uni'alumni 2013_ENG

Four New Research Centers The German Research Foundation has given its approval for the establishment of four new Collaborative Research Centers (SFB) at the Univer- sity of Freiburg. The SFB “Heroes, Heroizations, Heroisms” focuses on the functions of heroes in their social and cultural environments. The SFB “Medi- cal Epigenetics – From Basic Mecha- nisms to Clinical Applications” deals with mechanisms of inheritance that extend beyond genetic determination. The team is studying the genetic pat- terns left by changing environmental conditions like available food, stress, or drugs. The SFB “Leisure. Concepts, Spaces, Figures” studies the cultural histories of leisure, leading directly to research on the present in projects in philosophy, sociology, psychology, and ethnology. The goal of the SFB/Transre- gio “Planar Optronic Systems,” which is distributed among several locations,is to develop a new kind of optical sensor that can be pressed into thin, ﬂexible polymer ﬁlms and used for applications in areas like medicine, astronautics, and building technology. University of Freiburg in Top 100 The University of Freiburg has advanced into the group of the world’s 100 leading universities on the interna- tionally recognized ranking compiled by Jaiotong University in Shanghai, China. The only German institutions placed higher are the University of Heidelberg and the two universities in Munich. Jaiotong University initiated the Academic Ranking of World Universi- ties in 2003 to compare the research performance of universities. The ranking uses transparent criteria to compare performance, including the amount of articles in prominent journals written by researchers from the respec- tive institutions, the amount of times their publications were cited, and the amount of signiﬁcant awards they won in the previous year. Gold and Silver for University Wines Seven University of Freiburg wines received medals at the largest officially recognized wine competition in the world, the Austria Wine Challenge (awc vienna). Two gold medals went to the 2011 vintage of the Grauburgunder and Weißbur- gunder Kabinett from Freiburg Lorettoberg. Silver medals went to two white wines from 2010 as well as three Spätburgunder reds from 2007 and 2009. In addition, the gold and silver medals earned the university’s Müller-Fahnenberg Foundation, owner of the vineyards, the distinction of one-star winery. Since the competition is recognized by the European Union, the university is allowed to print the medals on the labels to advertise the wines. » www.uni-freiburg.de/go/m-f-s Excellent vintage: Seven University of Freiburg wines have received medals. Photo: Sasse Strengthening the Freiburg School In winter semester 2012/13, economist and inter- national economic policy expert Prof. Dr. Tim Krieger assumed duties as the ﬁrst holder of the Wilfried Guth Endowed Chair. The new professorship carries on the tradition of ordoliberalism, initiated by economics professor Walter Eucken in the so-called Freiburg School. The Baden-Baden Forum for Executives (BBUG) endowed the chair to strengthen and renew the ordoliberal thinking of the Freiburg School and place it in a European context.The professorship is named after Dr. Wilfried Guth, former director of the BBUG and chair of the advisory board of the Deutsche Bank, who passed away in 2009. Looks good and saves energy: The north courtyard of the Herderbau now has a roof. Photo: Halbe Photo:private Steel Trees with Foil Cushions The Herderbau has been reno- vated to improve energy efficiency and converted into a modern universi- ty building. Among other things, the north courtyard now has a roof whose architecture reflects the function of the building as home of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources: The roof consists of transparent, ther- mally insulated foil cushions held up 20 meters above the ground by the branches of enormous steel trees. This helps to conserve energy, because the walls along the courtyard are now interior walls that allow less warmth to escape. The building has also been equipped with a modern heating system, insulated ceilings, and a deep-well water system to cool the server rooms. These measures are designed to reduce energy con- sumption in the building by one-fifth. uni'alumni 2013 University News 27

uni'alumni 2013_ENG

Pages