New Strategy: Strengthening Freiburg’s University for Global Competition World Bank Chief Economist: Pinelopi Goldberg Is Interested in Politics Nobel Laureate: Joachim Frank Crosses Borders in Research Painter and Sculptor: Anselm Kiefer Examines German History 2019 The alumni magazine of the University of Freiburg | www.alumni.uni-freiburg.de/magazin Anselm Kiefer: Artist and Honorary Doctor Pinelopi Goldberg: Economics Researcher and World Bank Economist Joachim Frank: Physicist and Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry

f l o W a i v l i S : o t o h P Dear Alumni, The year 2018 was historically vital for the University of Freiburg – at least as far as our further role in the Excellence Strategy is con- cerned. We are delighted and excited about having been 100 per- cent successful with our two proposals for Clusters of Excellence in what is the most important national competition for the top German universities. This result also qualifies us to submit a proposal with our institutional strategy in the “Universities of Excellence” funding line. The last leg of the long Excellence regatta has begun – our sails are flying, our boat is on course. To reach the finish line, however, we still need to navigate around several obstacles and brace ourselves for strong headwinds. Nine- teen universities and university consortia are vying for eleven Excel- lence titles, and no less than six of the proposals come from Baden-Württemberg. The competition is tight – but we are confident and aware of our strengths. Our Clusters of Excellence have shown how it’s done. They earned top marks and belong to the elite group in the competition. We are therefore following the same rule that ap- plied for our clusters: We need to be so good that there can be no doubt of our belonging among the eleven Universities of Excellence. So how can we also be successful in the second funding line? The answer is: by presenting a convincing concept for the strategic development of our entire university – a concept all members of the university stand behind and one we view as critical for our future, re- gardless of the outcome of the Excellence Strategy. Our motto for this institutional strategy is “Connecting Creative Minds – Trinational, European, Global.” Read the cover story of this issue to find out what it entails. Enjoy reading the magazine – and keep in touch! Sincerely, Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer Rector of the University of Freiburg 1 CO NT E NT S Cover Story Jürgen Rühe, Wilfried Weber Overcoming boundaries Perspectives: Connecting creative minds Biological signals, bioinspired materials 4 6 8 Alumni Network Gerda und Fritz Ruf 10 Pinelopi Goldberg wants prosperity for all 11 My course certificate: Sebastian 23 Joachim Frank researches without blinders 12 Gerda and Fritz Ruf support the Faculty of Engineering 13 Anselm Kiefer is committed to history 14 Father and son: Two Freiburg jurists Between the lines: Arnold Stadler Alumni answer: Meeting again ten years later Alumni support research and teaching New Studienstarthilfe Alumni Prize for archaeologists History excursion to Switzerland Conference proceedings on literary contact 16 17 18 20 20 21 21 21 University News Andreas Mehler Andreas Mehler wants new cooperation with Africa 22 23 Freiburg Nobel laureates: Adolf Windaus 24 Henrike Lähnemann bridges epochs 25 My blog: Theresa Schredelseker My start-up: Telocate 25 26 Monika Blasy organizes a faculty 27 Continuing education: Heritage Interpretations My recipe: Daniel König 27 Campus Freiburg 28 City Life Hanna Böhme Hanna Böhme promotes Freiburg’s businesses Freiburg Minster without scaffolding New tram line for the city center Images: Art project on the Holbein Horse 30 31 31 32

33 and at the same time developing new areas with potential for the future is the task of the Freiburg Institute for Advan- ced Studies (FRIAS): The university’s international research institute enables leading scholars as well as outstanding early-career researchers from Freiburg and the entire world to devote their undi- vided attention to their research project the chance whether by relieving researchers from administrative duties and temporarily reducing their teaching load or by giving students inde- pendently according to the method of problem-based learning. Finally, the uni- versity also aims to establish a perma- nent dialogue workshop where all of its members can shape the university’s to learn Students often meet for group work at the University Library’s parlatorium, an open space that encourages cooperation, networking, and creativity. Photo: Sandra Meyndt further development together. With regard to research, Freiburg recently defined eight profile areas, ranging from “Medical Epigenetics, Im- munology, and Cancer Research” or “Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence” to “Environment and Sustainability” and “Cultures of the Present and the Past – History, Diversity, Interdependence.” This broad spectrum reflects the diversi- ty of a comprehensive research univer- sity. Strengthening these profile areas for a limited time. This creates free space for intellectual creativity that makes it possible to develop new re- search questions, think unusual thoughts, investigate unexpected findings, and get joint projects off the ground. The Path to a European University In relation to its third goal, the Univer- sity of Freiburg enjoys a political tailwind: The European Union has announced its intention to fund around 20 university three and four consist in networking at the European and global levels. Freiburg is a member of the League of European Research Universities (LERU), a group of 23 research-intensive European uni- versities, and maintains strategic key part- nerships with the Universities of Nagoya, Japan; Nanjing, China; Adelaide, Australia; and Penn State University, USA. The Courage to Engage in Free Thinking The University of Freiburg aims to use this approach to further improve its position in global comparison. “If we succeed in making our university even more dynamic and creative, we can keep the best minds in Freiburg and at the same time attract more of them,” says Rector Schiewer. “By working to- gether as a strong community, coopera- ting with the right partners, and fostering the courage to engage in free thinking, we are building up a brand for outstan- ding research and teaching and safe- guarding our performance strength, our capacity for renewal, and our innovative power.” To ensure the success of this endeavor, the University of Freiburg has set itself three main goals: fostering creativity across the entire university, strengthening its research profile and becoming a lab for new research ideas, and founding a European university with its partners in EUCOR – The European Campus, which enhances Freiburg’s global attractiveness and visibility as a center for research. A creative environment develops when the university creates spaces where intellectual diversity is possible and freedom can develop in productive directions. The immediate practical pos- sibilities range from a cozy sitting area or a stylishly furnished lounge to the parlatorium at the University Library – all of them environments that encourage spontaneous exchange with no fixed ob- jective among actors from various disci- plines and status groups. Another means of achieving such an environment is to integrate phases of leisure and autonomy into a busy workday schedule:

Cover Story uni‘alumni 2019 5 uni’alumni asked people active in various functions at the University of Freiburg what the new motto “Connecting Creative Minds – Trinational, European, Global” means in concrete terms for their work. i k s w o k l o P s u a K l : o t o h P Dr. Eva von Contzen is a junior professor at the Department of English and the group leader of a literary studies research project funded by the European Research Council (ERC). “For me, the motto ‘Connecting Creative Minds’ means pooling the potential of individual researchers and bringing them together, away from the ivory tower and toward joint work, toward exchange – within one’s own field and with other disciplines. Thinking in groups can be very profitable in the sense that the whole is more than the sum of its parts. I see the motto as a kind of extended or collective intelli- gence that develops in and through ex- change. I myself have always profited from exchanging and discussing ideas, from trying things out, so I’m also a big fan of open and explorative formats in my research that make this possible. Another aspect of ‘Connecting Creative Minds’ is the European and internatio- nal dimension, the idea of bringing together interesting minds. A good example of this is the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), which is hosting my research group. There, it’s easy to engage in interdisciplinary thin- king and work. o z n e r o L e D a i f o S : o t o h P Julia Ernst has begun a master’s program in German as a foreign language, having previously completed a bachelor’s degree in Romance studies, and also works as a student assistant in the Romance studies mentoring program. “The motto ‘Connecting Creative Minds’ appealed to me immediately. Freiburg’s location near France was one of the main reasons I decided to come here to study Romance studies. I spent two semesters in Strasbourg in the EUCOR program, and that was a very positive experience. I came into contact with French students and many other inter- national students there. When I got back to Freiburg and received an email from the rector about the university’s new motto, I took advantage of the invitation to make suggestions. What I was thin- king about above all was to integrate the strategy into the Romance studies mentoring program. I would enjoy creating more links between German students in Strasbourg and French students in Freiburg, for instance through courses. Other ideas I had were distributing joint email lists and organizing tandems to practice the languages. I think the students would be happy to receive such opportunities and use them as a chance to meet peo- ple and form friendships. I find it impor- tant to develop relations across borders and build bridges.” n n a m h e L . F g r o b e g n I : o t o h P Dr. Rainer Giersiepen is faculty assistant at the Faculty of Engineering. “As faculty assistant at the Faculty of Engineering, I serve in an interface role in relation to support for research and teaching. This means that I need to engage with complex issues and struc- tures and with people at all levels. It’s not just people from my own faculty and from the university but also people from non-university research institutions like the Fraunhofer institutes and the indust- ry partners we interact with. I’m a con- tact person for everyone on account of my position, and I already bring to- gether many different creative minds today. The togetherness is important. I’m convinced that there are a lot of challenges we can only meet by wor- king together. With the aim of being trinational, European, and global, the university’s motto also includes another exciting level. I’ll be delighted if we suc- ceed in working together with other col- leagues from the European Campus universities and learning from each other. It will be very important to com- plement this vision with pragmatic approaches from the faculty.”

7 Jürgen Rühe, professor for the chemistry and physics of interfaces, is one of the three spokespersons for livMatS – Living, Adaptive, and Energy-autonomous Materials Systems, along with Anna Fischer, professor for nanomaterials, and Thomas Speck, professor for botany – functional morphology and bionics. Wilfried Weber, professor for synthetic biology, is a spokesperson for CIBSS – Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, along with Carola Hunte, professor for biochemistry–structural biology, and Wolfgang Driever, professor for developmental biology. Photos: Jürgen Gocke What project will you be contributing to the cluster? Rühe: My working group is concerned with the chemistry and physics of interfaces. Those are the areas between the different materials of the system and the outer surface, which interacts with the environment. Important questions include how two mate- rials stick to one another or whether a layer is permeable for par- ticular materials. In concrete terms, we will be dealing with the longevity of the materials systems. For example, we will study how a system can get rid of parts it no longer regards as benefi- cial. In addition, we are collaborating with our col leagues to deve- lop materials systems that are stiffer and harder precisely at the points where they are exposed to mechanical stress. Weber: My working group comes from synthetic biology. We develop methods and apply them to precisely control biological signals. For this purpose, we use our molecular tools from optogenetics, with which we can send control signals via light. For example, we can illuminate a cell with red light to trigger a switch in it, causing it to turn a gene on or off, to begin to grow, or to develop into another cell type. This allows us to influence the function of the cell by means of signaling processes. What applications could the clusters make possible in the long term? Rühe: We are conducting fundamental research but are pointing the way to long-term prospects for applications with the help of demonstrators. One of them presents the methodological principle: We are constructing a synthetic Venus flytrap, a mate- rials system for which it should no longer be possible to judge whether it is living or synthetic on the basis of its appearance and function. The second is an automatic gripping arm that works without a camera and image recognition: The materials system feels whether the object is light or heavy, hard or soft, and the arm grabs onto it accordingly. Practical applications for this could include prostheses that automatically adjust themselves to the body, packaging materials that automatically reinforce them selves at critical points, or building facades that level out differences in temperature, for example in order to prevent overheating. Weber: One area of application is the sustainable production of crop plants. The roots engage in a wide variety of commu- ni cation processes with the surrounding soil. Among other things, the plant senses how much water or salt is available and can interact with soil bacteria. We want to study this communication and then, for example, help plants to produce their own fertilizer. Another goal is more effective immune therapies. New forms of therapy for cancer rely on activating the body’s own immune system: Immune cells are located all over the body and can track down and destroy even the most distant cancer cells. We want to gain a comprehensive under- standing of the communication between immune and cancer cells and modify it specifically to exploit the full potential of these therapies. How will the project communicate with the public? Rühe: We developed the concept “learning from nature in nature” as a means of presenting our research to the public. We use the plants at the university’s botanical garden as illustrative objects, since nature has developed all kinds of wonderful materials. While discussions on the properties of materials can be rather dry and listeners tune out in boredom when they hear terms like “elasticity module” or “elongation at break,” many people are interested in questions like: Why does a macadamia nut drive a nutcracker to despair? Why doesn’t a six kilogram pomelo break into a thousand pieces when it falls 15 meters to the floor? The illustrative material at the botanical garden gets us into a discussion about materials, the properties of materials, and new concepts for materials. Weber: We rely a lot on disseminators to communicate our knowledge to society. An important goal is to pass on the fascination for our research to school students. For example, we have students give a presentation on the exciting possi- bilities of signaling research at their former school. In additi- on, we hold continuing education courses to familiarize schoolteachers with modern methods and make experiments reflecting the current state of research available to them for their lessons. » www.pr.uni-freiburg.de/go/cluster

9 with the history of economic thought. I had a broader perspective on all of the topics than many of my classmates in the USA. How did your time in Freiburg influence your decision to do a doctorate at Stanford University and work later as a university professor? advantage, because it provided me with a larger context. The real reason why I wrote my doctoral dissertation was because I wanted to work at the World Bank. My life initially took another direction with my decision to instead pursue an academic career, but now I have the chance to live the dream I was alrea- dy dreaming back then. When were you last in Freiburg? The course of study in Freiburg was intellectually stimulating. Although I had gone to a German-language secondary school in Greece, it was of course something else to live and study in Germany. The academic approach gave me an enormous I haven’t been there since my graduation in 1986, but I would be very happy to come back one day and maybe give a talk to inspire young people to make their dreams come true too. M Y CO U RS E CE R T I FI CAT E: S E BAST I A N 23 The Apocalypse Didn’t Happen Sebastian 23, born in Duisburg in 1979, is a poetry slammer, guitarist, and book author and lives in Bochum. He studied philosophy in Freiburg from 1999 to 2004. His latest book, published in conjunction with his sixth solo program, is titled Endlich erfolglos (“Finally unsuccessful”). Photo: Henriette Becht I began my studies in the 1999/2000 winter semester, when we all thought the world was about to end because the computers would all crash at the turn of the year. An amusing thought, because the computing capacity of all the world’s computers back then was somewhere around that of my dishwashing machine alone today. history. I wouldn’t have to finish any of the courses anyway, because the apoca- lypse was going to happen that year before exam week. My first professor was Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Reinhardt, who was not just an ingenious historian but also full of wonderful anecdotes. What is also ironic is that as a young student I was more afraid of doing the dishes in my shared apartment than I was of the end of the world. So since the future prospects looked so bleak, I turned to the past and studied One story he had was about how he had once given his students a language test in which they had to translate an English text on the Diet of Worms (German “Reichstag zu Worms”) called by King Charles V. The text included the sentence “The diet of Worms took place in 1521.” One of his students translated it as “1521 gab es eine Wurmdiät” (“In 1521 there was a worm diet.”). Brilliant. When the apocalypse unexpectedly didn’t happen, I earned my first course certificate. Wolfgang Reinhardt warned me: “Hold on to this, and remember: This university is a Schein-university” (the German “Schein” meaning both “course certificate” and “sham” or “bogus”). And yet more than just the Schein stuck with me: When a passerby on the street asks me today when the Diet of Worms took place, I always have the answer on the tip of my tongue.

Alumni Network uni‘alumni 2019 11 P O R T R A I T With Expertise and Amazement The honorary senators Gerda and Fritz Ruf were instrumental in building up the Faculty of Engineering A gain and again, they find an occasi- on to travel from Heilbronn, where they live, to Freiburg, where they grew up and met. That was long ago: Gerda Ruf was born in 1929, Dr. Fritz Ruf in 1927. They both represent a piece of contemporary history, but they don’t make a big thing out of it. By means of their Fritz Hüttinger Foundation, they have supported science and the re- search of innovative technologies in electrical energy and also contributed to the cultivation of community and civic engagement. Moreover, they created the University of Freiburg’s first named professorship, the Fritz Hüttinger Chair of Microelect- ronics – an important step in the deve- lopment of the Faculty of Engineering. In 2018 the University of Freiburg con- ferred the title of honorary senator on Gerda and Fritz Ruf. Gerda Ruf is the last partner of the company Hüttinger Electronik, which was founded by her father Fritz Hüttinger in 1922 and is now called Trumpf Hüttin- ger. Her husband is a member of the ad- visory board. The idea that he would work in his father-in-law’s company was never up for discussion. Rather, it was clear right from the start of his chemistry studies in Freiburg that his passion was for food chemistry. He rendered great services to this field in the course of his life, for which he received the Federal Outstanding patrons: The couple Gerda and Dr. Fritz Ruf created the University of Freiburg’s first named professorship. Photo: Thomas Kunz Cross of Merit 1st class from the German president. Food chemistry was not even offered as a field of study in Freiburg back then. Fritz Ruf initiated it, so to speak, and was also the first student of the field. Lending a Hand in Times of Need The first thing to do after the war, however, was to clean up the rubble: Both the company Hüttinger and the Institute of Chemistry at the university fell victim to the devastating air raid on Freiburg in November 1944. They were therefore both used to lending a hand in times of need, particularly as Fritz Ruf had many practical abilities, such as driving a tractor and welding. Later on, this hands-on support became financial and non-material support, for instance for the Freiburger Barockorchester. When the ensemble finally found its own home, the couple “helped out a bit,” says Gerda Ruf with all due modesty. It was in Freiburg’s municipal theater that she and her husband first met. Their love of music has remained with them ever since. Fritz Ruf nearly took up a civil service career in Freiburg as a state-certified food chemist. His wife objected to the idea: “That was too settled for me.” In the ensuing years the couple led a life on the go, with stints in Ludwigshafen, Karlsruhe, and Heilbronn. Fritz Ruf worked in executive positions in the chemical industry and as a freelance food expert and made a name for himself in food law as well as in research and development. He went on to write a doctoral dissertation on the history of nutrition at the ripe age of 65. Gerda Ruf didn’t just tag along as a passive companion on all these acti- vities; “she put her heart and soul into them,” says her husband. In 2017 they celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in Freiburg – in St. Anne’s Church, where they were married. The two follow the research their foundation has made possible at the University of Freiburg’s Faculty of Engineering with interest, expertise, and amazement. Anita Rüffer

Alumni Network uni‘alumni 2019 13 Besetzungen, 1969, in: Interfunktionen Nr. 12, Cologne 1975, Collage, b/w photographs Photos: Atelier Anselm Kiefer © Anselm Kiefer Lots Frau, 1989, Emulsion, shellac, ash, lead, copper on canvas over plywood. 350 x 410 cm The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio Osiris und Isis, 1985–87, Oil, acrylic, emulsion, clay, porcelain, lead, copper wire, and circuit board on canvas, 379.7 x 561.3 x 24.1 cm (2-sided) San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

B E T W E E N T H E L I N ES No Roots but Legs Lives on the road: Arnold Stadler. Photo: Jürgen Bauer 15 Arnold Stadler’s page on his publisher’s website lists three places of residence for the author: Berlin, Sallahn in the Wendland, and Rast, a village lo- cated between Meßkirch and Lake Con- stance. Is it possible to live in three places at once? “I don’t live in all of them at once but in each by turns. How- ever, experience has shown that it’s two places of residence too many,” Stadler admits. “The three places have to do with the fact that I was stuck in a single place for almost the first 20 years of my life and always dreamed of setting off to discover the world and the sea. This im- pulse is still stirring in me today. But co- ming back is also nice. I know that now.” Stadler started by studying Catholic theology to become a priest, in Munich and Rome. He completed the course of study, which is “basically dedicated to a single book, known earlier as the book of books, on account of which so many universities were founded, including Freiburg,” with a diplom degree in theo- logy in Freiburg, writing his degree the- sis under Prof. Dr. Karl Lehmann. Stadler then began a second course of study in linguistics and literary studies in Freiburg. When one asks the 64-year-old today what he remembers most about Frei- burg, his main place of residence from 1976 into the new millennium, the first thing that comes to Stadler’s mind is how he wrote large parts of his first book, Ich war einmal (“I Was Once”), on the balcony of his apartment on Went- zingerstraße with an unobstructed view of the Freiburg Minster, Schauinsland, and the passing trains, using pen and paper to do so. And above all how he wrote his second book, titled Feuerland (“Land of Fire”). In 1977 he set off for the southernmost tip of South America for the first time. He has since wrote many novels and won many awards, including the Georg Büchner and the Kleist Prize, and taken many more trips to places all over the world. Now, however, he is considering limiting himself to a single home base as a starting point for his journeys to di- stant parts. Perhaps it will be Freiburg. But he has no use for words like “home- land” or “roots”: “We humans have no roots; we have legs we can use to set off into the world.” Jürgen Reuß personal interests. Those are things artificial intelligence will not be able to grasp so quickly. In regard to the training, I’m impressed by the range of skills and practical experiences young jurists have today even at graduation. Here too, there has been quite a bit of change. Where’s the first place you go when you come back to Freiburg? Florian: To the Kastaniengarten, the beer garden on Schlossberg with the wonderful view over the city. I have many great memories of this place. Harro: First of all and without fail, I go to Münsterplatz. Harro Adt, born in 1942, studied law in Munich and in Freiburg (1964 to 1969), where he passed the First and Second State Examinations in 1969 and 1972, respectively. He then joined the Federal Foreign Office and took up a career as a diplomat. His foreign assignments included a post in India, where his son Florian was born. His last position was as German ambassa- dor to South Africa. Since retiring, Harro Adt has lived near Göttingen. Florian Adt, born in 1974, studied law in Göttingen (from 1994 to 1996) and in Freiburg (from 1996 to 1999) and passed his First State Exami- nation in Freiburg. After completing a follow-up program at the College of Europe in Bruges, Belgium, and pas- sing the Second State Examination, he worked as a lawyer in Brussels before joining the legal department at the au- tomotive group Daimler. He has served as head of the area of legal regulatory compliance at the company headquar- ters in Stuttgart since 2016. Harro Adt machte eine Diplomatenkarriere Photo: privat

Alumni Network uni'alumni 2019 ... Ten Years Later 17 h s a l p s n U , r e f f i Z y e l d a r B : o t o h P Irene Papst (37), from Austria, works as a senior advisor at Heat GmbH in Königstein. “I work at a consulting firm that’s specia- lized in the issue of ozone protection/ climate protection. My area of respon- sibility is political consulting – for the European Commission, but also for countries like Turkey. I also write studies on the future consumption of fluorinated greenhouse gases, also known as F- gases. They are used as substitutes for substances that deplete the ozone layer. It’s usually a matter of replacing synthetic refrigerants with natural refri- gerants that are better for the climate. The master’s program broadened my horizons: As I had previously completed a technical course of study in earth sci- ences and had actually always wanted to do something involving the environ- ment to improve the world, the program helped me to combine the two. The con- tact with people from all over the world makes this course of study very special. You get to know and understand diffe- rent mentalities, for instance with regard to how they work and deal with the pres- sure of meeting deadlines. Since I work internationally, it helps me a lot to re- member these different approaches.” Jelly Mae Moring (36), from the Philippines, works as a program manager for the organization World Habitat in Great Britain. “I work at the charitable organization World Habitat, which recognizes and promotes good and innovative housing ideas worldwide. We recognize good ideas with our annual World Habitat Award, which is awarded to one housing project each in the north and the southern hemisphere. I’m respon- sible for the coordination and develop- ment of exchange between colleagues as well as for knowledge transfer from the successful projects aimed at enab- ling other people to learn from them and apply this knowledge in their own countries. The master’s program in Freiburg broadened my perspective on the issue of sustainability: There’s not just black and white but always also gray areas. I can apply what I learned very well in my profession. The issue of housing might seem very specialized at first glance, but it is connected to a lot of other issues. Sustainability is one of them. I particularly enjoyed having classmates with a lot of different opini- ons and backgrounds. We’ve built up a real network.” Flavia Gabriela Oyo Franca (35), from Brazil, works as a chief compliance officer in Angola. “After graduating, I worked as a climate and forest researcher at an independent nongovernmental organization and then moved on to the private sector: to an international engineering and construction firm with a strong culture of sustainability and corresponding policies. In the past nine years, I’ve been involved in infra- structural projects in Africa designed to increase the importance of sustainable regional development, involvement of civil society, environmental protection, and compliance with laws and transpa- rency guidelines. I also worked on a re- finery project where I was responsible for checking whether environmental standards were met and all necessary permits obtained. Now I have the job of ensuring good governance and compli- ance with corporate standards; imple- menting the guidelines and procedures in cross-sectional areas, in particular as the regional compliance coordinator for Europe, Middle East, and Africa; and coordinating a communication and training program focused on compli- ance. The MEG program prepared me well for these tasks: Apart from the interaction with people from different cultures, what I liked is that there was never a formal solution to problems. We compiled and investigated eve- rything on our own. Just like in real life: Nobody just provides you with the right solution – and there is never a single solution that is always right for eve- rything.”

Alumni Network uni‘alumni 2019 19 A LU M N I PR I Z E Meeting Little Gods Kathrin Müller and Michael Kempf each received an Alumni Prize from the Faculty of Humanities for the master’s theses they wrote under Prof. Dr. Se- bastian Brather in the field of early his- torical archaeology. “I wasn’t aware, to be honest, that this prize even existed,” says Müller. Their professor nominated them for the prize more or less behind their backs – only informing them of their success two days before the awards ceremony. A happy surprise that earned them 200 euros each in pri- ze money and nonmaterial recognition for their work. “It is an honor for us,” says Michael Kempf. They also agree that is useful to be able to include the award on their cur ricula vitae – for instance in apply- ing for scholarships to fund their disser- tation projects, which Sebastian Brather is also supervising. Kathrin Müller is expanding on her research on the transformation of burial culture in the Early Middle Ages in her doctoral dis- sertation, while Michael Kempf is inves- tigating the early medieval settlement of Bissingen an der Teck. At the confe- rence of the European Association of Archaeologists (EAA) in Barcelona, Spain, the two had the chance to pre- sent the results of their research so far, receive direct feedback, listen to other presentations, network with some of the more than 3000 international parti- cipants, and “meet our little gods,” as Kempf puts it, by which he means as- king the luminaries of the field questi- ons invaluable experiences of course also came at an expense. The two are thus very grateful for the financial support of donors from the booster association e.V. in person. These Simon Langemann FI E LD T R I P A Visit to the “Special Case” Kathrin Müller and Michael Kempf received the 2018 Alumni Prize for their master’s theses in the field of early historical archaeology. Photo: Simon Langemann CO N FE R E N CE PRO CE E D I N G S Points of Literary Contact I l l u s t r a t i o n : V e r l a g F r a n k & i T m m e Switzerland occupies an exceptio- nal position within Europe due to its identity as a “special case” and thanks to its policy of neutrality in foreign relations. The students investigated how these peculiarities are related to historical global interdependencies in places like Basel, Bern, Lausanne, and Geneva. The issues they focused on included Switzerland’s involvement in the international slave trade, its colonial missionary activities, and its policy of neutrality in foreign relations as well as the significance of this poli- cy as an economic factor. The trip demonstrated to the students that it’s not always necessary to travel far to study the connections of world history – sometimes it’s enough to visit a neighboring country to gain new insight. Isabel Schwörer A year after the graduate con- ference “Literatur- kontakte – Texte, Kulturen, Märkte” (“Literary Contact – Texts, Cultures, Markets”) was held in Freiburg amid great interest in July 2017, the confe- rence proceedings have been publis- hed with support from the booster association Alumni Freiburg e.V. The publication includes twelve contribu- tions from speakers at the conference, including those by the Freiburg literary scholar Prof. Dr. Weertje Willms and the Cologne media studies expert Prof. Dr. Stephan Packard, who gave the keynote speech. The texts are orga- nized into sections covering cultures, media, and markets as three points of literary contact. On Lake Geneva. Photo: by-studio, Fotolia On a field trip to Switzerland, ten stu- dents from the University of Freiburg’s Department of History and their teacher Dr. Friedemann Pestel had the opportu- nity to explore the actual locations dealt with in their seminar on the transnatio- nal history of the Alpine republic.

Why? And at second glance? Among other things because Africa its- elf is affected by migration: A large part of the migration flow happens inside Africa itself; only a small part of the African mig- rants come to Europe. Researchers at the University of Ghana were studying migra- tion long before what we have experi- enced since 2015 as the migration crisis. Starting in January 2019, a group of re- search fellows will be working on this is- sue at MIASA. What interest does Germany have in such an institute? Networking with top international re- searchers, renown, and also a reputation that will make us even more attractive for other partners in the future. I’m aware that at first glance it seems to be about promo- ting an elite. We’re also working toward achieving a broader effect. The MIASA fellows will hold public lectures and advise doctoral students. They’ll have an impact on the University of Ghana. I find that extremely important. Engaging in exchange. It will be very beneficial to us. In what way? I sometimes experience the approa- ches we have taken up to now as limited. For example, many people it’s enough to give an African politician money so that he can “put an end to” migration. But you need to look at the situation more closely, at local actors. local circumstances, think What are your expectations for the institute? FR E I BU RG N O B E L L AU R E AT ES: A D O LF W I N DAUS Founder of Modern Vitamin Research With his research on the chemistry of sterols, Windaus succeeded in de- monstrating the close relationship bet- When he imagines a monument to Adolf Windaus, he thinks of “hordes of children who owe their health and healing to him” – that’s how the che- mist Wilhelm Blitz paid tribute to his colleague Adolf Windau in a speech on his 65th birthday. It was the year 1941. By that time, the birthday boy was already an internationally recognized scientist. In 1928 Windaus had recei- ved the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on the structure of the sterols and their relation to the antira- chitic D vitamins, making him one of the founders of modern vitamin research. Born in Berlin in 1876, the chemist of natural substances studied in Berlin and Freiburg. He earned his doctorate and habilitation qualification in Frei- burg, after which he taught and re- searched in Freiburg and also in Berlin. In 1915, after a brief intermezzo in Innsbruck, Austria, he finally accepted the chair in chemistry at the University of Göttingen, where he would remain until his retirement. for around ten years Protected millions of children from bone diseases: The Nobel laureate Adolf Windaus. Photo: Göttingen State and University Library 21 I’m almost happy that we from the north are also getting hit for once, that our cer- tainties are getting shaken up. The com- mon search for solutions that really have an effect will only further this development. And that is the goal of the institute. MARIA SIBYLLA MERIAN CENTRES With the international “Maria Sibylla Merian Centres,” the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research aims to promote the internationalization of humanities, cultu- ral studies, and social science research in Germany through bi- and multilateral joint projects at locations outside Germany. The ministry is providing the “Maria Sibylla Me- rian Institute for Advanced Studies in Africa” (MIASA) an initial 1.7 million euros in fun- ding in a preparation phase set to last until 2020. Over the projected funding period of 12 years, the institute will receive a total of up to 18 million euros. » www.mias-africa.org ween cholesterol and the bile acids. He also explained the chemical structure of various vitamins of the B complex and the D group and verified his results through their synthesis. Vitamin D is important for the prevention and treat- ment of rickets, known in German as the English disease. This bone disease manifests particularly in babies and small children with a vitamin D defici- ency. Thanks to the drug developed by Windaus, the number of rickets cases fell drastically. Vitamin D photochemi- cally synthesized according to his me- thod (1927) is still marketed today under the brand name Vigantol. There is still no monument to Windaus with “hordes of children,” as his colleague had wished, but the University of Göttin- gen does award a medal for the che- mistry of natural substances in his name. In addition, the Freiburg company Dr. Falk Pharma has named a prize worth 15,000 euros for research on bile acids after Adolf Windaus. Verena Adt

University News uni‘alumni 2019 23 M Y B LO G: T H E R ESA SCH R E D E L S E K E R Genetics for All Genes are “incredibly exciting,” thinks Theresa Schredelseker. The biologist, who is writing a doctoral dissertation on genetic control in the development of nerve cells at the University of Freiburg’s Institute of De- velopmental Biology, has many examp- les to prove it. There’s p53, for instance, a “genetic superstar” that holds tumor cells in the human body in check. Or EPAS1, which allows the people in Tibet to live at altitudes exceeding 4000 meters above sea level without getting sick. This particular gene could theore- tically also serve to enhance the per- formance of athletes of endurance sports – but only, she adds, if we ever reach a consensus on the manipulation of human genes. Although modern gene cutters make it possible to re- place DNA components with relative ease, there are still ethical issues re- garding their use that have to be settled in addition to a number of scientific problems. The natural scientist takes the ethi- cal issues she is frequently confronted with in her field of research seriously. “It’s also a matter of what research is worthy of support and which therapies are approved. Those are important decisions.” On her blog, Theresa Schredelseker shares her passion for and extensive knowledge of genetic research with anyone interested in what the building blocks of biological genetic information are capable of and how they could potentially be used. In a series called “Gene of the Week” started in 2016, she regularly presents a particular gene, including its function and the story be- hind its scientific discovery, in a vivid language that is easy to understand even for laypeople. As a bonus, the blog includes several background articles providing brief and clear explanations of fundamental genetic concepts. In short, it provides exciting reading and learning M Y STA R T- U P: T E LO CAT E The Shortest Route Drat! What hospital room is my friend in anyway? In buildings, ASSIST always finds you the shortest route to your des- tination: It’s a kind of GPS for indoors – only much more precise. GPS can be up to 20 meters off. “We can localize people and objects precisely to within 10 to 20 centimeters,” says microsys- tems engineer Dr. Fabian Höflinger. He co-founded Telocate GmbH together with the computer scientist Dr. Johan- nes Wendeberg in 2014. The paths of the two managing directors crossed at the University of Freiburg’s Faculty of Engineering. “We both wrote disserta- tions on indoor localization there,” says Höflinger. ASSIST enables engineers to follow objects as they move through a produc- tion hall. Retailers can see where shop- ping carts stop. Hospital visitors and robot caregivers find the right patient Telocate offers highly precise localization solutions for radiolocation and navigation that are already in use in the industrial sector. Photo: Telocate without getting lost, and the patient finds the right treatment room. “We’re in talks with several hospitals,” says Höflinger. The system is suitable for convention halls with hundreds of stands as well as for large exhibitions and museums, where it could be used Ethical aspects of genetic research are important to her: Theresa Schredelseker. Photo: Klaus Polkowski material on everything you always wanted to know about genes but were afraid to ask. Verena Adt » http://genderwoche.de/ to identify what exhibits visitors are standing in front of. The audio guide could then start the proper presentation automatically. The system uses ultrasonic sources, such as tags on objects, mobile buz- zers, or conventional smartphones. “Museum and hospital visitors need to download an app,” says Höflinger. The ultrasonic signals run via tiny receivers to a central server that pinpoints the transmitter with great accuracy. Not even high shelves or clusters of people can confuse it: ASSIST also analyzes echoes of the ultrasound. A Swiss fast- food restaurant chain already hands out ASSIST buzzers to patrons after they order: No matter where they decide to sit down, the right food arrives without fail at their table. Jürgen Schickinger

Making topics exciting: The geographer Anna Chatel has developed a continuing education course on nature and culture tours. Photo: Michael Kuhn MY RECIPE: DANIEL KÖNIG Top Trio from Baden 25 You would think a nutrition expert who is also a cardiologist and a diabetes doctor would choose a recipe with ingredients like quinoa, lentils, amaranth, avocado, and salmon. However, I would like to present a classic dish from our regional cuisine: the “Badisches Dreielei” (“Ba- den Trio”) which is among the top dishes on the menus of outdoor restaurants here in Baden. How healthy it is depends on the selection of ingredients and how they’re prepared. We should satisfy around 50 percent of our energy needs with carbohydrates, 30 percent with fat, and 20 percent with proteins. The Badi- sches Dreierlei comes pretty close to this distribution. I’ll begin with a general introduction. What’s in it? Brägele (fried potatoes), Bibbeliskäs (quark or curd cheese), and Wurstsalat (sausage salad) How are the ingredients arranged? Next to each other! Challenges for the cook: Relatively few, but the Brägele should be crisp, the Bibbeliskäs not too soft, the Wurstsalat not too oily, and the onion rings should not be sliced too thick. For the Bibbeliskäs, you mix quark, a dol- lop of sour cream, pepper, salt, and chi- ves to taste. I recommend using low-fat quark. At 70 kilocalories and 12 grams of protein per 100 grams, Bibiliskäs made with low-fat quark is a side dish that’s low in calories and rich in protein. CONTINUING EDUCATION: HERITAGE INTERPRETATION Communicating Knowledge on Nature and Culture It is emotional access to a topic that awakens interest in an exhibition and can lead to light-bulb moments. The Freiburg Academy of Continuing Educa- tion (FRAUW) launched the continuing education course “Professional Nature and Culture Tours” in 2018. The course qualifies participants as certified inter- pretative guides. The participants are introduced to the educational concept of heritage inter- pretation outdoors and in museums. “It’s a participative, audience-specific approach to communicating information that’s backed up by research,” explains Dr. Anna Chatel from the Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography. “We make topics that lie outside of the experiential horizon of visitors exciting for them.” The organizer of the course develops educational concepts for nature sites and cultural institutions, such as a multimedia trail, an exhibition, or the touristic develop- ment of a nature park. At the moment, Chatel is developing a visitor concept for Liliental on Kaiser- stuhl. “Sometimes individual areas the- re are cleared of trees, and that makes visitors angry,” she explains. It is thus important to give them the background information. The forest research institu- te in Liliental studies how plants adapt to the climate. “We describe this fore- stry work and the scientific issues invol- ved,” says Chatel. “Climate change affects everyone. What consequences does it have? What does it mean for our region?” Heritage interpretation there- fore attempts to involve the visitor and forge a link to the project topic. Sarah Schwarzkopf » www.wb.uni-freiburg.de/wb/ angebote/heritage Badisches Dreierlei. Photo: Jürgen Gocke Daniel König heads the Section for Nutrition at the Institute of Sports Science and Physical Education. Photo: Thomas Kunz Brägele: A well-broken-in cast-iron pan is a must. Use it to fry salad potatoes (preferably cooked a day earlier) in a type of cooking fat that tolerates high temperatures, such as canola oil, which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids. The Brägele turn out best when the fat is not heated to the maximum temperature and the potato slices are not too thick. The Wurstsalat is made of bologna cut into strips, onion rings, and a relatively thin vinaigrette. Strips of cheese or even bell pepper should by no means be added! At 250 kilocalories, 20 grams of fat per 100 grams, and a high propor- tion of saturated fat, the Wurstsalat is not the healthiest part of the Badisches Dreierlei. Possible countermeasu- res include using low-fat bolo- gna, making the vinaigrette with less oil, or putting less Wurstsalat on the plate. Prepared in this way, the Badisches Dreierlei does not just make for a filling and tasty meal; it’s also ac- from a nutritional standpoint. And it might also bring back culinary memories from your ceptable time as a student.

Jennifer Andexer and Benjamin Kohlmann received the 2018 Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize. Photos: Thomas Kunz, Patrick Seeger 27 Prizes for Young Researchers Junior professor Dr. Jennifer Andexer from the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and lecturer Dr. Benjamin Kohlmann from the University of Freiburg’s Depart- ment of English have been awarded the 2018 Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize. The prize is regarded as the most prestigious award for early-career researchers in Germany. Andexer’s research area is enzymes, proteins that catalyze chemical reactions in orga- nisms. She also studies so-called cofactors, which particular enzymes need to work as catalysts. Kohlmann takes a cultural studies approach to the study of literature by in- cluding historical contexts and connections to his second field, philosophy. He seeks to forge links to societal issues in his research. At the moment, for instance, he is treating the topic of precariousness in contemporary novels and films. Number One in the Funding Atlas University of Freiburg researchers managed to secure nearly 240 million euros in third- party funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG) from 2014 to 2016. That puts the university at seventh place in the current DFG Funding Atlas. However, the total amount of third-party funding depends cru- cially on the amount of profes- sors and the spectrum of fields. For example, engineering dis- ciplines achieve much higher amounts of funding on average than humanities disciplines. The DFG took into account this fact in its analysis. In relation to amount of professorships and spectrum of fields, the Universi- ty of Freiburg receives more third-party than any other university in Germany by a wide margin. funding Alexander the Great in an ancient Roman mosaic. Source: Magrippa/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 Encyclopedia of the Heroic heroicum,” Heroes are experiencing a renaissance – in political discourse, in popular culture, and in ethical debates. In its new online encyclopedia “Compendium the University of Freiburg’s Collaborative Research Center “Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms” provides explanations of numerous phenomena of the heroic and offers the general public access to current and core findings of its research. The entries classify heroism that have produced heroes and are still producing them today in different cultures. The project partner is the Open Encyclopedia System (OES) of the Free University of Berlin. the diverse processes of Partners for Continuing Education School of Education The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft and the Freiburg Academy of Conti- nuing Education (FRAUW) of the University of Freiburg have signed a framework agreement involving a long-term intensification of their part- nership in continuing education. They have previously developed a joint master’s program and three certifica- te programs on the topics public security, energy, and sustainability. The programs can be combined with each other due to their modular struc- ture and may also be completed alongside a full-time job or familial responsibilities thanks to their blen- ded-learning format – a combination of on-campus phases and a high pro- portion of e-learning. The reform of teacher education programs in Baden- Württemberg came to a conclusi- on at the start of the 2018/19 winter semester with the launch of the Master of Education degree program – and on 1 October 2018 the University of Freiburg and the Freiburg University of Education (PH) took their collaboration on teacher education to a new level, developing the cooperation net- work Freiburg Advanced Center for Education (FACE) into the FACE School of Education. It is a permanent, inter-institutional school that has the task of conso- lidating Freiburg’s teacher educa- tion to teaching, research, and school practice. activities with regard » www.compendium-heroicum.de » www.wb.uni-freiburg.de » www.face-freiburg.de

City Life uni‘alumni 2019 29 FR E I BU RG M I N ST E R Restored to Glory It’s a sight that hasn’t been seen in a full twelve years: The steeple of the Freiburg Minster is now entirely free of scaffolding. The spire underwent more than a decade of restoration work. Stonemasons, carpenters, and restorers spent more than 200,000 hours working at Freiburg’s highest construction site. The Freiburg Minster’s steeple is 115 meters high, the meticulously restored spire accounting for 40 of them. Freiburg’s citizens celebrated the long wished-for return to glory of the “most beautiful tower on earth,” as the Swiss cultural historian Jacob Burckhardt once called it, with a three-day “steeple finale” in October 2018. On this occasion, the steeple was also reopened for visitors. It had previously been closed for a good one and a half years, as the tower keeper’s room and the bell cage were also affected by the renovations. in the static equilibrium of the steeple. The experts spent a good three years determining the causes of these problems and studying possible means of solving them. To make matters worse, the dama- ges were worse than assumed, and some of them took much longer to repair. The removal of the scaffolding last summer was also fraught with difficulties. As there was a danger of parts falling during the dismantling operations, the workers had to clear a 30-meter security zone around the Minster. Several stalls from the farmer’s market were forced to move to Kaiser-Joseph-Straße for a few days. Now locals and tourists alike can again enjoy an unobstructed view of Freiburg’s landmark. For anyone interested in taking pictures of the magnificent tower, there’s no need to rush: According to head architect Yvonne Faller, no further resto- ration work should be necessary in the coming decades. Claudia Füßler The restored steeple of the Freiburg Minster can be admired again after 12 years behind scaffolding. Photo: Thomas Kunz The work on the steeple cost twelve million euros – and took considerably lon- ger than originally planned. When the scaffolding was put up in 2006, the team under head architect Yvonne Faller esti- mated that it would take around five years to complete. However, this plan was thwarted by newly discovered problems N E W T R A M L I N E Make Way for the Tram! From 16 March 2019 on, a tram will stop in front of the university’s administra- tive building every six minutes during the morning rush hour: That’s the day on which the blue line will take up operations on a new route including a stop at Fahnen- bergplatz. This means that the central ad- ministration will more or less have its own tram stop. At the same time, the new line will also connect the natural sciences campus to the network. “Stadtbahn 2020 mobil” is the name of the concept developed by Freiburg’s public transit authority VAG for taking Freiburg’s tram network into the future. Many meters of new tracks have been laid in the Breis- gau metropolis in the course of the concept’s implementation in the past years. Line 4 was extended to the exposition grounds – a change that Freiburg’s citi- zens appreciated more than VAG had ex- pected and that has attracted a lot of riders. The changes at and around Rotteckring are even more extensive: A new tram line The future of mobility in Freiburg: The new line 5. Photo: Thomas Kunz runs over the rebuilt Kronenbrücke and further along Rotteckring, passing the new University Library and the completely re- designed Platz der Alten Synagoge to join the existing lines at the Siegesdenkmal victory memorial. The line is part of a city planning con- cept intended to extend Freiburg’s pedest- rian zone to the main train station and upgrade the space in front of the university and the theater. Rotteckring and Werth- mannstraße are now closed for private vehicles, traffic having been rerouted to the train station axis. The tram stop at the theater was designed as a barrier-free junction where riders will be able to change trams between all five lines. This should reduce the traffic somewhat at Bertolds- brunnen in the city center, where only four rather than five lines will now meet. The blue line 5 runs from Fahnenbergplatz to Rieselfeld in one direction and to the newly named Europaplatz at the victory memo- rial in the other, continuing on north to Hornusstraße during peak periods. Claudia Füßler

31 is a Freiburg The Holbein Horse trademark: a concrete sculpture made by the sculptor Werner Gürtner that stands on a small patch of grass between Holbeinstraße, Hans-Thoma-Straße, and Günterstalstraße and periodically receives a makeover from artists who usually remain anonymous. In the fall of 2018, JOlino took out his spray paints and brushes and drew inspiration from a few of the University of Freiburg’s core issues, painting both the original and a scale model. The photographer Jürgen Rösch documented the results before the next artist came by to repaint the horse again. The goal is a European university: Freiburg and its partners in the alliance “EUCOR – The European Campus” are taking a common path into the future. Diversity enriches: The University of Freiburg regards itself as an organization in which the individual and cultural differences of its employees and students are appreciated.

Masthead uni’alumni, the magazine for former students of the University of Freiburg, is published once a year. Publisher Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Rector Prof. Dr. Hans-Jochen Schiewer Responsible for Content Rudolf-Werner Dreier, Director of the Office of Public Relations Editorial Staff Verena Adt (Head Editor) Dr. Cornelia Staeves Nicolas Scherger Rimma Gerenstein Sonja Seidel Address of Editorial Staff Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Fahnenbergplatz, D-79085 Freiburg Phone: +49 (0)761 203-4229 Fax: +49 (0)761 203-4288 Email: unialumni@pr.uni-freiburg.de Print Run 5,000 copies English Translation Dr. David Heyde Cover Photos Thomas Kunz, Yale University, Brendan Mcdermid (Reuters) Design, Layout, Production Jürgen Oschwald Printing and Production Burger Druck, Waldkirch Distribution Office of Public Relations Yearly Subscription Rate 4 euros uni’alumni is available free of charge for members of Alumni Freiburg e. V. ISSN 2193-5572 This magazine was printed climate neutrally on 100-percent recycled paper. The paper is certified with the “Blue Angel” environmental seal. © Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg. All rights reserved. Reproduction, also of excerpts, only with permission from the editors. Articles indicating the author’s name do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher or the editors. The editors reserve the right to edit or abridge articles sent in by contributors. uni’alumni is available online at www.alumni.uni-freiburg.de/magazin