Together with several partners, the University of Bonn can celebrate a twofold success in the Synergy Grants grant program offered by the European Research Council (ERC). The first project, “SuperWave,” is being run in collaboration with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Aarhus University and involves scaling up quantum systems from individual photons and atoms. The second, “Horsepower,” is studying the interrelationships between sedentary and nomadic peoples in partnership with the University of Oxford, CRNS Toulouse and the British Museum. In particular, the ERC funding is intended to advance the research being done at the interface between established disciplines and unlock new knowledge. The projects will be supported to the tune of up to €10 million over the next six years.

Distinguished early-career researchers have received state awards as part of the International Days events at the University of Bonn. Sponsored by the governments of Spain, France and the UK, the awards include the Queen’s Prize, created by Queen Elizabeth II (recently deceased) on the occasion of her 1965 visit to the University of Bonn, which recognizes outstanding achievement in English studies. The state awards have traditionally been presented simultaneously with the DAAD Prize of the German Academic Exchange Service for noteworthy accomplishments benefiting society and/or university life.

Japan Day on October 26, is an event celebrating one of the University of Bonn’s eight strategic partner countries. Wide-ranging and authentic insights into Japanese culture await attendees, including the country’s academic landscape.

Tropical deforestation causes widespread degradation of biodiversity and carbon stocks. Researchers from the German Center of Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and Leipzig University were now able to test the relationship between land tenure and deforestation rates in Brazil. Their research, which was published in Nature Communications, shows that poorly defined land rights go hand in hand with increased deforestation rates. Privatising these lands, as is often promoted in the tropics, can only mitigate this effect if combined with strict environmental policies.

The University of Bonn, the University of Cologne and Forschungszentrum Jülich are placing their joint Center for Earth System Observation and Computational Analysis (CESOC) on a new contractual footing. As a joint scientific facility of the three partner institutions, an internationally visible focal point has been created to globally observe and comprehensively understand the Earth system and to predict changes. The center is additionally strengthened by a memorandum of understanding now signed with the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), which has moved to Bonn in 2021.

Cancer cells use an unusual mechanism to migrate into new tissue and form metastases there. The same process probably also keeps some immune cells on their toes. This is the result of a recent study led by the University of Bonn. According to the study, certain structures, the centrioles, increase in number. This makes it easier for them to maintain their direction and thus migrate more quickly to the lymph nodes, where they activate other immune cells. The results have now been published in the Journal of Cell Biology.

How do we look at life? At 4:30 pm on October 24, ethicist Professor Christiane Woopen will be discussing this question from a range of angles and discipline-specific perspectives together with the deans of all the faculties at the University of Bonn, an early-career researcher and a student. The event is being held to mark the official opening of the Center for Life Ethics and the associated House for Young Thinkers, both of them founded and led by Professor Woopen herself. Guests will also include Hendrik Wüst, state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), and Katja Dörner, Mayor of Bonn. Anyone who is interested is welcome to watch a livestream of the opening ceremony at https://youtu.be/ugKF793LcrI.

The University of Bonn will be celebrating its International Days from October 19 to 31, which will be dedicated to its international partnerships and the varied activities and services it offers relating to internationality. From high-caliber speakers and roundtables featuring guests from around the world through to the state awards presentation ceremony and a range of artistic performances, there is bound to be something for anyone who might be interested. One of the real highlights will be the Japan Day on October 26.