forsch - the University of Bonn Magazine
What drives people at the University of Bonn? What do they experience? What are they researching, what moves them? Get to know this in the forsch.
forsch
Science and people in the spotlight
The university magazine 'forsch' is published up to three times a year and highlights researchers, employees and students and their research.
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“Ghost Crystals” in Fossilized Leaves
Plants are seen as easy prey, essentially because they are unable to run away. Yet they do not make life all that easy for the creatures that want to eat them, with cacti, for instance, using a mineral—calcium oxalate—for protection. But it is not just the potential prick to your finger that can act as a deterrent: If large amounts of the minerals that are found in the leaves and stems of plants such as sorrel, parsnips or rhubarb enter the digestive tract in their raw state, they can also cause irritation there. “We only know very little about the evolution of calcium oxalate in fossil leaves,” says Professor Emeritus Jes Rust from the Institute of Organismic Biology at the University of Bonn.
Germany’s Youngest Abitur Holder Studying in Bonn
Whether it is media appearances, interviews or cameras in her lecture hall, Lina Heider is used to the attention she gets as the youngest holder of an Abitur in Germany. She takes her photoshoot in her stride and has a good answer to every question. However, all the hype surrounding her is “not really that important” to her. Instead, she says, she likes learning—fast and in large amounts. “I need masses of input,” she reveals. This she gets, because a whole host of people at the University of Bonn are dedicated to supporting talented youngsters with inquisitive minds—Lina among them, whom they have been accompanying on her extraordinary journey for many years now.
Boosting Sustainability in the Lab
From superfreezers and exhaust air systems through to protective clothing, laboratories consume a lot of energy and generate considerable amounts of waste. Yet they are also key incubators of innovation and progress. The University of Bonn and University Hospital Bonn introduced the internationally recognized LEAF program last year in a bid to shrink the environmental footprint of its research laboratories in a systematic way. The labs picked to pilot the scheme have seen a fair few changes since then.
Liquid Bliss: A carefree stroll through the University of Bonn’s cafés
Students grab a cup on their way to class, while members of staff do so between their meetings and teachers after their lectures: For many at the University of Bonn, hot, aromatic coffee is the epitome of liquid bliss, not to mention giving them the caffeine kick they need to get through the day.
New Faculty of Arts mentoring scheme to provide a guiding hand: A Pointer for First-Generation Female Academics
The Faculty of Arts has recently launched ELVIRA, a grant program designed specifically for women who are the first in their household to go to university. Mentoring, workshops and dialogue formats help them to break down barriers, build a network and become more confident in their own abilities. We explain why this service for first-generation female academics is needed, how it is having an impact and what it means for the women taking part.
Oldest-Known Bishop’s Residence Complete with Pomp and Circumstance
This archaeological surprise lay only an inch or so beneath the topsoil. For centuries, plows had scraped to and fro above these early traces of Christianity, rolling many a stone aside—but without causing any major damage.
Project Polyglot: Four Young Researchers at the University of Bonn Develop Open-Source Language Models
With the power of our supercomputer Marvin, numerous innovative projects have already been realized. Seven of them, selected for their outstanding results, competed in a university-wide contest in March 2025—on the occasion of Marvin’s first birthday. The grand prize: exclusive support from the High-Performance Computing (HPC) team to further develop their research. First place went to Tucano, a kind of ChatGPT for Portuguese, which had already received funding earlier this year from the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) "Sustainable Futures". The creators of Tucano come from different disciplines and countries: Dr. Nicolas Kluge Correa (Philosophy, Brazil), Aniket Sen (Physics, India), Shiza Fatimah (Computer Science, India) and Sophia Falk (Resource Economics, Germany). Close friends as well as colleagues, the four researchers share a clear vision: language AI must be open, ethical, and—most importantly in the future—available for more languages, especially those that are underrepresented online. Unlike English, these languages often lack the large, high-quality datasets needed to train language models—a major challenge. In this interview, the team talks about their project Polyglot, what they’ve learned over the past months, and their hopes for the future.
Second Life to Used Furniture from the University Main Building
What actually happens to the old furniture from the Main Building, now that it is being fully vacated for pending renovation works? This is a question many people in Bonn are pondering upon. Good news: The office desks, shelves and associated items will not be disposed of—they will remain in use.
Editorial forsch 2025/02
Dear Readers,
The University of Bonn has come out right on top once again, retaining its crown as Germany’s most successful University of Excellence by securing eight Clusters of Excellence—more than any other university in the country.
Full House: University of Bonn awarded eight Clusters of Excellence
The University of Bonn once again made history in the contest to secure Clusters of Excellence. Having already set a record back in 2019, when it was awarded six clusters, it went two better on May 27 of this year, when the Excellence Commission accepted all eight of its proposals in the final round—more than any other university in the competition. The research being conducted at the eight Clusters span the full spectrum of different disciplines.
Striving for Perfection: Effortlessly flawless?
Irina Dumitrescu describes writing as an adventure. Getting the first few lines down on a page is difficult, but when she eventually gets “in the flow,” she is enjoys the pleasure of discovery. Something unexpected always happens while she writes. “Writing is my obsession, my laboratory ... and my subconscious mind is the treasure trove I draw on,” says Dumitrescu, who is Professor of Medieval Studies at the Department of English, American, and Celtic Studies. Students attending her classes get to travel back through time: “Trying to be Perfect in the Middle Ages“ hit a nerve. Dialogue with students, new perspectives, and an intensity of production are part of her research process. Johannes Seiler interviewed Professor Dumitrescu, who is an author, essayist and podcaster.
Graduated. Now What?
You should start thinking about life after university even while you are still studying. The Career Service at the University of Bonn can help you out here. The Career Service’s tips for students.
Visual Computing Incubator Generating Virtual Worlds
The metal dome stretches across the nearly seven-meter-high hall like a spider’s web. With the help of over 300 specially developed high-performance lighting modules, laser projectors, cameras and other optical sensors, it will be transformed over the next few months into a “capture stage” that will enable University of Bonn researchers to generate lifelike digital worlds. With its new Visual Computing Incubator (VCI), housed in a building on Am Propsthof, the University of Bonn is helping its researchers and local start-up entrepreneurs to conjure up virtual worlds. Close collaboration with the University’s own enaCom Transfer Center is creating an incubator and technological breeding ground for deep-tech start-ups. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is providing around €3 million in funding for the pioneering technology.
Why Bonn University Ambassadors are representing the University of Bonn abroad
Having got to know the University of Bonn inside out during a research visit, the 15 active Bonn University Ambassadors are now performing an ambassadorial role for their German alma mater. They are all successful researchers at research institutions in other countries, where they tell interested students and fellow researchers about how they might study and work in Bonn. They also engage in close dialogue with researchers at the University through joint teaching, event and research formats and put people in touch with contacts abroad. Four Ambassadors tell us why they have chosen to represent their German alma mater and what they appreciate about our city.
“Pioneers Aren’t Born, They’re Made”
Professor Denise Fischer-Kreer accepted her appointment as Professor for Entrepreneurial Behaviour at the University of Bonn in October 2023. Her institute is part of the Faculty of Agricultural, Nutritional, and Engineering Sciences. In an interview, she explains why she offers her new business management module to all the faculties and what skills you need when setting up your own company.
“Ethical Behavior Needs a Global Mindset”
Experts gathered at the German Reference Center for Ethics in the Life Sciences (DRZE) at the University of Bonn to discuss “the rediscovery of bioethics.” The center, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, represented a landmark in bioethics research in Germany when it was founded. Climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) are just two of the many developments presenting us with new ethical challenges. The head of the DRZE, Professor Dirk Lanzerath, explains in an interview how bioethics has evolved, why individual autonomy is no longer enough and what makes solidarity key. What he has to say makes it clear that responsibility and ethical behavior need a global mindset.
P26 - at the heart of the city
Dear Readers,
Our University has opened a new chapter in its story right in the center of the city in the shape of P26. As well as enriching the architecture of the surrounding area, this extraordinary building also symbolizes the desire to make science accessible to all.
Hot or cold? Collaborative research in climate chambers
In the new climate chamber greenhouse, temperature, humidity and light are adjusted with maximum precision. This new high-tech facility enables plant experimentation under exactly controlled conditions. Recently opened at Nussallee 9, the University of Bonn’s new 656 sqm core facility has twelve climate chambers and a greenhouse. The facility is open to University of Bonn and outside research groups from many different fields to conduct experimentation, available by application.
Providing support: Deutschlandstipendium scholarship
The Deutschlandstipendium scholarship program seeks to support talented and high-achieving students from participating institutions who demonstrate a commitment to voluntary work. We asked a scholarship Holder and a donar about their experience and motives.
The Benefits of a Little Narcissism for Managers
Managers need to show leadership, inspire and motivate their staff, and establish good working conditions. Professor Gerhard Blickle, head of Work, Organizational and Industrial Psychology and his team are studying the personality traits that managers need in order to perform these diverse tasks. Their work has highlighted the importance of narcissism as a personality trait.
Editorial: Everything new from May
A new way of working: The university's administration has not only moved into a new building, but has also completely redesigned its physical workspace: with open spaces for collaborative working, multifunctional meeting rooms and much more. Healthy, modern and, of course, excellent to adequately support the university's researchers: That is the goal!
Logging or Habitats? Schoolgirls study trees in the Kottenforst
A forest is more than just a bunch of trees ... it is a treasure trove of the natural world! Some 75 pupils of the Liebfrauenschule who wanted to learn about forest ecosystems and biodiversity underwent training to become “Tree Experts” as part of the EU-funded MULTIPLIERS project coordinated by the University of Bonn. This spring they visited the “Marteloscope”, which is a kind of classroom out in the middle of the one-hectare Kottenforst in Bonn.
Experiencing Virtual Collaboration
Have you ever moved a church altar? This is no problem for art history students at the University of Bonn. Deploying cutting edge simulation technology to digitally explore the Schwarzrheindorf Doppelkirche and its almost 875-year history, they are able to jump from the upper church to the lower church gallery into the knave and then look up into the rafters. Dr. Christian M. Stracke, coordinator of the ViCo digitalization project tells us that “the immersive 3D world offers students many opportunities to discuss objects and frescoes". He is working to coordinate the introduction of pioneering digital collaboration tools at the University of Bonn to improve university teaching.
“Writing Can Be Fun”: How to write a successful term paper—in conversation with writing consultant Katja Reinicke
A blank sheet of paper, a blinking cursor on the screen. The deadline is looming ever-closer, yet you are unable to write anything useful: for many students, writing term papers constitutes a major challenge. From choosing a suitable topic to correct citation, there are a number of hurdles to success. If these seem insurmountable, you can seek support from the Studierendenwerk's writing advice service.
Requested. Found. Done: The Service Portal
They are the hidden backbone of the University of Bonn: around 750 employees in the central administration ensure that the 7800 employees can work and research as efficiently as possible. With the new service portal, the University is making it easier to access the necessary information from the University administration. All content can be found in one place. For the first time, however, they have been fundamentally reorganized thematically, checked, revised and processes presented in a more comprehensible way. Many inquiries can now be triggered at the click of a mouse, true to the motto: “Requested. Found. Done”.
When the “digital twin” warns: Matthias Braun explores the ethical significance of health simulations
It's Monday. Your own “digital twin” warns you that you are at risk of a heart attack in four weeks and two days. It advises you to urgently change your diet and visit a heart clinic—and in doing so, it could save your life.
New Work behind a Historic Facade
A listed building and a cutting-edge working environment—how can they possibly work together? Very well indeed, as demonstrated by a project realized at the University of Bonn. With the University Main Building in pressing need of renovation, 300 employees have been moved from the historic palace just down the road to the former Deutscher Herold building on Poppelsdorfer Allee. Here they are currently working in an innovative office environment that promotes new collaborative working practices.
The University of Bonn energy strategy is working
The imposition of a package of sanctions on Russia in response to Vladamir Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine temporarily led to a drastic increase in energy costs. The University of Bonn responded to these developments by devising and implementing a University-wide energy strategy, which aimed to reduce energy consumption by 20 percent within a year—with impressive success, as a recent evaluation shows.