ChemGeo Alumni-Newsletter SoSe 2020

Mystischer Morgen: Langsam brennt die Sonne die Nebelschicht weg, die sich in der Nacht ins Jenaer Saaletal gelegt hatte. Von der Gartenanlage Schweizerhöhe bietet sich ein toller Blick auf dieses Naturschauspiel.

Dear Alumni and friends of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences,

the last weeks were probably completely different for all of us than we had thought and planned at the beginning of the year. The Corona Crisis has also turned the everyday life at university upside down: The summer semester is now a digital semester, all events have been cancelled, postponed or moved into virtual space.

Nevertheless, life at the university has not stood still - and slowly life is returning to the buildings. This newsletter informs you about what has happened at the faculty in the past weeks and months.

Enjoy reading - and stay healthy!

Your

Claudia Hilbert
(Dean's office, Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences)

Dates and Events

Exploring the university virtually with digital scavenger hunts and 360-degree tours

In the current situation, events of any kind are difficult and the calendar of events of the Friedrich Schiller University is unusually empty at the moment. Nevertheless, it is still possible to visit the university and campus! At least virtually:

On the occasion of the digital university information day on 9 May 2020, the Faculty and the Central Student Advisory Service have created three virtual, interactive experience tours. Like a kind of digital scavenger hunt, the free Actionbound app allows you to explore the university in a playful way. The tours are aimed specifically at prospective students, but of course everyone else can play the tours as well - and thus discover the university in a different way.

Three tours are available (only in German):

• Discover the University of Jena
• Study geography in Jena
• Biogeosciences in Jena

There are also several 360-degree tours through various buildings of the university: For example, you can walk through the historic university main building.

Click here for the virtual adventure tours.

 

New exhibition in the Mineralogical Collection about salt

Salt, the "white gold", is the topic of the new special exhibition in the Mineralogical Collection of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena (Sellierstraße 6). The exhibition "Salt - Building Block of Life" presents salts from all over the world in various shapes and colours. The exhibition can be seen until 9 March 2021. It is open Mondays and Thursdays from 1-5 p.m. and Sundays after announcement.

More information about the special exhibition "Salt - Building blocks of life"Externer Link

 

2nd MINT-Festival Jena is postponed

The second edition of the MINT Festival was actually planned for September 2020. However, due to the Corona crisis, the science festival for school students has been postponed. A date in late summer 2021 is now planned.

The 2nd MINT-Festival Jena is aimed at pupils from the 1st - 13th grade. The program includes lectures, workshops, hands-on stands and stage shows covering the MINT disciplines of mathematics, information technology, natural sciences and technology. The festival is organized by the Friedrich Schiller University together with partners and with the support of sponsors and patrons. The first MINT-Festival took place in September 2018.

More information can be found on the MINT Festival Jena website.

 

More events: Calendar of Events of the Faculty of Chemistry and Earth SciencesExterner Link

News from the Faculty (and University)

New faculty report published

The new Faculty Report 2018-2019 has been published: The brochure informs about the activities of the faculty in research and teaching during the last two years. In addition to contributions on current research projects and networks, all working groups of the faculty present themselves. In addition, there is detailed information on the individual study programmes as well as on developments in quality assurance and development. The report is available online as an e-paperExterner Link (in German).

The new professors at the faculty

The faculty is growing! In the past months there have been some new appointments - here is an overview of "the new ones":

• Prof. Dr Timm Wilke - Professor of Chemistry Didactics: Since summer semester 2020, Timm Wilke is the new Professor of Chemistry Didactics. His predecessor Prof. Dr. Volker Woest has now retired, but will remain in the faculty as a senior professor for the time being. Timm Wilke was previously junior professor for the didactics of chemistry at the TU Braunschweig and taught at a Braunschweig grammar school.
  Website Prof. Timm Wilke
• Prof. Dr Simon Runkel - Junior Professor of Social Geography: Since winter semester 2019/20 Simon Runkel has been Junior Professor of Social Geography. He succeeds Prof. Dr. Benno Werlen. Simon Runkel studied geography, peace and conflict studies, psychology and art history in Marburg, Bonn and Los Angeles.
  Website Jun. Prof. Simon RunkelExterner Link
• Two new apl professorships: In November 2019, Dr Peter Frenzel from the Institute of Geosciences was appointed as an apl. professor. Peter Frenzel has been working at the Friedrich Schiller University since 2005. He conducts research in the fields of micropaleontology and geoarchaeology.
  Website apl. Prof. Peter FrenzelExterner Link
  In March 2020, Dr Christian Thiel from the DLR Institute of Data Sciences followed suit. Christian Thiel had previously worked at the Institute of Geography. His work focuses primarily on Citizen Science and radar remote sensing.
  Website apl. Prof. Christian ThielExterner Link

 

The faculty mourns the death of Dr Peter Hallpap

The faculty mourns the death of Dr Peter Hallpap: The long-standing lecturer in the field of organic chemistry and former head of the Department of Studies died on 22nd March 2020. Even after his retirement in 2005, Dr. Hallpap continued to show great commitment to the university and to the faculty. With his extensive research and publications on the history of chemistry in Jena, he gained a lasting reputation. We will greatly miss him in his humane and friendly manner and we will keep a venerable memory of him. Our deepest sympathy goes to his family and all relatives.

Learn more:

• Short biography Peter Hallpap
• Peter Hallpap's publications on the history of chemistry

News around research and teaching

Research in times of Corona

The Corona crisis has changed everyday life at the university considerably: For example, the summer semester 2020 is a digital semester and all courses - with a few exceptions - are held as online courses. And some research projects also have to adapt to the new situation. But at the same time the corona virus also offers new research opportunities. Here is an overview of some of the faculty's activities concerning corona:

Antibody test for coronavirus

A research team led by Prof. Dr Ralf Ehricht has developed a rapid testExterner Link that provides information within ten minutes whether a person is acutely infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or has already developed antibodies and is therefore immune to it. Ralf Ehricht works at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technologies and is also a professor at the Institute of Physical Chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University.

Increase in test capacities

In March, Prof. Dr Ulrich S. Schubert's research group, in cooperation with the University Hospital, already found an alternative to the scarce buffer solutionsExterner Link required for testing for the novel coronavirus. The "recipe" for the alternative buffer solutions is freely accessible online.

Corona consulting for politicians

Economic geographer Prof. Dr Sebastian Henn was appointed to the Scientific Advisory BoardExterner Link by the Thuringian Cabinet in May to advise the government on corona issues. A total of 12 Thuringian scientists belong to the advisory board.

Graphics and maps on infection figures

Dr Michael Böhme from the Institute for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry graphically prepares the case numbers in Jena and other Thuringian cities and publishes them freely accessible on his blog. His blog on the corona case numbers in Jena and ThuringiaExterner Link has become an important source of information for the city of Jena. In the interviewExterner Link he reveals more about his work on the blog.

Dr Sören Hese from the Remote Sensing Department has also analyzed the infection numbers and created some interesting maps and cartograms of SARS-CoV-2 infectionsExterner Link.

 

Research team develops novel nano switches that can be operated by light signal

A research team led by Prof. Dr Andrey Turchanin from the Institute of Physical Chemistry at Friedrich Schiller University is developing novel nano-switches that can be operated by light signal. In the journal "Chemistry A European Journal" the researchers present their concept of a photoswitchable field effect transistor. It uses ultra-thin intelligent materials: a conductive layer of graphene combined with a single molecular layer containing functional azobenzene units.  Learn moreExterner Link

Impressions from Jena

Mystical morning: Slowly the sun burns away the layer of fog that had settled in the Jena Saale valley during the night. From the Schweizerhöhe gardens there is a great view of this natural spectacle.