A chemical industry that relies on renewable raw materials and renewable energies, whose products are easy to recycle and whose building blocks can be reused again and again in a circular economy. This is what the not-too-distant future of the chemical industry looks like. In the SmartProSys research initiative at the University of Magdeburg, scientists from various disciplines are working together to find out how this transformation can succeed.

Today there are over 25,000 foundations in Germany. They run museums and social institutions, give out schoolbooks, protect forests or fund scientific projects. But why do we even have foundations, what are the benefits for donors and society and how was the reform of German foundation law accomplished? Katharina Vorwerk discussed the influence of jurisprudence on policy with the law professor Dr. Ulrich Burgard.

On Sunday, October 8, there will be another election in Germany: This time, it's about the state parliaments in Bavaria and Hesse. If you look at the media coverage, you regularly come across the first figures on how parties might perform. But what exactly do these figures actually say? How much should we rely on them? And are forecasts, projections and co all the same? Political scientist Dr. Benjamin Höhne talks about this in an interview.

Dr. Carolin Mehlmann and Prof. Thomas Richter are currently at the North Pole for a research project on climate change. Together with around 40 other researchers, the mathematicians are taking part in an expedition to collect data on changes in the central Arctic. They reached the North Pole by ship at the beginning of September and report on their experiences and initial findings.

Scientists and scholars from all over the world keep coming to Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg thanks to an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. A fellowship from the Foundation is considered a high honor. Currently, Prof. Dr. Evangelos Tsotsas from the Institute of Process Engineering is hosting Dr. Narjes Malekjani from Iran. Lisa Baaske spoke to the Humboldt Fellow about her research, her goals and what it means to her to be a Humboldtian.

Pizza, packages, movies - in our time we can have everything at any time, especially if we live in the city. Many needs can and should be satisfied in the shortest possible time. This is especially true in cities. For many services and products, we don't even have to leave our homes. But how does this actually work? Service companies, or rather their employees, are not waiting to bring us our packages right now. Or to deliver that one chip from the supermarket to our doorstep that we're craving right now. Because it can hardly be economical. Nevertheless, there are now many companies that offer this.

In Magdeburg's Port of Science, an urban medical technology high-tech center will be created in the coming years. Initiated by the STIMULATE research campus of the University of Magdeburg, the transfer of medical technology research and new technologies from university science to industry will be organized there. Research findings can quickly find their way into the regional economy due to the immediate proximity to start-ups and spin-offs.

Via the introduction of electricity (2.0) and the use of electronics and IT (3.0), the transformation of industry is now leading to the Industrial Revolution 4.0 - characterized by intelligent, self-organizing plants and machines. Together with companies from the mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and software industries, Prof. Christian Diedrich's group is working in the "Industrial Digital Twin Association" founded in 2021.

For some months now, artificial intelligences have been causing a stir and discussions, such as the AI model ChatGPT. With the opportunities also comes concerns about dangers. The public and politicians are demanding rules for data protection aspects, fundamental rights issues and discrimination. In an interview, AI expert Jun.-Prof. Siegert talks about the dangers, possible regulations, but also what opportunities AI-based programs offer.

Financial crisis, refugee crisis, Brexit, Corona crisis, energy crisis - for more than a decade, Europe has been in crisis mode. But what are the causes, what are the consequences? Does Europe have a systemic problem? EU expert and holder of the Monnet Chair at the University of Magdeburg, Prof. Eva Heidbreder answers these questions in conversation. She researches European transformation processes and how the crises have changed Europe.

After 2035, no new cars that run on diesel or gasoline may be registered in the EU. E-fuels, synthetically produced fuels, are an exception. In theory, this sounds like a good alternative to fossil fuels. Can designer fuels really play a part in green mobility? What are their limits? What other alternatives are there, and will mobility be a luxury good in the future? Prof. Rottengruber talks about this in an interview.

Getting a therapy slot for mental health problems is a real challenge in Germany - there is too much need for too few slots. That's why Prof. Florian Junne is studying how digital services can be used to provide care for patients with eating disorders, for example, via telemedicine. The first results show: The feedback and the success of telemedicine are positive. This gives patients hope for the future.

The CO2 price was introduced in January 2021. The revenue is to be used to finance climate protection measures.  But hardly any Germans even know about it - partly because it is so small that people don't even notice it. And yet the CO2 price is not accepted by the population. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from the Institute of Psychology at the University of Magdeburg. So do Germans not care about climate protection? Ronja Gerdes talks about this in an interview.

If companies want to be successful, they can no longer avoid digital work processes. Even small craft businesses such as carpentry shops can benefit from digitization and develop a competitive advantage. In the Cloud Academy at the University of Magdeburg, which is unique in Europe, they learn how to set up a cloud in their company and use the corresponding digital technologies.

February 20 is Social Justice Day. An important concept for a democratic welfare state in which we live in Germany. But what exactly does social justice mean and can we really achieve this ideal state in times of inflation and climate change? And if so, how far away is Germany from social justice? Economist Prof. Dr. Andreas Knabe talks about this in an interview.

Every day, when we use our computer or smartphone, we leave behind lots of digital traces. All this data is used to create personality profiles for which targeted advertising is placed with the help of predictive algorithms - tailored to the personality behind the user profile. Political decisions can also be influenced by specifically placed incentives. A research team at Magdeburg University is therefore looking into security in the digital world.

When they hear the word “evolution”, the majority of people think of Darwin and the history of the development of species, but not of algorithms. But this exactly what Tobias Benecke is talking about when he speaks of evolution. This is because, as in many other areas of science, he too uses concepts from nature to drive forward scientific progress and rethink the world. More precisely, Tobias Benecke’s research is about evolutionary algorithms.

In Germany, historically grown, there is actually a clear separation between academic and vocational education. However, a model experiment in the 1970s showed that the combination of these parallel worlds was extremely well received by young people. The dual courses of study were born and are becoming increasingly popular. However, uniform standards have been lacking up to now. That's why Prof. Dina Kuhlee and her team are investigating which concepts are most successful.

Scientists from all over the world come to Magdeburg University again and again thanks to an Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship. Currently, Prof. Dr. Evangelos Tsotsas at the Institute of Process Engineering of the Faculty of Process and Systems Engineering is hosting Dr. Stutee Bhoi from India. Lisa Baaske spoke with the Humboldt Fellow about her research, her goals about Magdeburg and what it means to her to be a Humboldtian.

Rarely has humanity faced so many challenges at once. The list of global crisis issues is long. Climate change and the Corona pandemic alone are affecting how we live, research and work. The war in Ukraine and its economic consequences are also currently turning industry upside down. Process engineers at the University of Magdeburg are therefore researching how CO2-neutral microwave technology can be used for industrial purposes.

If Germany wants to achieve its climate targets and become climate-neutral by 2045, wind power and photovoltaics must be expanded much more quickly and comprehensively than before. Environmental psychologist Prof. Ellen Matthies is investigating how this energy turnaround can succeed. She knows that only with the right communication can fear of loss be overcome and people become enthusiastic about change.

In her research and teaching, Dr. Tina Jung addresses gender relations as a structural and power principle in society in the context of social and democratic change. She researches health and gender politics, violence and gender, including in the context of human rights, care work, family and both (queer) feminist and critical social theories.

If companies want to create innovative products, they have to include diverse perspectives in their decision-making. Too few still take full advantage of the economic success of diversity. This is shown by research results from the University of Magdeburg. In an interview, Prof. Dr. Susanne Schmidt dispels misconceptions and myths about diversity and gives tips on how good diversity management can succeed.