Newsletter: Issue 14, October 2011
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Dear Readers,
Securing a sustainable energy supply is one of the greatest challenges of our time. The 6th Energy Research Programme entitled "Research for an environmentally sound, reliable and affordable energy supply", which came into force on 1 September 2011 and involved participation of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), defines the main emphases of funding policy in the field of energy research. The Federal Government has thus created the foundation for ensuring that Germany’s energy supply can be restructured in accordance with the goals of its energy strategy in an environmentally friendly, safe and affordable way.
Renewable energies are to provide 80 % of gross electricity consumption by the year 2050. This will require major investment in research and development – the German Government is making some 3.5 billion euros available from 2011 to 2014. At the same time we need qualified specialists. That is why we would like to encourage as many young people as possible to study for a higher education qualification. The new Deutschlandstipendium programme has been making an important contribution in this area since the summer semester 2011.
Prof. Dr. Annette Schavan, MdB
Federal Minister of Education and Research
Interview
An interview with junior researcher Aaron Leopold from the USA. He is a research associate at the Latin America Institute of the FU Berlin and is currently investigating the socially and ecologically fair use of biofuels in a project funded by the BMBF.
Science & Research News
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI) in Leipzig have now made a significant advance in the fight against infectious diseases with the discovery of an alternative to established antibiotics.
The use of hydrogen as a source of energy is probably far more common among symbiotic communities in the deep sea than was previously thought. During research journeys to hot springs in the deep sea German scientists have discovered mussels that have their own hydrogen-powered "fuel cells" - in the form of symbiotic bacteria.
In the field of nanoelectronics, scientists at the Forschungszentrum Juelich have now succeeded in making a breakthrough in working with so-called "molecular wires". Using a recently developed measuring technique, they were able to measure the conductivity of individual molecules that could be used to optimise nanoelectronic components for the first time under controlled conditions.
Recent Research Cooperation
The Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH) and Lomonosov Moscow State University have taken cooperation in the field of surface and nanotechnology to new heights with the foundation of a joint research institute in Moscow. The new institute brings together the expertise of both partners in the field of optical thin-film technology, the production of optical components and the simulation of complex optical systems.
Geographers from Goettingen University are coordinating a largescale research programme in the Amazon region. Key areas are the analysis and development of methods to improve carbon storage in soils, the reduction of greenhouse gases and the preservation of important ecosystem functions, such as soil fertility and water quality.
Latest R&D Funding Programmes and Activities
The Emmy Noether Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG) aims to enable young researchers from Germany and abroad to engage in independent research and lead their own junior research group. The funding programme prepares young scholars and scientists for leading positions in research.
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Max Planck Society have decided to take up this topic and are calling for nominations for the prestigious Max Planck Research Award 2012 in the humanities and social sciences on the subject of "Regulating International Financial Markets".
The Federal Government gave new impetus to support talented students in German higher education with its Deutschlandstipendium programme at the beginning of the 2011 summer semester. This scholarship programme aims to encourage more young people to complete degree programmes at German higher education institutions.
Current R&D Policy
The Federal Government has created the foundations for the reorganisation of Germany's energy supply with the adoption of the 6th Energy Research Programme. The programme defines the key emphases of German funding policy in the field of innovative energy technologies for the coming years.
Companies in Germany are expected to spend significantly more on research and development (R&D) in 2011 than they did last year. This was the result of a representative survey by the Stifterverband fuer die Deutsche Wissenschaft. It show that three quarters of the companies surveyed want to increase their R&D expenditure and one third even wish to do so significantly.
Last but not least...
Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have long been considered the technology of the future in the lighting industry. Scientists at the Heinrich Hertz Institute of the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications (HHI) in Berlin are now working on another rather remarkable possible application for these high-tech lamps: they want to use the modern light sources to transmit data while lighting a room.
Events
The German High Tech Champions Award (GHTC) provides an international forum for German applied research by turning the spotlight on a few outstanding technology developers, each presenting a tailormade business case.
As the international leading fair for innovative electronics production, the 19th Productronica will be presenting groundbreaking products and technologies in the field of electronics.
Climate 2011, the 4th online climate conference, will be discussing ecological, social, economic and political aspects of climate change.
This year the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) will be represented by a stand at the Poleko international environmental fair in Poznan, which is the leading meeting place for the environmental sector in Eastern Europe.
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