection, utilization and dismantling. The great importance of mobility planning, environ-mental engineering and hydraulic engineering on the basic resources of ground, water

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and air is obvious. This research unit also highlights the impact on non-material resources during erection and utilization phase.

The question of impact on natural resources is addressed on different scales. The micro-level (mate-rials) is represented by the development of optimized concrete as well as by research on durability and the integration of new materials in the scope of structural engineering. At the mesoscale (building components and systems) the minimization of material use and the development of multifunctional members are in the focus. Composite and hybrid structures provide oppor-tunities to achieve those targets. On the macro-scale (spatial and regional planning) questions of demo-graphic alteration and its impact on infrastructure and social systems are tracked. The impact on human resources as well as the economic evaluation of resour-ce conservation are focused by economic researchers.

Issues regarding sustainability and preservation of resources are of current interest in national and inter-national research. The main topic of this initiative is to deal with these issues using an interdisciplinary approach. This avoids unilateral action on this impor-tant task and shows the opportunity to create compre-hensive solutions in order to improve sustainability related to any kind of construction activity. Architects, civil engineers, economists and planning scientists collaborate in research projects to address this target.

Several collaborative projects have already been per-formed by groups of architects and engineers, eco-nomists and engineers and planning scientists. New structures have been developed to improve communi-cation between different scientific spezializations and to integrate the junior scientists. Existing knowledge of participants as well as of other researchers inside the university and the Science Alliance has been activated and expanded to reach this aim.

Out of RESCUE some new research priorities have been developed for the future. Composite and hybrid struc-tures and urban mining are some major points. Those new developed priorities will improve the perception of our university within the national and international scientific environment.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Wolfgang KurzE-mail: [email protected]/rescue

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State Technology Research Unit ZnT

Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology

During the last decades, the commercial vehicle industry in Rhineland-Palatinate has had a large influence on the state’s economic development. At the same time, the tech-nology used in commercial vehicles today has become very innovative. In many cases, this technology is more complex and more expensive than the technology used in the automotive industry. Besides market-driven challenges, the commercial vehicle industry sees itself confronted with essential technological challenges. The Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology (“Zentrum für Nutzfahrzeugtechnologie – ZNT”) forms an interdisci-plinary center for research, technology development, and technology transfer in the field of commercial vehicle technology. The Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology seeks close co-operation between the services offered by the University of Kaiserslautern and the commercial vehicle industry with its specific needs. The basic pillars of the Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology (ZNT) are the fields of mechanical and process enginee-ring, electrical and computer engineering, as well as computer science. The main tasks of the Center for Commercial Vehicle Technology (ZNT) can be described as follows:

• Coordination of the research and development activities at the University of Kaiserslautern in subjects relevant to the field of commercial vehicles,

• launch of joint interdisciplinary projects,

• organization of conferences, seminars and congresses, and

• public relations, particularly concerning the commercial vehicle industry worldwide.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Karsten BernsE-mail: [email protected]/znt

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State Research Unit Region and City

Concepts and Strategies for Regional and Urban Development

Based on preliminary work of the Research Initiative 1 and its results conducted since 2008, the research unit “Region and City”, consisting of faculty members from Spatial and Environmental Planning, Civil Engineering and Social Sciences, will carry out further research on spatial futurology.

This means a fundamental advancement for the conceptual orientation of change and transformation research regarding urban and regional development under the impacts of comprehensive development trends such as demographic change, economic structural change or climate chance. Hereby the thematic priority lays on the field of spatial risk research, in which joint work has already been taken out through compiled project propo-sals and held workshops.

Spatial futurology is of high importance within the discussion about the sustainability of German cities and regions, especially against the background of changed basic conditi-ons (demographic change, social differentiation and individualization, economic structu-ral change, climate change, energy turnaround and public financial crisis). The members of the research unit “Region and City” concentrate on the development of regions and municipalities under the influences of the aforementioned change processes, which entail relevant small-spatial development risks and the threat of critical developments. Early identification of such developments can widen the scope of action for the persons concer-ned and contributes to the preservation of steering capacity through the implementation of prevention-strategies.

Within the initiative’s conceptual framework of spatial futurology the center of attention will be furthermore on the field of change and transformation research and, as a new core area, on the field of spatial risk research. These topics determine the conditions for bila-teral and trilateral proposals, individual proposals, lectures, publications and congresses of the members. The realization of a DFG-Postgraduate-Program “Spatial Risk Research” as a coordinated and structure-shaping measure constitutes a landmark of central signi-ficance. Thus, the emphasis will lay on the development of methodical approaches to identify spatial risks at an early stage as well as on the development of strategic approa-ches for their handling.

The instruments and methods of the laboratory for monitoring and spatial sensor techno-logy, which has been established in 2011, will hereby serve as the methodical component for the implementation of the above mentioned core areas.

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The long-term objective of the research unit into a Competence Center “Region and City” - a platform for conceptual-spatial scientific discussions - providing advisory services for practitioners and politicians in the field of regional and community development and so, raising the profile of the University of Kaiserslautern through increasing its visibility and enhancing its competitiveness on national and international level.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Gabi Troeger-Weiß E-mail: [email protected] www.uni-kl.de/region-und-stadt

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Graduate School within the excellence Inititative “Materials Science In Mainz MaInZ”Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz – University of Kaiserslautern

The Graduate School of Excellence „MAterials science IN MainZ (MAINZ)“ is an internatio-nal PhD program which focusses on innovative scientific, technical and complementary PhD training through excellence in research in materials science. The school is operated by the Universities Mainz and Kaiserslautern, together with the Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research. This PhD program that was successfully elongated in the second phase of the Federal Excellence Initiative in 2012 is one of the few in the interdisciplinary area of Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. At the University of Kaiserslautern, this PhD program is closely associated with the State Research Center Optics and Material Sciences OPTIMAS.

The scientific concept of the PhD program builds on pervasive scientific objectives that provide the basis for a coherent research effort and tie together all researchers.

The scientific objectives are:

• Reduction of complexity

• Rational design of tailored materials

• Function-through-structure

• Engineering correlations and interaction strengths.

These objectives bridge previously disparate fields of research. Thereby, the researchers, experienced senior investigators and PhD students alike, obtain a common scientific language, foster knowledge transfer, and gain insight into similar phenomena in systems traditionally seen as separate.

The scientific concept is implemented in four specific research areas, which are guided by the scientific objectives, and which reflect the specific scientific strengths of the principal investigators:

• Model systems and correlated matter

• Functional polymers

• Hybrid structures

• Bio-related materials.

The research addresses phenomena in materials systems spanning the full spectrum from “hard” to “soft” matter.

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The training of the PhD program is designed to incite the students’ enthusiasm for fundamental research in materials science and to prepare them for a future career. It provides a well-balanced combination of independent high-level research using advanced methods and techniques of materials science and an individually tailored training program for acquiring a solid, broad and interdisciplinary scientific background, as well as other relevant knowledge and skills individually needed.

Spokesperson TU Kaiserslautern: Prof. Dr. Burkard Hillebrands E-mail: [email protected] www.mainz.uni-mainz.de

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Transregional Collaborative Research Center DfG CRC/TRR 49

Condensed Matter Systems with Variable Many-body Interactions The Transregional Collaborative Research Center (Sonderforschungsbereich) „Condensed Matter Systems with Variable Many-Body Interactions“ is a joint initiative of the Universities of Frankfurt (coordination), Kaiserslautern and Mainz, together with the Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research. For the advancement of young scientists a graduate program is integrated in SFB/TRR 49 that is coordinated by the University of Kaisers-lautern. In 2011, SFB/TRR 49 was approved by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) for a second funding period with an overall package volume of 8.1 million €. At the University of Kaiserslautern, this research program is closely associated with the State Research Center Optics and Material Sciences OPTIMAS.

The overlying research objective of SFB/TRR 49 is the understanding of complex orde-ring phenomena in solid state materials, whose origins lie in the interactions of a large number of quantum objects. The properties of the materials under investigation – such as unusual forms of superconductivity or novel magnetic and metallic states – are cha-racterized, they do not just reflect the features of individual quantum objects. They are rather a result of complex and as yet still widely unknown ordering mechanisms. In SFB/TRR 49 scientists from various disciplines of solid state physics, solid state chemistry, materials science and quantum optics work together. This includes a strong interaction between theory and experiment in the fields of physics and chemistry. Altogether, SFB/TRR 49 succeeds in linking the fields of quantum optics and solid state physics which, till today, have tended to be treated separately.

An important component of SFB/TRR 49 is the support of young academics. In this net-work of outstanding research conditions, the budding scientists find a stimulating inter-disciplinary environment with much scope for the realisation of their own ideas. In additi-on to the involvement in highly topical, excellent research with international networking, the center offers an integrated research training group as a supplement to the graduate training. On offer is a wide range of courses with specialist and multidisciplinary elements so that the young master/diploma students and doctoral students are able to acquire knowledge and skills, standing them in good stead in their later professional activities in a variety of ways.

Spokesperson TU Kaiserslautern: Prof. Dr. Burkard Hillebrands E-mail: [email protected] www.tr49.de

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Transregional Collaborative Research Center DfG CRC/TRR 88

Cooperative effects in Homo- and Heterometallic Complexes (3MeT)

A deeper insight of the electronic coupling between metal centers is an utmost concern in molecular science. Despite its importance there are still many open questions to be addressed. Multinuclear metal organic compounds frequently exhibit collective and cooperative effects of the metal centers. Until now, these effects have not been fully understood and thus, been only described empirically. A fundamental knowledge of metal-metal interactions would open new perspectives in the quest for new materials. Therefore, the inherent high level of complexity has to be managed which results from the large number of atoms, the large degrees of freedom and difficult theoretical description of metal-metal interactions.In this DFG funded interdisciplinary research initative 26 researchers from two locations (Karlsruher Institute of Technology and TU Kaiserslautern) work closely together in 18 research projects from three major research areas. In magnetism one question of the research performed is how does an additional metal center influence spin and anisotropy of a multinuclear multispin complex. This research is aimed for new magnetic and spintronic devices.One focus in catalysis is to use a complex employing cooperative metal centers in stee-ring selectivity and reactivity of unreactive bonds and substrates. Here new fundamental synthetic concepts may lead to new and easier synthesis of important substrates and materials.New highly efficient luminescent markers and materials as well as new methods for tailor made synthesis and optical detection is the aim of the third research area. A collaborative research effort and-in-hand in optical spectroscopy, theory of optical transitions and the synthesis of multinuclear 3MET compounds exhibiting new properties is a fundamental requirement to achieve these goals. Besides a dedicated development of young investigators gender issues were addressed during the last two years resulting in nearly equally awarded PhD-positions within 3MET. Furthermore 3MET hosted in 2012 an international symposium with highly distinguished speakers at the TU Kaiserslautern. The sequel conference with main emphasis on cataly-sis will be hosted in September 2013 at the KIT.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Gereon Niedner-Schatteburg E-mail: [email protected] www.3met.de

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Collaborative Research Center DfG CRC 926

Microscale Morphology of Component Surfaces (MICoS)

Surfaces have a significant influence on component function and lifetime. With an inter-disciplinary cooperation between mechanical engineering and process engineering as well as surface physics the SFB 926 investigates the scientific basics of the creation, characterization and application for surfaces of components with a specific functionality. The research activities focus on processes and methods on the microscale. The morpho-logy of component surfaces is the central topic of the SFB 926. A surface is defined by its geometrical shape (topography) as well as its physical and chemical properties. One important intention of the SFB 926 is the investigation of the relation between surface creation, morphology and properties (SCMP), which allows an immediate conclusion from the parameters of the production processes to the service properties. Vice versa the knowledge of the SCMP enables optimal design of a component as a function of its requirements.Methodically the SFB 926 consists of different project areas: modeling and simulation (A), creation and experimental characterization (B) and finally application (C). The project areas are thematically represented by the interdisciplinary subjects: micro-structuring of component surfaces by shape cutting, particles at component surfaces and phase transformations at component surfaces. SCMPs are investigated to enable new industrial applications and a better understanding and control of existing ones. The successful work of the SFB 926 will initiate an essential momentum at the industrial application and open enormous economic potential using a detailed and comprehensive knowledge of the morphology of components.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans Hasse E-mail: [email protected] www.sfb926.de

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DfG Research Unit 967

functions and Mechnisms of Ribosomal tunnel exit ligands (RTels)

Proteins are crucial for living cells as they carry out the vast majority of biological activi-ties on the molecular level. Proteins are synthesized on molecular machines called riboso-mes which consist of proteins and RNA. The composition and function of ribosomes were studied over several decades. High-resolution crystal structures of bacterial and eukaryo-tic ribosomes recently revealed detailed insights into their architecture and function, and were awarded with the Nobel price of chemistry in 2009 documenting the relevance and timeliness of this research area.The DFG Research Unit 967 consists of 13 principal investigators (PIs) from Homburg, Kaiserslautern, Munich, Göttingen, Heidelberg, Freiburg and Osnabrück. The focus of this consortium is the analysis of protein factors that bind at the polypeptide exit tunnel of the ribosome. These factors are docked to the ribosome and interact with newly synthesized proteins to guarantee their correct folding or transport. Over the past years, a number of these ribosomal ligands were identified and the Research Unit aims at their functional and structural characterization. The PIs of the Research Unit have made major contributions to this field in the past. The Research Unit merges the established expertise of different PIs and employs them for an in-depth understanding of the functions of various ligands of the ribosomal tunnel exit. It aims to elucidate central principles of co-translational folding, transport and covalent modification of proteins, down to atomic level thereby taking into account quantitative and dynamic aspects. Thus, the Research Unit addresses a central and highly relevant topic of Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology.Spokesperson Saarland University, Homburg: Prof. Dr. Richard ZimmermannSpokesperson TU Kaiserslautern: Prof. Dr. Johannes HerrmannE-mail: [email protected]/fak2/for967/

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DfG Research Unit 1061 Dynamic Storage functions of Plant Vacuoles

Plant cells differ in several aspects from animal cells, with the most obvious ones being the presence of cell walls, plastids and large vacuoles. Vacuoles represent the main storage compartment, and thus a structure of enormous agricultural and economical importance. In most plants, the central vacuole occupies up to 90 % of the total cell volu-me. This fact, in conjunction with the structural- and functional diversities of compounds stored in vacuoles identifies this plant organelle as a core structure of cell morphology, biochemistry and physiology. Therefore, vacuoles are of superior importance for pro-cesses like cellular energy management, accumulation of reserves and nutrients, stress tolerance, turgor regulation, detoxification and ecological interactions between plants and other organisms.

Our Research Unit aims to decompose the biochemical, biophysical and cell biological mechanisms governing the vacuolar dynamic processes into the nature of the individual solute and tonoplast transport protein, their thermodynamics, and putative effectors of transporters and associated regulatory networks. We will also focus on processes con-nected to stress induced alterations of vacuolar carbohydrate metabolism.

In the last year, the Research Unit 1061 „Dynamic Storage Functions of Plant Vacuoles“ was successfully prolonged for further 3 years. In October 2011, Dr. Waltraud Schulze (MPI für molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Golm) enlarged our knowledge and competence in the field of Proteomic.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Neuhaus E-mail: [email protected] www.bio.uni-kl.de/pflanzenphysiologie

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Confocal-laser scanning microscopy of a plant cell. The green labeled vacuole occupies most of the plant cell, several red-fluorescing chloroplasts are attached to the vacuolar surface. Transporters and channels present in the vacuolar membrane have been drawn for clarity.

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DfG/JST Research Unit 1464 aSPIMaTT advanced Spintronic Materials and Transport Phenomena

The Japanese-German Research Unit “Advanced Spintronic Materials and Transport phenomena (ASPIMATT)” is one of the first Japanese-German Research Units and is jointly funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST) since 2010. The material sciences’ consortium brings together researchers from the Universities of Kaiserslautern and Mainz with research groups at the Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan.

The aim of ASPIMATT is to further develop the foundations of future spintronics for which the key is to use the electron spin as carrier of information. In recent years spintronics has become a wide research field addressed worldwide. First outcomes, such as magne-tic sensors based on the giant magnetoresistance and the tunneling magnetoresistance effect have revolutionized the hard-disc industries; novel developments such as spin-transfer torque random access memory are currently aiming at the market.

Key to this field is the development of largely improved magnetic materials and their tailoring to spintronic applications which is the central focus of ASPIMATT. The ASPIMATT researchers have recognized the need for new materials, and they have opened the new field of the material class of Heusler compounds for spintronic applications. This material class offers important physical pre-conditions for the realization of perspective technical applications. In addition, Heusler compounds are compatible with the demands of indu-strial growth- and micro-/nano-structuring processes.

Major contributions to spintronics from the ASPIMATT team have been the development of tetragonal Heusler compounds for spin-transfer torque applications, nowadays used by many other groups as well as industry, high-quality devices for current-perpendicular-plane GMR applications with record magneto-resistive performance, especially for the next-generation read heads in hard-disc industries, and, recently, innovative lateral spin transport devices.

Spokesperson TU Kaiserslautern: Prof. Dr. Burkard Hillebrands E-mail: [email protected] www.aspimatt.de

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ASPIMATT Summer School 2011 in Villa Denis, Diemerstein near Kaiserslautern

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International Research Training Group IRTG 1131Visualization of large and unstructered Data Sets, applications in Geospatial Planning, Modeling and engineering The IRTG 1131 focuses on international and interdisciplinary research in the field of visua-lization of large and unstructured data sets.

The Training Group finances 22 highly talented Ph.D. Students to become future leading scientists.

Up to now, visualization of large and structured or small and unstructured data sets is the state of the art. Large and unstructured data sets are still not very well understood, especially with respect to visualization.

Every visualization task is based on application data. For providing these data, the IRTG 1131 integrates applications from the domain “Geospatial Planning, Modeling, and Engineering”, which produce these huge amounts of unstructured data that are of inte-rest for the planned visualization tasks. This integration is necessary to allow a deeper understanding of the provided data due to the sharing of knowledge through the projects.

In detail, we are handling visualization problems, with respect to modeling, feature detec-tion, and comparison tasks. For doing this, both the extension of existing techniques and the development of new ones are addressed.

The IRTG benefits from several cooperations of U.S. universities (UC Davis, Arizona State University, the University of Utah, Wright State University) with the German university TU Kaiserslautern. Every IRTG student spends 9 months in the US, for example at UC Davis and continues to work on his project, there.

The U.S. universities can provide huge data sets as well as advanced experimenting and simulation facilities. By integrating the students from the partner universities in the local research activities, the knowledge available at the partners’ sites will be shared.

Especially the German students visiting the U.S. will get acquainted with working in international collaborations and get an insight into the advanced experimenting faci-lities available at our U.S. partners’ sites. This will lead to an improved understanding of how the data that serve as a basis for the advanced visualization tasks followed in this International Research Training Group are produced. The knowledge available in this field will benefit the improvement and development of adequate visualization techniques.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Hans Hagen E-mail: [email protected] www.irtg.uni-kl.de

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International Research Training Group IRTG 1830Complex Membrane Proteins in Cellular Development and Disease

The International Research Training Group IRTG 1830 started in June 2012 as a coope-ration project of the University of Kaiserslautern, Saarland University and University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada). The IRTG 1830 represents one of the first joint training programs between both countries for highly qualified PhD students from all over the world. The German site is financed by the German Research Foundation (DFG), whereas the Canadian partner receives funding in frame of the Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE)-Program of the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Currently, the IRTG 1830 covers 28 renowned senior scientists and young academics from the three participating universities and 28 PhD students from all over the world. Together they analyse selected membrane proteins with proven function in cellular development/adaptation processes and in diseases (e.g. plant seed development, hearing impairment, prostate cancer, male infertility, cardiac arrhythmias, and neurodegenerative disorders). The cooperation with the Canadian partners opens the unrivalled possibility to create an international visible center for research and education in the field of disease and developmental related membrane processes. By close internal and external cooperation we hope to assemble (i) an excellent repertoire of very sophisticated methods required for membrane research, (ii) a powerful selection of representative experimental model systems like various primary human cell cultures, mouse models, yeast and Arabidopsis, (iii) an optimized array of recombinant expression and reconstitution systems, and (iv) most of the “omic“ approaches required to study the impact of membrane proteins on the cellular and organ level. In addition, in cooperation with the Canadian partners and their great experiences in graduate education in this research area we have developed a highly improved teaching programme. This teaching programme comprises modern elements, is tailored to individual needs and allows a unique in-depth comparison of project-related cellular processes occurring in different model systems. The teaching program e.g. inclu-des international workshops, a guest scientist program, practical training courses, soft skill modules and, as a key element, a mandatory research stay of at least six months at the partner institution for each PhD student. In combination with a research program at the forefront, the IRTG 1830 will prepare graduates ready to take over leadership position in academia and industry.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Neuhaus E-mail: [email protected] www.irtg1830.com/

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DfG Priority Programme SPP 1391 Ultrafast nanooptics

Ultrafast nanooptics, i.e. the combination of nanooptics and ultrafast laser spectroscopy, is a new and rapidly evolving field in physics and neighbouring disciplines. The aim of priority program SPP 1391 is to analyze and coherently control the spatiotemporal dyna-mics of electromagnetic excitations in metallic nanostructures and hybrid nanostructures consisting of metals in contact with organic as well as inorganic optically active materials. In such systems, electromagnetic excitations tend to be highly localized and strongly enhanced. Such field- localization phenomena play a key role in a variety of important applications across the disciplines, including the realization of novel laser structures, the exploitation of optical nonlinearities for ultrasensitive chemical and biological probing, and the development of enhanced single-photon sources for quantum communication. The coherent excitation of such nanostructures by ultrafast broadband light pulses adds the temporal degree of freedom and allows for controlling the spatiotemporal properties of nanolocalized field distributions.

The research program of SPP1391 brings together researchers in nano-optics, ultrafast spectroscopy, surface science, chemistry and biology.

The program has been funded since July 2009 and went successfully through its midterm review in 2012. It will run until June 2014.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Martin Aeschlimann together with Prof. Dr. Walter Pfeiffer (U Bielefeld)E-mail: [email protected]/

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DfG Priority Programme SPP 1489algorithmic and experimental Methods in algebra, Geometry and number Theory

The field of computer algebra allows one to compute in and with a multitude of mathema-tical structures. It is interdisciplinary in nature, with links to quite a number of areas in mathematics, with applications in mathematics and other branches of science, and with constantly new and often surprising developments.

Particular fruitful interactions unfold between computer algebra and algebraic geometry, number theory, and group theory. Algebraic algorithms open up new ways of accessing subareas of these key disciplines of mathematics, and they are fundamental to practical applications of the disciplines. Conversely, challenges arising in algebraic geometry, number theory, and group theory quite often lead to algorithmic breakthroughs which, in turn, open the door for new theoretical and practical applications of computer algebra.

The goal of the DFG Priority Program SPP 1489 is to considerably further the algorithmic and experimental methods in the afore mentioned disciplines, to combine the different methods where needed, and to apply them to central questions in theory and praxis. Moreover, the programme is meant to support the further development of free compu-ter algebra systems which are (co-)based in Germany, and which in the framework of different projects, may require crosslinking on different levels.

Of particular interest are interactions with application areas inside and outside of mathe-matics such as system- and control theory, coding theory, cryptography, CAD, alge-braic combinatorics, and algebraic statistics as well as hybrid methods which combine numerical and symbolic approaches.

The programme has been funded since July 1, 2010, and will run until June 30, 2016.

It had its midterm review January 30 - February 1, 2013.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Wolfram Decker, Department of MathematicsE-mail: [email protected]

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DfG Priority Programme PP 1608Ultrafast and temporally precise information processing: normal and dysfunctional hearing Hearing impairment, i.e., the complete or partial loss of hearing, is the most frequent sensory deficit in humans, presently affecting about 14 % of the population.

Whereas middle ear-based hearing loss can be treated well, there is no causative treat-ment for sensorineural hearing loss affecting the cochlea and/or the auditory nerve. Moreover, rehabilitation by hearing aids as well as cochlear and brainstem implants is only partially effective.

Although these hearing devices best enable speech comprehension in the quiet, tempo-ral aspects of the auditory signals are not well processed, leading to speech recognition impairment, problems in distinguishing meaningful sounds from background noise, and severe problems in sound localization.

Deficits in temporal processing can also result from structural and functional abnorma-lities in the central auditory system, such as the various relay stations in the brainstem. The exact causes of such sound-processing impairments are unkown so far.

Also, the mechanisms whose dysfunction leads to temporal auditory processing disor-ders - be it in the cochlea, the auditory nerve, or the brain – have not been identified. Therefore, a better understanding of the (patho)-physiology of ultrafast signaling and temporally precise information processing is indispensable if we want to develope effec-tive treatment strategies for hearing disorders.

The Priority Program will network renowned and young researchers in physiology, ana-tomy, human and mouse genetics, computational neuroscience, and behavioral studies.

In an interdisciplinary and seminal endeavor, the Priority Program will bundle their core competences and ensure strong and synergistic interactions between experts across the various disciplines.

An important aspect of the program is the promotion of young researchers, who will profit from the expertise and receive coordinated training in technologies. Achieving and pro-moting equal opportunities is also a major issue of the Priority Program.

Spokesperson: Prof. Dr. Eckhard FriaufE-mail: [email protected]

Co-coordinator: Prof. Dr. Jutta Engel, Department of Biophysics, Saarland University, Homburg, E-mail: [email protected]

www.pp1608.com

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DfG Reinhart Koselleck Project Grinding of complex structures on the nanomenter scale

The German Science Foundation enables outstanding researchers with a proven scientific track record to pursue exceptionally innovative, higher-risk projects through its Reinhart Koselleck Project Scheme. The project “Grinding of complex structures on the nanomen-ter scale” aims at advancing the size limits of grinding down to structure sizes between 10 nm and 10 µm for the first time. Within the project, the researchers of the Manufacturing Technology group of the Department of Mechanical and Process Engineering have desi-gned the world-wide smallest grinding tool. First experiments, carried out on a newly developed machine tool, have shown that the approach is suitable and will open new opportunities for manufacturing of ultra-small components and structures. Application of the results of this project will be possible in a variety of industrial domains ranging from the optics to the automotive industry to medical devices.

Investigator: Prof. Jan Aurich E-mail: [email protected] www.mv.uni-kl.de/fbk/

Nano Grinding Center

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DfG Reinhart Koselleck Project energy transport in cells. Physiological functions and structural aspects of nucleotide trans-port proteins

Within this project the molecular functions and structural properties of various plant and bacterial nucleotide transporters will be deciphered.

Nucleotides are metabolites of unique importance. All living cells need e.g. adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as the universal energy currency. In fact, without ATP life is not possible. In addition, nucleotides are building blocks for nucleic acids and determine thus our genetic programs, they serve as precursors for anabolic reactions and they are involved in critical signal transduction processes in cells.

Due to their charge and size nucleotides do not move freely across biological membranes. Our laboratory works since about 20 years on membrane located carrier proteins able to transport nucleotides across plant membra-nes or across the membrane from human pathogenic bacteria. Several uncharacterized nucleotide carriers exist in higher plants and await a closer inspection. The structure of bacterial nucleotide carriers has so far been resolved. We aim to identify novel features of plant nucleotide carriers and to get insight into their structural determinants.

High-level research using advanced methods and techniques of materials science and an individually tailored training program for acquiring a solid, broad and interdisciplinary scientific background, as well as other relevant knowledge and skills individually needed.

Investigator: Prof. Dr. Ekkehard Neuhaus, E-mail: [email protected] www.bio.uni-kl.de/pflanzephysiolgie/

Absence of a cellular ATP transporter in Arabidopsis leads to impaired floral development. A, wildtype plant; B, mutant with strongly reduced ATP transport activity. Anther opening is significantly reduced im mutants pointing to a new role of ATP as a signal molecule (Rieder and Neuhaus 2011, Plant Cell 23, 1932-1944).

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DfG Reinhart Koselleck Project Molecular Modeling and Simulation in Chemical engineering

The German Science Foundation’s „Reinhart Koselleck Program“ provides funding for innovative high-risk high-gain research projects in all fields of science. The program is highly competitive and only about 10 – 15 proposals are approved by DFG each year. Successful applicants must be outstanding researchers in their field. One of the 2012 Reinhart Koselleck grants was awarded to Prof. Hasse from the Laboratory of Engineering Thermodynamics (LTD) in the Department of Mechanical and Chemical Engineering of the University of Kaiserslautern. His research in Molecular Modeling and Simulation in Chemical Engineering will be funded by DFG with 1.2 Million Euros in the next 5 years. The project of Prof. Hasse aims at developing molecular force fields for describing the interactions between molecules so well that the results of simulations with these models can be used for solving tasks in chemical engineering. This works already for simple molecules but is difficult for complex substances, like drugs or other active agents, which become increasingly important in chemical engineering. If successful, the project will enable quantitative descriptions and predictions of properties of such complex molecu-les and contribute to understanding their behavior on the nanoscale. This will enhance design of processes and products with complex molecules.

Investigator: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans Hasse E-mail: [email protected] http://thermo.mv.uni-kl.de/forschung/reinhart-koselleck-projekt/

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Snapshot from a molecular simulation study of the enzyme Cytochrome P450 in mixtures of water and oleic acid at 298 K and 1 bar. The oleic acid forms bilayers. Nevertheless a few molecules of oleic acid are in contact with the enzyme. The water molecules are not shown for clarity.

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european Research Projects

In fundraising activities as well as in the administration and implementation of internationally funded projects, researchers at the University of Kaiserslautern are professio- nally supported by a dedicated unit located at the university’s central administration.

In order to sustain the favourable development regarding the volume of internationally (e.g., EU) funded research at the University of Kaiserslautern, the university has a Research Co-ordinator for EU Programmes at its service. The co-ordinator’s services to all university researchers include the provision of information on active or upcoming research programmes and on calls for projects that are expected to trigger additional applications. He is also available to provide comprehensive consulting and training on current topics of funding for research.

Thus, support by information management, comprising the monitoring of publications by or related to the funding institutions (e.g., EU, COST, RFCS etc.), pre-screening and distribution of streamlined information, is implemented even before a project is concei-ved. Voluminous documents need to be searched for topics of interest to the University of Kaiserslautern, relevant details are filtered and subsequently processed in order to provide the researchers with well-structured and concise information. By the time the idea for a project has been blueprinted, questions on funding options and processes will arise, which are best tackled by combining broad insight into funding programmes with profound scientific expertise.

Further, researchers of the University of Kaiserslautern do not need to shoulder their international applications single-handedly: strategic and administrative know-how is easily available. The Research Coordination Office for EU Programmes procures required information, help in the identification of possible project partners, and pro-vide guidance for the compilation of the application document, the work programme, as well as budget planning. Finally, the co-ordinator for international funding may enable compilation of the “perfect” application by conducting or making arrange-ments for a technical and formal pre-evaluation. Based on up-front consulting and a detailed strategic review of funding programmes, such hands-on services ensure that the application is precisely targeted. In turn, the likelihood of a successful application process and the procurement of funding are increased. Once funds have been granted, support by the university’s central administration continues with input for project partner agreements, financial statements, and project management. As for project management support, the pertaining services to researchers (applicants and project coordinators) have been expanded by adding an EU project manager to the team. This function was created

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to provide administrative support especially to co-ordinators of EU-funded projects. Such support can be limited to specific tasks or may cover full administrati-ve project management for EU projects coordinated at the University of Kaiserslautern.

The University of Kaiserslautern is very active in the field of international research. In this context, the funding instruments available in the Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP) play an important role. The University of Kaiserslautern is partner to a total of 12 projects (as of April / May 2013) conducted under the 7th FP. Ten further projects are being co-ordinated by researchers or research groups at the University of Kaiserslautern. By this involvement to date, the University of Kaiserslautern has procured more than 11 million Euros under the 7th FP. As for the scien-tific fields supported by 7th FP grants at the University of Kaiserslautern, the majority of funds go to the Faculties of Physics, Computer Science and Mathematics.

Among the EU-funded projects, two grants by the European Research Council – an institution promo-ting researchers and project ideas of top scientific excellence – are worth noting: the ERC awarded two excellent scientists at the University of Kaiserslautern with considerable grants, among them Professor Dr. Artur Widera of the Faculty for Physics, who recei-ved a Starting Grant amounting to 1.4 million Euros, and Professor Dr. Gunter Malle of the Faculty for Mathematics, who won an Advanced Grant of similar volume (cf. detailed reports on these achievements in this brochure). Being the pertaining Host Institution, the University of Kaiserslautern provides comprehen-

sive support for such application and research activi-ties by their researchers.

Further, the University of Kaiserslautern succeeded in the competition for almost every funding program under the so-called Marie-Curie-Measures, which are dedicated to the training, mobility and professio-nal advancement of scientists, to the consolidation of international research cooperation between insti-tutions in Europe and third countries as well as to career development of experienced scientists. The numerous individual fellowship grants and career integration grants won from Marie Curie are an impres-sive proof for the special focus that the University of Kaiserslautern places on the support for and care-er promotion of (young) scientists. The University of Kaiserslautern has been well established and pro-vided good service as the Host Institution for young and experienced scientists alike (www.uni-kl.de/ forschung/forschungsservice/).

Of course, the international research activities by the University of Kaiserslautern are far more manifold. They are not limited to projects under the various FP periods but also include participation in ERANets, Joint Technology Initiatives, and further international or European funding programmes (e.g., INTERREG, RFCS, COST, EUREKA!).

Research Co-ordination for EU ProgrammesCo-ordinator: Dr. rer. nat. Jörg HansenE-mail: [email protected]/eu-referat

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Projects funded by european Programmes (overview as of april / May 2013)

7th framework Programme for Research and Technological Development of the eU

eRC GrantsCountingConjectures: Counting conjectures and characters of almost simple groups

(Advanced Grant)QuantumProbe: A Quantum Non-Demolition Microscope (Starting Grant)

Marie-Curie actionsInternational Reintegration Grants (IRG) and Career Integration Grants (CIG)CODIM1SING: Codimension-one properties of singularitiesGLoRy: Global-Local Methods in Representation TheoryLargeFlowVis: Large Scale Flow Visualization and AnalysisPOEM: Perceptual Organization and Eye MovementsMACROBANK: Systemic Risks and Macroprudential Regulation in BankingPlanShrinking: Planning cultures in the USA and in Germany in comparison the example

of shrinking citiesRetroelements: Diversity generating retroelements – understanding a new class of mobile

RNAs

Intra-european fellowship for Career Development (Ief)BoostQuantumChem: Boosting the performance of Quantum Chemistry for nanocatalysts,

biomolecules and graphene layers by solving the fundamental drawback of van der Waals interactions in Density Functional Theory

Initial Training networks (ITn)DYNAMOL: Dynamic Molecular Nanostructures

International Research Staff exchange Scheme (IRSeS)OptALI: Optimization and its Applications in Learning and Industry

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Collaborative ProjectsDOTNAC: Development and Optimization of THz NDT on Aeronautics Composite Multi-layered StructureH2R: Integrative approach for the emergence of human-like robot locomotionHINTS: Next Generation Hybrid Interfaces for Spintronic ApplicationsICARUS: Integrated Components for Assisted Rescue and Unmanned Search operationsINTERSTRESS: Interreality in the management and treatment of stress-related disorders METIS: Mobile and wireless communications Enabler for Twenty-twenty (2020) Information SocietyMONARCA: MONitoring, treAtment and pRediCtion of bipolAr Disorder EpisodesSYSTEQ: The development, validation and implementation of human systemic Toxic Equivalencies (TEQs) as

biomarkers for dioxin-like compoundsTERRIFIC: Towards Enhanced Integration of Design and Production in the Factory of the Future through

Isogeometric TechnologiesVISIONAIR: Vision advanced infrastructure for research

InTeRReG (european Territorial Cooperation)ChiraNET: Chiral Porous Crystals for Enantiomeric Separations (INTERREG IVa Upper Rhine)CURe MODERN: An Intitative for modern construction assessment and urban and regional planning (INTERREG

IVa Greater Region)GRMN: Network of Magnetism in the Greater Region (INTERREG IVa Greater Region)ELEC‘TRA: Grenzüberschreitendes Mobilitätskonzept zur Reduzierung des Individualverkehrs der Pendler in der

Großregion durch die Förderung von Elektromobilitätslösungen als Ergänzung zu den öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln

MOR€CO: Mobility and Residential Costs (INTERREG IVb Alpine Space)

Research fund for Coal and SteelMECBAIN: Understanding basic mechanism to optimize and predict in service properties of nanobainitic steels

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Grant of the european Research Council (eRC)

eRC-advanced Grant “Counting Conjectures”Counting conjectures and characters of almost simple groups

The ERC Advanced Grant “Counting Conjectures” was awarded in October 2011 for a five year research pro-ject in pure mathematics, led by Prof. Dr. Gunter Malle. It aims to prove important long-standing conjectures in the Representation Theory of Finite Groups.

Groups and symmetries abound in mathematics but also in many other areas of science. For example, symmetries are the underlying concept in describing the physics of elementary particles; they also natural-ly occur in crystallography or the investigation of iso-meric compounds in chemistry. Inside mathematics, symmetries arise as a property of geometric objects, but also of more abstract mathematical structures.

In many instances, problems in other areas can be reduced to questions about groups. Whenever groups occur, this happens in some kind of representation: either the symme-tries are realized as permutations of a set of objects, or they are described as linear trans-formations in terms of a matrix group. The original question will then concern properties of these representations. Thus the study of representations is a crucial ingredient in any application of group theory.

The Representation Theory of Finite Groups is a thriving subject, with many fascinating open problems. In 1963 Richard Brauer formulated a list of deep conjectures, which basically are still unsolved to the present day. Further fundamental questions on group representations, that also remain open, have been formulated in the meantime. Recent breakthroughs by the principal investigator, Prof. Malle, and others have come close to proving several of these open conjectures.

“Counting Conjectures” has two major goals: to understand the irreducible characters of the finite simple groups, and to apply this knowledge to the proof of two long-standing famous conjectures in representation theory. This highly challenging project will involve the interplay of cutting edge methods and results from various modern areas of pure mathematics. Its results are expected to have various applications to other problems outside the immediate aims of the project. The Advanced Grant provides for four research

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positions for young mathematicians over the whole five year period, for the organization of a major conference and for long term invitations of several guest scientists.

With the implementation of Prof. Malle’s research group, the University of Kaiserslautern is considered one of the leading international centers for research in group and representation theory.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Gunter MalleE-mail: [email protected]/~malle

Copyright: Dr. M. Cuntz

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Grant of the european Research Council (eRC)

eRC-Starting Grant “QuantumProbe”a quantum non-demolition microscope

In the last decades, quantum physics has turned into a strong driving force for the national economies, and quantum devices have silently made their way into almost all areas of daily life: lasers and their applica-tions in medicine, communication or entertainment, modern materials, integrated circuits in mobile pho-nes or computers or our world-wide time keeping system and navigation systems – they all work becau-se we understand and apply quantum theory.

Specific quantum properties harbor the potential for yet another revolution. These pro-perties are not familiar in daily life and often lead to counter-intuitive behavior of quantum systems. Quantum entanglement of two particles, for example, may induce apparently paradoxical situations. Therefore, Albert Einstein named this phenomenon “spukhafte Fernwirkung”, i.e. a kind of “mysterious distant action”. Once under control, however, such purely quantum properties could lead to lossless energy transport at room tempera-tures, super-fast quantum computers, or absolutely secure long-distance communication. The challenge of experimental quantum physics lies in the detection and precise control of these subtle quantum properties in intricate many-body systems of billions and billions of particles.

The European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant project “QuantumProbe – A Quantum Non-Demolition Microscope”, led by Prof. Dr. Artur Widera, aims to create a model system to investigate and control these fragile quantum properties in many-body systems. ERC Starting Grants have been established to support excellent research projects by promi-sing young researchers founding their independent research team. The ERC funds this project over its duration of five years. QuantumProbe will receive a total of almost 1.4 Mio. € from the ERC funds.

Quantum probe will form a quantum many-body model system using ultracold gases at almost absolute zero temperature. Here, systems are governed exclusively by the laws of quantum mechanics, and the fragile yet fascinating quantum properties can be observed. The microscope probe to explore and manipulate quantum properties will be realized by a trapped single neutral atom which thus represents a perfect quantum system itself.

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The results shall give an in-depth understanding on how such properties can be preserved, controlled and exploited for applications in future quantum devices.

Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Artur WideraE-mail: [email protected]/widera

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University of the Greater Region (UniGR)

5 regions, 4 countries, 3 languages - infinite possibilities

The University of Kaiserslautern is one of the partners in the transnational project “University of the Greater Region - UniGR”, which involves a total of six universities (University of Liège, Belgium; University of Lorraine located in Metz and Nancy, France; Saarland University, University of Trier, University of Kaiserslautern, Germany and the University of Luxembourg, Luxembourg) from the so-called Greater Region, comprising the Belgian region of Wallonia, the French department Lorraine, the German States Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland as well as the state of Luxembourg. This project has so far being coordinated by Saarland University in Saarbrücken, received financial support from the funds of the European Territorial Cooperation Programme for the Greater Region (INTERREG IVA, 2007-2013) and implemented a close cooperation among the partner universities.

This strong network between the partner universities facilitates mobility of students, scientists and lecturers by simplifying administrative processes, such as enrollment procedures, and by opening access to courses, libraries, cafeterias and other university facilities as well as creating cooperation platforms for researchers. Especially the intro-duction of the UniGR Student Status, which allows students to take courses at the partner universities without paying additional tuition fees, increases the number of students who spend part of their studies abroad thus extending their intercultural and language com-petencies.

In addition, endeavours by the University of the Greater Region focus on (future) resear-chers and administrative staff. Events such as the “Early Stage Researchers’ Days” offer doctoral students an intercultural and interdisciplinary experience beyond their daily routine and the UniGR European PhD label has been established as a supple-ment to the doctorate. This certifies that the student has completed a period of mobility and acquired additional intercultural and language skills.

Besides, researchers in different fields have been invited to thematic flagship workshops in order to boost cross-border research cooperation as well as common study offers.

Enroll at one university –

benefit from the European network of UniGR!

enroll at one university –

benefit from the european network of UniGR!

photographer: Uwe Bellhäuser

photographer: Uwe Bellhäuser

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Enroll at one university –

benefit from the European network of UniGR!

Three fields will be at the center of interest for future UniGR networking: material science, biomedicine and border studies. Furthermore, administrative staff meet in various expert committees (intellectual property rights and business start-ups, languages, handicap, marketing, libraries etc.) in order to guarantee mat-ching framework conditions for (doctorate) students, lecturers and researchers at all partner universities.

The role of the University of Kaiserslautern within the UniGR

Each of the partner universities has been assigned its special role within the consortium. Due to our university’s expertise in these subjects, especially thanks to the close cooperation with the start-up office (Gründungsbüro) and the contact point for infor-mation and technology (Kontaktstelle für Information und Technologie - KIT), the University of Kaiserslautern is in charge of the topics „Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and Business Start-ups“ and oversees the rela-ted expert meetings. In order to give students, resear-chers and other staff members a better understan-ding of these topics, the University of Kaiserslautern organised a two-day idea workshop and coordinated the compilation of an IPR guide. While the workshop aimed at helping students to develop promising start-up ideas and procured basic knowledge about what to do and where to turn to if an idea is fit for practical use or if a business plan has been developed, the IPR guide has been generated in order to raise awareness among researchers regarding the protection of their scientific results and inventions and regarding the possibility of technology transfer. The guide also provides information concerning local and national

patent information offices. It is available in English, French and German and can be downloaded from the university website (www.uni-kl.de/uni-gr/ipr-guide). Printed versions are available on campus in the UniGR project office as well as in the start-up office and at the contact point for information and technology.

UniGR’s perspective: a sustainable network enhan-cing the assets of all partners

All UniGR activities are geared towards creating an Integrated Area of Higher Education for the Greater Region. The University of Kaiserslautern has grasped the opportunity to become a full member in order to be actively involved in the design and development of the joint area of higher education and to benefit from the added value available to all stakeholders: (doctorate) students, lecturers and (future) researchers. In conti-nuing the strong cooperation, the UniGR network will serve as a knowledge platform to strengthen not only the partner universities but also the region as a whole.

enroll at one university –

benefit from the european network of UniGR!

Project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund within the framework of the INTERREG IV-A Greater Region Programme. The European Union invests in your future.

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Innovation Center applied System Modeling

In January 2010, the “Innovation Center Applied System Modeling” was founded in Kaiserslautern. In order to strengthen existing local collaborations, the Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE, the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM, and the Terahertz measurement and systems Department of the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM, as well as the Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics of the University of Kaiserslautern cooperate even more closely in an institutionalized form – the aim being to develop innovative hightech products faster and to foster the development of excellent young researchers in a coherent project structure. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the state of Rhineland-Palatinate are supporting this move to further strengthen the profile of the science and technology location Kaiserslautern. The central goal is the vivid personal exchange of knowledge between the institutions and the departments in order to convert the local strengths, particularly in the areas of applied and engineering research, into joint economic success in Kaiserslautern.

Almost all technical innovations are the result of interdisciplinary research between the cross-over technologies of mathematics and computer science as well as different appli-cation disciplines. This is the reason why the Innovation Center includes the competencies of the engineering science departments of the University of Kaiserslautern as well as the research institutes of the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern e.V. in the application-oriented research projects right from the start, in an associative capacity.

The upcoming years will see the exploration of innovation potential in the areas of renewable energies; virtual material, process, and product development; and embedded safety-critical software systems, among others. The goal is to boost strategies and projects that will lead to the creation of new business areas in applied mathematics and computer science.

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The Departments of Mathematics and Computer Science are already collaborating in the context of the research initiative of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in the Center of Mathematical and Computational Modelling (CM)² research center on research issues regarding the development, application, and impro-vement of mathematical and computer science based models in the engineering sciences as well as in the state research unit Ambient Systems – Technologies and Applications (AmSys) on research issues regar-ding the development of ambient technologies and systems.

In the Fraunhofer Innovation Cluster Digital Commercial Vehicle Technology (DNT), which has existed since 2007 and includes Fraunhofer ITWM and IESE, deve-lopment is underway for simulation tools to be used for checking the reliability, failure safety, and robust-ness of system components under real operational loads, as well as for the online monitoring of system states. Since August 2010, the successful cluster has continued with the focus on vehicle-environment-human interaction – IT-based optimization.

Both Fraunhofer institutes and the department of Computer Science are involved in Europe’s largest software cluster, Software Innovations for the Digital Enterprise. In addition, Fraunhofer IESE and ITWM are

also members of the Alliance Digital Product Flows (ADiWa). Since 2008, the Department of Computer Science and Fraunhofer IESE have been partners in the BMBF clusters VIERforES, for the development of visualization approaches for safety aspects in large embedded systems, as well as SPES 2020, which aims at developing a model-based development methodo-logy for embedded systems.

In the context of the mathematics initiative of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the University of Kaiserslautern, and Fraunhofer ITWM, the Felix Klein Center for Mathematics was founded at the end of 2008. The initial spark for the Felix Klein Center was the enormous boost to industrial mathematics at the Department of Mathematics resulting from the addition of five new W3 professorships for the winter semester 2009/2010, which are integrated into and will give further boost to the research program of the Innovation Center.

Spokesperson‘s Council: Prof. Dr. Burkard HillebrandsE-mail: [email protected]

Co-ordinator: Dr. rer. nat. habil. Thorsten Kowalke Central Office for Research and TechnologyE-mail: [email protected]

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Research Network - Science alliance Kaiserslautern

Finding solutions to the complex scientific and technological issues we face today often demands an interdisciplinary approach. The University of Kaiserslautern, the University of Applied Sciences Kaiserslautern, and eight renowned research institutes with expertise in various fields have come together to form the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern. Other part-ners include the Commercial Vehicle Cluster and the Westpfalz-Klinikum (Regional Medical Center). Together they form a highly specialised multidisciplinary network that provides students, scientists, and cooperation partners from industry, business, and public admi-nistration with innovative solutions based on state-of-the-art technologies and methods.

Members of the Science Alliance are working on several major topics, with a special focus on Energy & Sustainability, Health & Demographics, Mobility, and Information Technology. Their research is closely linked to the challenging economic and social issues we are facing today. Their prolific work in recent years has added to the growing reputa-tion of Kaiserslautern as a distinguished location for study, research, and technology.

from basic Research to Marketable Solutions

Based on the latest scientific findings and technology, the member institutes of the Science Alliance constitute a multidisciplinary network covering the entire cycle of innovation. Their area of expertise ranges from basic research to product and process development. Within the framework of the Science Alliance, partners from all over the world can profit from the diversity of competencies offered. In addition, the Science Alliance offers students and doctoral candidates a chance to gain practical knowledge as full-fledged members of international teams in various research departments at an early stage in their student life.

networking: advantage in International Competition

As a center of innovation, Kaiserslautern benefits from an excellent network of research facilities and local industries in close cooperation with the City of Kaiserslautern and the State of Rhineland-Palatinate.

The City of Kaiserslautern supports the institutes’ need for expansion and the outsour-cing of businesses by actively promoting economic development and supporting centrally located areas of commerce such as the PRE-Uni Park or the planned conversion of the former Pfaff industrial area into a technology park. There are also numerous private initiatives like the “Diemersteiner Kreis”, in which representatives of local companies and research organisations offer advice and support to potential entrepreneurs.

The numerous spin-offs of the member institutes are proof of the success of the application-oriented research conducted within the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern.

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The University of Kaiserslautern is a campus university well known for its excellent study and research environment. It focuses on enginee-ring, information technology, and natural sciences in combination with economics and social studies.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM supports companies in the de-velopment and optimisation of products, services, communica-tion, and work processes.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Experi-mental Software Engineering IESE develops innovative methods and solutions for the development of high-quality, complex information systems and embedded systems.

The Institute for Surface and Thin Film Analysis focuses on the application of modern techniques for the chemical, structural, and topographi-cal analysis of surfaces, thin films, and solids.

The German Re-search Center for Artificial Intelli-gence develops in-telligent solutions for the knowledge society.

The Max Planck Institute for Soft-ware Systems conducts high-risk, high-impact research in all areas related to the design, analysis, modelling, implementation, and evaluation of complex software systems.

The Institut für Technologie und Arbeit - ITA combines basic research with interdis-ciplinary, application-orien-ted concepts for the analy-sis and design of work and organisations.

The Westpfalz-Klinikum is a regio-nal medical center offering a high standard of patient care services and research-related subject are-as that match research projects within the Science Alliance.

The Institute for Composite Materials develops new com-posites with thermoplastic, thermoset polymers, as well as functionalised fibre- and particle-reinforcements.

The University of Applied Sciences in Kaiserslautern is a modern college of applied sciences and design. The cour-ses offered cover the areas of natural and engineering sciences, design, economics, as well as information and communication sciences.

Contact Science Alliance Kaiserslautern e.V., Postfach 3049, 67653 Kaiserslautern

Website www.science-alliance.de

The Commercial Vehicle Cluster CVC serves as a platform for cooperation and communication for partners within the framework of research focused on commercial vehicles.

The Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research focuses on fungal metabolites for agriculture and pharmaceutical applications to create new drugs, biopesticides, and bioremediation treatments.

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The German Research Center for artificial Intelligence (DfKI) GmbH

Head

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Wahlster (Chairman of the Board)Dr. Walter G. Olthoff (Chief Financial Officer)

Head of Site Kaiserslautern

Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Andreas Dengel

Profile

The German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) with its headquarter in Kaiserslautern and facilities in Saarbrücken, Bremen, Osnabrück and Berlin, is the lar-gest AI research company in the world. In the international scientific community, the DFKI is recognized as one of the most important „Centers of Excellence“ for its expertise in transforming leading edge technology into commercially relevant applications. From basic research to the realization of state of the art product functions the DFKI activities cover the entire innovation cycle.

Research projects at the DFKI are initiated in the course of calls from national and inter-national institutions, such as the European Union, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), and the States of Rhineland-Palatinate, Bremen and Saarland. In additi-on, substantial requirements from respective industries are satisfied.

The DFKI in Kaiserslautern substantially profits from the interaction with the faculty and the renowned expertise of the University of Kaiserslautern, especially in natural sciences. In turn, DFKI researchers provide assistantships as well as diploma and Ph.D. thesis supervision to qualified students and junior researchers.

At present, the DFKI employs more than 420 highly skilled personnel, and about 250 student assistants, of whom 110 employees and over 50 students are researching in Kaiserslautern. In 20 years the DFKI produced over 60 professors, more than 65 spin-off companies and an estimated 1500 highly qualified jobs. Its constitution as a non-profit public-private-partnership (PPP) has been positively received and is referred to as an example for the future.

DFKI is the only German research institute for Computer Science being a member in the three leading research clu-sters and co-founder of Software Campus and Academy Cube.

COGNITO - Cognitive Workflow Capturing and Rendering with

ON-Body Sensor Networks

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Research areas

The research and technology development is carried out in the DFKI research departments:

• Knowledge Management (Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Andreas Dengel, Kaiserslautern)

• Augmented Vision (Prof. Dr. Didier Stricker, Kaiserslautern)

• Innovative Factory Systems (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Detlef Zühlke, Kaiserslautern)

• Embedded Intelligence (Prof. Dr. Paul Lukowicz, Kaiserslautern)

• Intelligent Networks (Prof. Dr.-Ing. Hans Schotten, Kaiserslautern)

• Cyber-Physical Systems (Prof. Dr. Rolf Drechsler, Bremen)

• Robotics Innovation Center (Prof. Dr. Frank Kirchner, Bremen)

• Plan-Based Robot Control (Prof. Dr. Joachim Hertzberg, Osnabrück)

• Innovative Retail Laboratory (Prof. Dr. Antonio Krüger, Saarbrücken)

• Institute for Information Systems (Prof. Dr. Peter Loos, Saarbrücken)

• Agents and Simulated Reality (Prof. Dr. Philipp Slusallek, Saarbrücken)

• Language Technology (Prof. Dr. Hans Uszkoreit, Saarbrücken)

• Intelligent User Interfaces (Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Wolfgang Wahlster, Saarbrücken)

DfKI living labs - Innovation you can touch

The latest innovative technologies are tested, evaluated, and demonstrated in the „Living Labs“:

• SmartFactory Laboratory (Kaiserslautern)

• Virtual Office Laboratory (Kaiserslautern)

• Bremen Ambient Assisted Living Laboratory - BAALL

• Robotics Exploration Laboratory

• Innovative Retail Laboratory - IRL

RES-COM: Resource Conservation by Context-

Activated M2M-Communication

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Extending across locations DFKI Competence Centers bundle know-how, skills and technologies in the following areas:

• Ambient Assisted Living

• Case-Based Reasoning

• Computational Culture

• e-Learning

• Human-Centered Visualisation

• Multimedia Analysis & Data Mining

• Language Technology

• Safe and Secure Systems

• Semantic Web

• Virtual Office of the Future

International Relations

Numerous cooperations illustrate the international recognition of the DFKI. Among its partners are major players of the IT, Media, Aviation, Automotive and Chemical Industry like Airbus, BASF, Bertelsmann, Bosch, Canon, Daimler, Deutsche Telekom, Google, Hitachi, IBM, Intel, John Deere, Microsoft, Motorola, RICOH, SAP, Siemens or Sony. In addition, the activities of the DFKI constantly lead to cooperations and scientific exchange with leading research institutions and universities all over the world.

Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Andreas Dengel,

Scientific Director and Member of the Board

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Contact

Prof. Dr. Prof. h.c. Andreas Dengel

German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) GmbH

Trippstadter Strasse 122


Phone: + 49 631 20575 - 100

Fax: + 49 631 20575 - 5030


Website

www.dfki.de/web

Industry 4.0 - Applications for the Factory of the Future

Semantic Technologies for the Theseus Medico Project

Show how it‘s done - Augmented Reality Manuals

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Institute of biotechnology and Drug ResearchInstitut für biotechnologie und Wirkstoff-forschung e.V. (IbWf)

Head

Prof. Dr. Eckhard Thines

Profile

The Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research was founded in 1998 as a non-profit institution. The award of the Karl-Heinz Beckurts Prize for applied research to Prof. Timm Anke in 1996 was an impulse for the foundation of the Institute. Members of this orga-nization at the time were Professors Heidrun and Timm Anke, PD Dr. G. Erkel, PD Dr. E. Thines, the University of Kaiserslautern, the ministry of education, science, youth and culture of the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, the city of Kaiserslautern, BASF AG and Bayer CropScience. In the beginning of the year 2009 were by and large 30 employees working at the Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research.

The Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research closes the gap between academic basic research and the application of research, thereby focusing on fungal biotechnology. Our extensive and unique collection of fungal cultures with more than 10,000 strains repre-sents a cross section of the genetic and metabolic fungal diversity. Related to the fungal collections is a collection of 5,000 extracts and more than 400 pure compounds. These metabolites, in combination with our own novel molecular biological test systems for pharmaceutical and agricultural applications, present excellent opportunities for collabo-ration with partners in industry and academia alike. The products also include enzymes for biotransformations, paper production and other purposes. Our expertise extends to the characterization of molecular targets of active compounds, as well as the biosynthe-sis of specific substances and the genetic characterization of biosynthetic pathways. The strobilurin-type fungicides are one example of a successful commercial application of a fungal product; they are currently in worldwide use and are marketed by the BASF Company and others. Natural nematicides are currently being developed on the basis of the omphalotins. Our discovery of galiellalactone has provided the first inhibitor of the interleukin-6-mediated signal transduction pathway. This pathway plays an important role in diverse inflammatory processes and is thus of substantial pharmacological inte-rest. Our successful work is reflected by over 400 publications and 20 patents thereby confirming the leading international position of the Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research.

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Contact

Institute of Biotechnology and Drug Research (IBWF) e.V.

Erwin-Schrödinger-Str. 56


Phone: +49 631 31672-0

Fax: +49 631 31672-15


Website

www.ibwf.de

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fraunhofer Institute for experimental Software engineering IeSe

Head

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dieter Rombach, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Liggesmeyer

Profile

Fraunhofer IESE in Kaiserslautern was founded in 1996 and currently has more than 200 employees who perform research in software and systems engineering. It is one of more than 60 institutes of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, the largest applied research organization in Europe.

Fraunhofer IESE is recognized as one of the world leaders in innovative software engi-neering methods for complex software systems – including model-based development, quality assurance (at design and runtime), and measurable process/project management.

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Research areas

Under the leadership of Prof. Dieter Rombach and Prof. Peter Liggesmeyer, Fraunhofer IESE conducts leading applied research in model-based development and quality assurance methods (at design and runtime) for complex Embedded Systems and Information Systems (Cyber-Physical Systems), creates empirical evidence for innovative development and quality assurance methods as well as predictable process/project management methods, and transfers methods to customer application projects demonstrating added value.

The institute has organized its competencies into three divisions: Embedded Systems (with the departments for Systems Development, Software Development, and Quality Assurance), Process Management (with the departments for Measurement, Prediction, and Empiricism and for Process Compliance and Improvement), and Information Systems (with the departments for Development and Quality Assurance).

The institute’s research focus areas include Business Goes Mobile, Cyber-Physical Systems, and Cloud Computing. Another focus area is digital engineering for commercial vehicles. So-called Living Labs exist on Smart Farming, eHealth, Smart Energy, and ERP/Logistics.

The goal of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is to transfer research results into industrial practice and thus make contributions to innovative products and processes in a variety of application domains. Currently, Fraunhofer

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IESE is focusing on the following six application domains: Automotive and Transportation Systems, Automation and Plant Engineering, Medical Devices, Information Systems, eGovernment, and Health Care.


Fraunhofer IESE operates three foreign subsidiaries: at the University of Maryland, College Park, USA, at the Federal University of Bahia in Salvador, Brazil, and at NICTA in Sydney, Australia. These subsidiaries are used for joint research projects, industry pro-ject acquisition, and personnel development. In addition, strategic collaborations exist in Europe, Japan, Colombia, and Canada.

Major Projects

The services offered by Fraunhofer IESE range from contract research and technology transfer to the establishment of new processes and independent technology consultation. Its customers include international corporations such as John Deere, Ecopetrol, Siemens, Daimler, Microsoft, Robert Bosch, BMW, and the Japanese Space Agency JAXA, as well as numerous small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, Fraunhofer IESE is a strategic partner for the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and for the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

Major public projects include SPES2020 (Software Platform for Embedded Systems 2020) and ARAMiS (Automotive, Railway and Avionics Multicore Systems), both funded by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).

The institute is part of the Science Alliance Kaiserslautern. Fraunhofer IESE is also a member of the Software-Cluster “Software Innovation for the Digital Enterprise” of the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the Fraunhofer Innovation Center Applied System Modeling, the Fraunhofer Alliance Embedded Systems, as well as ISERN, the International Software Engineering Research Network.

A new concept being realized is the idea of so-called Joint Research & Development Labs, strategic partnerships between Fraunhofer IESE and SMEs, which will focus on combining future-oriented research and innovative software development to ensure competitiveness in the global market.

Contact

Nicole Spanier-Baro

Head of PR/Marketing

Fraunhofer-Institut für Experimentelles Software Engineering IESE

Fraunhofer-Platz 1

67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany

Phone + 49 631 6800 1002

Fax: + 49 631 6800 - 1099


Website

www.iese.fraunhofer.de

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Dieter Rombach

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Peter Liggesmeyer

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fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics ITWM

Head

Prof. Dr. Dieter Prätzel-Wolters

Profile

The core competence of Fraunhofer ITWM is mathematics as the basis for modelling, simulation and optimization of technical systems and production processes. Since its foundation in 1995, the ITWM has shown great success in providing applied sciences with mathematical algorithms to solve concrete problems.

Computer simulations have become an indispensable tool for the design and optimization of products, services, communication and working processes. Real models are substi-tuted by virtual models. An increasing number of small and medium-sized enterprises

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use simulation for cost reduction. The Fraunhofer ITWM especially supports these companies by consulting and enhancing computer performance. The companies are profiting on the market due to the application of simulati-ons as a sign for innovation and quality assurance of their products. Of course, we are also cooperating with large enterprises, mainly in the fields of automobile construction, engineering, medical applications, textile industry, microelectronics, banks, and computer industry.

Currently, 250 employees are working at ITWM; the institute’s budget adds up to 21 Mio Euro in 2012. The insti-tute is directed by Prof. Dieter Prätzel-Wolters and belongs to the 66 institutes and independent research units of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, which is the largest organization for applied research in Europe, thus contributing to national and international competitiveness.

We meet complex challenges in technology, logistics, communication, and finances by the application of modern mathematical methods and we are also further developing applied mathematics by innovative ideas, creating practical solutions in cooperation with industrial partners. Integral components of these solutions are consulting with respect to R&D problems, support with respect to the application of high performance computer technology,

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and the development of especially tailored software solutions. The intention of the ITWM is also connecting mathematical research at the universities with practical application. Close cooperation with the Department of Mathematics of the University of Kaiserslautern therefore is especially important to the ITWM.

Research areas

Transport processesFlow and material simulationImage processingSystem analysis, prognosis and controlOptimizationFinancial mathematicsMathematical methods in dynamics and durabilityHigh performance computing


Internationality at the ITWM has two perspectives: an internal one and an external one. Apart from numerous informal contacts to partners from foreign countries, there has been established an institutional cooperation with the Fraunhofer-Chalmers Research Center for Industrial Mathematics FCC, which was founded in 2002 in Gothenburg, representing the Swedish partner institute of the ITWM. The ITWM is also related to the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, to Carnot Institutes in France and to the Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Fraunhofer ITWM also is member of numerous international networks, especially one of the founding members of ECMI, the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry, an organization with the aim to strengthen the interaction between universities and research groups in industry and to promote the use of mathematical models in industry. Internally the percentage of scientists from foreign countries is more than 20 %, among PhD-students it is even more than 60 %.

Cooperation with the University of Kaiserslautern and the Science alliance

A close cooperation has been established with several departments of the TU Kaisers- lautern and the institutes of the Science Alliance, in particular in the framework of the Center for Mathematical and Computational Modelling (CM)², the Fraunhofer Innovation Center Applied System Modeling and the Fraunhofer Innovation Cluster Digital Commercial Vehicle Technology.

Contact

Fraunhofer-Institut für Techno- und Wirtschaftsmathematik ITWMFraunhofer-Platz 167663 Kaiserslautern, GermanyPhone: + 49 631 31600 - 0Fax: + 49 631 31600 - 1099E-mail:[email protected]

Websitewww.itwm.fraunhofer.de

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Institute for Surface and Thin film analysis IfoS

Head

Prof. Dr. Michael Kopnarski

Profile

The Institute for Surface and Thin Film Analysis IFOS GmbH was founded in December 1989 as an institution of the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Since 1996 it holds also the status of a scientific institution of the TU Kaiserslautern.

The main areas of activity involve

• Research and development in the field of instrumental surface and thin film analysis • Application of surface-sensitive analytical methods and their transfer into practice.

A three-fold concept pursued by the IFOS, namely basic research, development of methods and techniques and analytical services constitutes the institute’s role as a center of competence for surface and thin film analysis. As a truly comprehensive technology the latter is applied and advanced successfully with taking into account the technological and scientific knowledge as well as the requirements and demands of potential users.

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Research areas

Basic and applied research is carried out in collaboration with the Technical University of Kaiserslautern and other research institutes. The main focus, apart from the investigation of particle-solid interaction and the deve-lopment and the refinement of techniques and methods in modern surface analysis is the application of surface-sensitive analytical methods in the following fields:

• Solid-state reactions on surfaces and thin films • Plasma and -beam assisted surface and thin film technologies • Adhesion and corrosion processes • Atomic mechanisms of wear and friction on the surface of materials and components

The IFOS also provides analytical services for industry and other non-university research institutions. By means of the electron- and mass-spectrometric techniques (AES, XPS, EELS, SIMS, SNMS) available at the IFOS, quan-titative compositional analysis of surfaces, interfaces and thin film structures can be performed with a vertical resolution in the sub-nm range and lateral resolution as low as a few 10 nm. Scanning probe microscopes (STM, AFM), electron microscopes (TEM, REM) and combination techniques like dual beam focused ion beam instru-ments (FIB) which are also available at the IFOS, permit structural characterization with atomic-scale resolution. A complete three dimensional quantitative chemical analysis with high sensitivity and sub-nanometer lateral resolution can be achieved with the modern Atom probe tomography instrument LEAP HR4000x available in the IFOS since the beginning of 2012.

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The IFOS actively cooperates with scientific institutions of other European countries within the framework of joint R&D projects. International co-operations of this kind have been carried out with partners from France, Hungary, Luxemburg, Belgium, Swiss, Austria, Sweden and others.

Major Projects and Publicatons

• Center of optic and Material Science (oPTIMaS) Within OPTIMAS the institute currently works on the following topics: – Interaction of particle beams with surfaces and thin films – Adhesion of biomolecules on glass, ceramic or metal surfaces – Characterization of functional surfaces, thin films and nano particles

• Advanced Materials Engineering (AME) The IFOS is intensively imbedded in the research focus AME, the main fields of activity

are:

– Characterization of the polymer metal interface/interphase in adhesive joints – Welding of sheet metals to carbon fibre reinforced composites: chemical and

structural characterization of the joining zone

• Application of surface analytical techniques for the investigation of tribological phenomena

Several DFG-projects of the IFOS deal with the generation and characterization of microscopic surface structures in wearing systems: Surface and thin film analytical methods are applied to characterize the topographical, mechanical, chemical and structural properties of worn surfaces. The objective is to determine the characteri-stics of surfaces with an optimized wear behavior after finishing and running-in. Nano-scratching experiments build the bridge between the macroscopic wear phenomena and the related molecular processes.

Other topics in this area are: – The interplay of wear, friction and surface properties – Detection of oil additives and oil ageing in tribo- stressed surface layers of combu-

stion engines

• Application of 3D Atom Probe and other surface analytical techniques in the follo-wing fields

– Thin film systems for magnetic storage application – Silicon nano crystals developed for future photo voltaic devices – Fatigue crack initiation and propagation in high-strength steels

assortment of publications:

H. Gnaser, R. Schiller, M. Wahl, B. Reuscher, A. Zeuner, M. Kopnarski, R. Neb., B. Hillebrands: Atom probe tomopraphy of ion-irradiated ultra-thin Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers with sub-nm spatial resolution; J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. 45 (2012) 505303

P. Grad, B. Reuscher, A. Brodyanski, M. Kopnarski, E. Kerscher Mechanism of fatigue crack initiation and propagation in the very high cycle fatigue regime of high-strength steels; Scripta Materialia A letters Journal 67 (2012) 838-841

M. L. Nietiadi, Y. Rosandi, M. Kopnarski, H. M. Urbassek: Sputtering of dimers off a silicon surface: Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Reseach B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 289 (2012) 97-99

P. Weis, J. L. Garcia-Pomar, M. Höh, B. Reinhard, A. Brodyanski, M. Rahm: Spectrally Wide-Band Terahertz Wave Modulator Based on Optically Tuned Graphene; ACSnano Vol. 6, No. 10, 9118-9124 (2012)

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M. Wilhelmi, C. Müller, C. Ziegler, M. Kopnarski: BSA adsorption on titanium: Tof-SIMS investigation of the sur-face coverage as a function of protein concentration and pH-value; Anal Bioanal Chem (2011) 400:697-701

A. Brodyanski, S. Blomeier, H. Gnaser, W. Bock, B. Hillebrands, M. Kopnarski and B. Reuscher: Interplay of energy dissipation, ion-induced mixing, and crystal structure recovery, and surface effects in ion-irradiated magnetic Fe/Cr/Fe trilayers; Physical Review B84, 214106 (2011)

ContactIFOSTrippstadter Straße 12067663 KaiserslauternPhone: + 49 631 20573 - 0Fax: + 49 631 20573 - 3003E-mail: [email protected]

Website

www.ifos.uni-kl.de

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Research Institute for Technology and Work

Institut für Technologie und arbeit (ITa)

Head

Professor Dr. Klaus J. Zink

Profile of Institute

ITA was founded in 1995 and employs about 40 junior and senior research assistants. ITA combines basic research with interdisciplinary and application-oriented concepts for the analysis and design of work and organizations. The Head of ITA, Prof. Dr. Klaus J. Zink, was also head of the Chair Industrial Management and Human Factors at the University of Kaiserslautern, by September 2012. Our research results are addressed to business areas such as Manufacturing Companies, Service Companies, Non-for-Profit-Organizations, Healthcare Organizations and Public Administration. Due to the close relationship between ITA, University and Companies, our work guarantees an intensive exchange between research, teaching and implementation.

Research areas

• Organizational Excellence: This includes stakeholder oriented organizational assessment, strategic organizational development (including network structures), organizational development and change management. The basic principle of these concepts is to overcome partial concepts towards a holistic approach by integrating all relevant stakeholders.

• Integrative Management Systems: The projects in this research field are based on the philosophy that management systems should never be designed as a stand-alone solution but should be part of an overall business model, which integrates different requirements. Besides integrating traditional topics such as quality or environment, specific topics (e.g. corporate health management) are also con- ceived in such a manner that they can be integrated in a broader context.

• Work and Social Affairs: This research field includes all types of employee parti-cipation that are associated with changes in terms of continuous improvement as well as development and implementation of innovations. Company specific con-cepts of participation may vary concerning the content and extent of participation.

• Inclusive Design: Two topics are assigned to this research field. On the one hand the design of information technology in terms of usability and accessibility and on the other hand the consideration of life-cycle aspects in an integrative design of products and processes. Products and production processes will be designed in a way that they are complying with technical, economical and also ergonomical

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and environmental requirements. In this sense the interests of all relevant stake-holders are taken into consideration.

• Corporate Sustainable Development: Due to the holistic and interdisciplina-ry approaches in research, teaching and implementation, the requirements of sustainability in companies and organizations have always played a central role in the work of the institute. This research area is concerned with specific questions about corporate sustainability, which arise from the global idea of “Sustainable Development” and its realization in companies and organizations. It is the youngest research field of the institute.

International relations (examples for partners and projects)

• European Universities Network for Total Quality Management (e.g. University of Piraeus, Linköping University, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya)

• Technical Committee “Human Factors and Sustainable Development” of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)

• Human Factors in Organizational Design and Management (ODAM), Group of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (USA) and the International Ergonomics Association (IEA)

• Ergonomics Quality in Design (EQUID), Group of the Interna-tional Ergonomics Society (IEA)

• Multinational Alliance for the Advancement of Organizational Excellence (e.g. Georgetown University, University of Aarhus, University of Versailles St. Quentin-en-Yvelines)

• Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement (CQPI), University of Wisconsin-Madison

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Major projects and publications

Current projects:

• Evaluation and Design of the BMBF-Foresight-Process

• Sustainable Office Building in Steel

• Innovation Alliances in the craft sector in light of the demo-graphic change

• Design for Manufacturing Engineering

• OPTIMUS-SC - Integrated concepts and methods of effective and efficient innovation-oriented co-operations

• Benchmarking of Rehabilitation Quality in Sheltered Work-shops for People with Disabilities

• Regional Labour Market and Planing for Integration of People with Significant Disability

• Early Risk Indicator System for Corporate Social Responsibility (EaRIS CSR)

• Importance of Human Factors in Product Development

• Innovation in Construction Industry

• Sustainable Construction Industry

• Potentials for a Sustainable Development in Industrial Parks

• Benchmarking of the Demographics Robustness of Companies in the Health Care Industry

• Evaluation of Sustainable Work

• Pro-Excellence: Professionalization of Cluster Excellence

Contact

Institut für Technologie und Arbeit e.V. (ITA)University of KaiserslauternProfessor Dr. Klaus J. ZinkTrippstadter Straße 11067663 KaiserslauternPhone: + 49 631 20583 - 0Fax: + 49 631 20583 - 83E-mail: [email protected]

Website

www.ita-kl.de

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Institute for Composite Materials IVW

Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (IVW)

Head

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ulf P. Breuer

Profile

The Institut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbH (IVW) is a non-profit organization of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, developing new composite applications in joint ventures with industrial customers. Within funded research programs new materials, advanced composite design schemes and manufacturing processes are investigated and – once the necessary fundamentals are understood – engineered for applications and tailored to meet the individual product requirements (“mission oriented research”). Own ideas and concepts are also constituent elements of research work and advanced developments (“intrinsic research”). The knowledge gained through R&D is transferred: into industrial applications, into the education of engineers, and into new spin-off companies.

The topics energy-efficiency, conservation of resources and CO2-footprint are the domina-ting challenges. Affordable lightweight design with advanced composites is a key aspect in almost all industrial sectors. The demand for new materials is enormous, especially in transportation (automotive, aerospace, rail transportation), energy generation (wind power, water power, solar energy) but also within the machine building industry (com-posites for fast moving masses, tribology) in order to achieve added product value and business leads by means of optimized design and efficient manufacturing processes. The IVW has the expertise and laboratory equipment to act as R&D partner whenever compo-sites have to be tailored to the customer’s needs. More than 100 employees functionalize polymer based materials, optimize composite design and develop advanced manufactu-ring technology. An extensive range of laboratory equipment, ready to develop, manuf-acture, and test composite structures in a 1:1 scale is available for many applications. In addition to the activities for applications with carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymers, the institute is developing both, improvements of the manufacturing processes and the structure mechanical performance of biocomposites based on natural fibers. Structures with multifunctional composites and integrated sensors as well as active materials are designed, realized, simulated, and tested in the competence field “Smart Structures”.

Research areas

IVW carries out research on composite materials covering the full range of their applica-tions. The research projects are supported by public funding agencies, often on an inter-disciplinary basis with partners from universities and industrial companies, or are funded

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by industrial partners in bilateral collaborations. Research activities cover the developmental value-added chain from scientific fundamentals to the manufacturing of prototypes in an industry-oriented environment.

Our Fields of Competence are:

• Design of Composite Structures • Process Simulation • Crash and Energy Absorption • Fatigue and Fatigue Life Analysis • Tailored Thermosets and Biomaterials • Tribology • Material Analytics • Tailored and Smart Composites • Compression Molding • Roving and Tape Placement • Impregnation and Joining Technology


Since its foundation in 1990 on the campus of the University of Kaiserslautern, the institute has developed into a worldwide-recognized research facility with more than 100 employees, representing many nations.

IVW is part of a global network of internationally leading composite research institutions. Through strong coope-ration in international projects, through exchange of world-class experts and through our presence “on site” we have access to leading-edge technology and latest composite knowledge.

Also, the southwestern branch office of Carbon Composites e.V., which is one of the most important networks of carbon composites in Europe, is located at the IVW.

Major Projects and Publications

The institute’s standing is also reflected by more than 100 publications per year, many of them published in peer-reviewed magazines. IVW’s professors are lecturing on the different aspects of fiber reinforced composite materials at the University of Kaiserslautern.

Courtesy of CirComp GmbH

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an extract of international projects:

“Atlas”: Material and process at its technological limits for the pixel detector of the Atlas experiment (CERN) to design components meeting the highest possible requirements on the radiation transparency, heat conductivity, stability and dimensional accuracy.

“Esprit”: Development of new manufacturing and processing methods for self-reinforced plastics (SRP) with a polymer matrix and reinforcing components.

“Innovative Materials & Synergies Composite Processing Strategies (IMS CPS)” Improvements in matrix-dominated material properties of continuously reinforced fiber plastic composites.

“InnoClip”: Research and development of a non-metallic vascular neurosurgical device based on innovative processing of polymeric materials, including finite element simula-tion to optimize device design, and research on reinforced polymeric processing and a biomechanical evaluation of the implant.

Listings of all projects and publications are available at www.thefutureiscomposite.com

Contact

Dr.-Ing. Robert LahrInstitut für Verbundwerkstoffe GmbHErwin-Schrödinger-Str., Building 5867663 Kaiserslautern, GermanyPhone: + 49 631 2017 - 448Fax: + 49 631 2017 - 199


Website

www.ivw.uni-kl.de

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Max Planck Institute for Software Systems Kaiserslautern / Saarbrücken

Directors

Prof. Peter DruschelProf. Paul FrancisProf. Rupak Majumdar

Profile

The Max Planck Institute for Software Systems is chartered to conduct high-risk, high-impact fundamental research in all areas related to the design, analysis, modelling, implementation and evaluation of complex software systems. Software Systems is that part of Computer Science that lays the foundation for the practical use of computers. In the decades since the first rudimentary computer programs were implemented, Software Systems research has pursued fundamental questions about building computers and computer systems.

The MPI-SWS was founded in November 2004 and opened its doors in August 2005. The institute has two sites, one located on the campus of Saarland University (UdS), the other on the campus of the University of Kaiserslautern. As an academic institution dedicated to high-risk, long-term research, the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems’ impact is through publications, artefacts and people. The MPI-SWS seeks to establish itself among the top twenty academic research organisations in the world in its field. In particular, we attract outstanding talent from all over the world, thus broadening the pool of talent in Germany and Europe. MPI-SWS currently has eleven tenure or tenure-track faculty mem-bers and one Max Planck Fellow. MPI-SWS will eventually grow to 17 tenure positions. The profile of MPI-SWS is highly international, with faculty members from six different countries in Europe, Asia, and the USA.

Currently, the faculty at MPI-SWS conduct research broadly classified into the following directions. There is a high degree of collaboration, and many faculty members work in more than one research direction.

Distributed, Dependable, and Mobile Systems (Björn Brandenburg, Allen Clement, Peter Druschel, Paul Francis, Krishna Gummadi, Rodrigo Rodrigues)

This research direction focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of reliable,

highly-available, and robust software systems.

Recent research in the group has focused on building systems resistant to arbitrary faults, scalable eventually-consistent services, and large-scale applications on mobile devices.

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Programming languages and Verification (Derek Dreyer, Deepak Garg, Rupak Majumdar, Ruzica Piskac, Viktor Vafeiadis)

This research direction focuses on principles of programming languages design and implementation, as well as foundational techniques and practical tools for the analysis, testing, and verification of programs against their correctness specifications.

Recent research has focused on techniques for verifying compilers and other critical soft-ware, verification and testing tools for concurrent systems, and the design of modular programming languages.

Social Computing (Cristian Danescu-Niculescu-Mizil, Peter Druschel, Krishna Gummadi)

The social computing group works on the measurement, analysis, and design of complex human-centric applications such as social networks, blogs, and microblogging platforms.

Recent research has focused on the emergence of conventions in microblogging platforms (Twitter) and the analysis and prevention of spam in social networks.

Real-time and embedded Systems (Björn Brandenburg, Allen Clement, Rupak Majumdar, Rodrigo Rodrigues)

The real-time and embedded systems group focuses on algorithms, methodologies, and design tools for the design and verification of real-time cyber-physical systems.

Recent projects in the group include scheduling algorithms for real-time, multicore systems and design methodologies for model-based development of control systems.

Security and Privacy (Michael Backes, Peter Druschel, Paul Francis, Deepak Garg)

The security and privacy group conducts research on the foundations of secure systems in logic and cryptography, as well as the design of applications that ensure user security, privacy, and accountability.

Recent work in the group has produced privacy-preserving targeted advertising plat-forms, accountable distributed systems, privacy-preserving mobile applications, as well as theoretical foundations of authorization and access control.

Contact

Max Planck Institute for Software Systems In Kaiserslautern:Paul-Ehrlich Straße 2667663 Kaiserslautern, Germany Phone: + 49 631 9303 - 9600Fax: + 49 631 9303 - 6019

In Saarbrücken:Campus E1 566123 Saarbrücken, GermanyPhone: + 49 681 9303 - 9100Fax: + 49 681 9303 - 6029


Website

www.mpi-sws.org

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Kaiserslautern University of applied Sciences

fachhochschule Kaiserslautern (fH)

Head

Prof. Dr. Konrad Wolf

Profile

The University of Applied Sciences in Kaiserslautern is a modern college of applied sciences and design. More than 5700 students from more than 70 nations and around 150 professors learn, teach and carry out research in five faculties at the campuses in Kaiserslautern, Pirmasens and Zweibrücken.

About 50 degree programs are offered, which cover the areas of natural and engineering sciences, design, economics, information and communication sciences. Practical appli-cability and innovation, interdisciplinary work and flexibility, internationality but also regional associations – these are the trademarks of the courses.

With the further development of degree programs, new forms of studying, like the kooperative model of studying called KOSMO, and with the opening of the university for job-related qualified students, FH Kaiserslautern helps to secure the next generation of qualified employees in the region.

Research and development at Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences is largely oriented on applicability, and is carried out almost exclusively in cooperation with com-panies. In this context, the University is available as a partner especially to local busines-ses, where the supervision of student work in the companies means that very many peop-le are actively involved in the transfer of knowledge and technology. Active cooperation with the knowledge transfer network twin-rlp also opens up the potential of the other six universities of applied science in the Rhineland Palatinate.

A few years ago, the university set three applied focal points for its research: “Integrated Miniaturised Systems”, “Reliable Software-Intensive Systems” and “Sustainable and Ecological Products and Processes”. The core competences of these focal points are microsystems technology and applied life sciences (a modern clean room with several process lines facilitates the development of micro and nanoparts), materials mechanics (investigations into internal stress), the development of systems in which software is closely allied with technical or organisational components, and the area of sustainable building and design.

FachhochschuleKaiserslautern

University ofApplied Sciences

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These focal points have led to the creation of certain facilities which are available to businesses as partners for assignments or joint projects, so e.g., the Bio Medical Engineering Competence Centre, the Institute of Sustainable Construction and Design, the institute Plastics Technology Western-Palatinate (IKW) or the institute Energy Efficient Systems (IES).

Contact

Fachhochschule Kaiserslautern

Morlauterer Straße 31


Phone: +49 631 3724-0

Fax: +49 631 3724-2105


Website

www.fh-kl.de

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Commercial Vehicle Cluster

CVC

Head

Dr. Barbara Jörg

Profile

The Commercial Vehicle Cluster (CVC) is a public-private partnership organization with partners from industry, science and politics in the southwest of Germany. The cluster is active member of the Commercial Vehicle Alliance Kaiserslautern and works close tog-ether with Kaiserslautern University. It provides a platform for communication, collabora-tion and knowledge transfer for all market actors of the commercial vehicle industry. The South West of Germany offers huge potential through technologies and the production of lorries, buses, agricultural and construction machinery as well as their components: A quarter of the national turnover is achieved in this sector in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate and the west of Baden-Wurttemberg.

The purpose of Cluster activities is to take a leading position in Europe‘s commercial vehicle industry and to ensure the visibility of the commercial vehicle industry and research on commercial vehicles linked to Rhineland–Palatinate

Lead projects are focused on reduction of CO2 emissions, energy efficiency, lightweight construction, reliability and safety. Scientist of Kaiserslautern University and Fraunhofer Institutes are involved in all lead projects.

Contact

Commercial Vehicle Cluster (CVC)

Europaallee 3-5

67657 Kaiserslautern, Germany

Phone: +49 631 414 862 50

Fax: +49 631 414 862 59

Email: [email protected]

Website

www.cv-cluster.com

■Editor: University of Kaiserslautern

PR & Marketing

Co-ordinator for Research and Technology

Co-ordinator for EU Research Programmes

P.O. Box 3049



[email protected]

[email protected]

Internet: www.uni-kl.de

■ Date of Issue: April / May 2013

■ Design & Layout Content: Printing Office of University of Kaiserslautern


■ Photography Uwe Bellhäuser, Thomas Koziel, Dr. M. Cuntz, istockphoto, Departments of the University

■ Print: Printing Office of University of Kaiserslautern


Research & International Partnership

University of Kaiserslautern

TU KaiserslauternPR & MarketingPostfach 304967653 KaiserslauternTelefon: + 49 631 205-2049Telefax: + 49 631 205-3658E-Mail: [email protected]: www.uni-kl.de

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