EDITION 2016

RESEARCH MAGAZINE 61

Main Topic: Marine Research

1 Editorial

Dear Readers,

New species are spreading across the gress report on a unique project: two ye- different domains – including crime Wadden Sea in Northern Germany. Ma- ars ago he supervised the construction investigations. Mark Siebel is another rine biologists have discovered bacteria of a group of small artificial islands in expert with numbers, but he applies that were hitherto unknown and which the Wadden Sea which he and his team them in a different area altogether. In influence the climate. At the same time, are using as an open-air laboratory. addition to thought experiments the however, species are dying out at an philosopher uses empirical methods ever increasing rate - faster than ever Understanding how wind works is to find answers to questions in his field. before. What sounds like something the goal Oldenburg University‘s turbu- out of a science fiction novel shapes the lence researchers have set themselves. „Hands off the Steering Wheel“ – daily routine of the scientists at the In- They are studying the interaction be- Frank Köster is convinced that this [Anzeige] stitute for the Chemistry and Biology of tween atmospheric currents and wind will soon be the reality on Germany‘s the Marine Environment (ICBM). They energy systems. In a picture series we motorways. The computer scientist is are exploring the biological diversity of show the scientists at work – model- developing solutions for automated the Earth‘s oceans, studying the tiniest ling, creating simulations and making and integrated driving. In this issue living organisms and asking the big measurements. you can read about why he represents question of how much biodiversity our both basic research and the testing of planet needs. Our EINBLICKE reportage looks these new technologies at the Univer- at diversity in the classroom. Special sity. This issue provides further exciting needs educators Clemens Hillenbrand insights into the world of marine rese- and Carolin Reinck go back to school And last but not least we have our arch. ICBM director Bernd Blasius and to find out how inclusion can be put „Globetrotting Scientists“ section, which the future director of the new Helm- into in practice with successful results. features reports on the various missions holtz Institute in Oldenburg Helmut Their extraterrestrial colleague Lubo and activities of Oldenburg scientists Hillebrand talk in an interview about gives them a helping hand. who have been abroad recently. the current challenges and goals in this field. Microbiologist Meinhard Simon Mathematician Peter Ruckdeschel We wish you a most pleasurable read! explains how Roseobacter bacteria help proves how versatile statistics are, and create a healthy climate. And landscape how close to our everyday lives. The Yours, ecologist Michael Kleyer gives a pro- statistician uses his expertise in many the EINBLICKE editors.

2 EINBLICKE 2016 3 List of Contents

14 16 28 38 Active in new areas: statistician Peter Ruckdeschel Oldenburg‘s marine research – successful interdisciplinarity Scientists in the classroom: the quest for effective inclusion Philosopher Mark Siebel is also good with numbers

3 Editorial 14 The Appeal of Numbers 24 An Open-Air Laboratory 36 Globetrotting Scientists From risk management at banks to criminal investi- Between High and Low Tide Oldenburg scientists report on their research gations, Peter Ruckdeschel‘s expertise is in demand Michael Kleyer is researching how islands form using visits abroad in many fields artificial islands in the Wadden Sea

6 In Numbers Prototypes for Cutting-Edge Research 38 From the Armchair to the Street Cover Topic Mark Siebel moves between two different worlds: He uses empirical methods to answer philosophical 16 Pioneering Work in Marine Research 28 With Help from Outer Space questions How far on is marine biodiversity research? What are How can inclusion be successful? Clemens Hillen- 8 Hands off the Steering Wheel the Oldenburg scientists‘ goals here? An interview brand, an expert on diversity in the classroom, relies For computer scientist Frank Köster automated with Bernd Blasius and Helmut Hillebrand on extraterrestrial backing. driving is a vision that no longer belongs to the 42 UGO, Imprint, Photo Credits distant future

44 New Appointments 21 The Allrounders of the Oceans Microbiologist Meinhard Simon reports on marine 32 In Pictures 10 Research Update Roseobacter clade bacteria How Wind Works 47 Doctorates, Habilitations

4 EINBLICKE 2016 5 In Numbers Prototypes for Cutting-Edge Research

If you want to do experimental research you need equipment and components that fit in perfectly with your experimental design. So it‘s often the staff at Oldenburg University‘s Mechanical Workshop who pave the way for peak results in research and teaching. The Prototypes 29 members of the Mechanical Workshop team work together to ensure that the scien- tists have everything they need for their research, including customised prototypes and special equipment, from ultra-high vacuum recipients to acoustic simulators. Here are a few numbers and facts about the Mechanical Workshop. Components for prototypes All data for 2015

Clients Replicas

Modifications Repairs Other services

Expertise

Dipl.-Ing. Mechanical Engineers

Mechanical Engineering Technician

Master Craftsmen in Mechanical Engineering

Technical Draftsman

Mechanics / Precision Mechanics

Mechanical Engineering Mechanics/Toolmakers

Metal Workers/Welders

Trainees in Precision Mechanics

6 EINBLICKE 2016 7 Portrait

Köster applies scientifically groun- systems in the background need to to pick up groceries ordered online in ded basic knowledge in Braunschweig, function efficiently. „The vehicle must advance. Connected to servers, the car‘s where he heads a team of more than 60 be able to identify and interpret its embedded systems calculate the route, engineers, psychologists and computer surroundings. It must register objects park the car and pay parking tickets on- scientists working in the automotive and know where they‘re coming from line. Trips to the charging point when department of the German Aerospa- and in which direction they‘re moving. the vehicle needs refuelling are also ce Center (DLR). „There, too, we are The systems must decide how to react included. working on assistance and automated to these objects: move out of their way, systems for intelligent vehicle tech- drive behind them, or overtake them? Different areas of life nology, but with a stronger focus on On top of that the vehicle must not become interconnected practical applications,“ he says explai- make any dangerous manoeuvres, and ning the differences between his two it must behave logically so that other workplaces. The team tests such things vehicles can react accordingly. This interconnection of various as emergency systems that combine But this is not just about making increasingly automated areas of life braking and swerving manoeuvres, things more comfortable for people. is also an aspect of so-called „smart key components of automated driving. When Köster decides not to drive, it‘s cities“ - development concepts for ma- Köster sees his work in Oldenburg and mainly for safety reasons. „Most acci- king cities more efficient, more high The vehicle of the future: Frank Köster‘s car, designed at the German Aerospace Center, features a host of technical innovations, but the computer scientist still has to drive it – for now. A few years from now the car will drive itself. Braunschweig as „a perfect combinati- dents are the result of drivers‘ mistakes. tech, more environmentally friendly on“ – and he is the bridge between the Assistance and automation systems and more socially inclusive. Köster is two locations. can therefore boost safety and efficien- involved in this area of research too. At cy in the long term,“ Köster stresses. But Fliegerhorst, a former military airbase ”I find the developments first the systems themselves need to just outside Oldenburg, a „living lab“ be tested. „And for this we also need to for testing digital innovations is al- in computer science develop new methods. To obtain relia- ready in planning. Its various housing Hands off the incredibly exciting“ ble road results we would have to drive complexes will be used for testing in- well over 200 million test kilometres,“ novations like an automated parking The computer scientist is clearly Köster explains. But because this kind service and networked telemedicine. passionate about his field of research. of testing is unfeasible, simulators are Köster lives with his family in Steering Wheel „I find the developments in computer being developed. This is another thing Braunschweig. Here, too, he is invol- science incredibly exciting,“ he says. the scientists at Oldenburg and Braun- ved in the construction of a „smart „They are taking on a new form and schweig are working on together. city“. One day he may be able to use the being integrated into the automation Once automated driving on mo- innovations he is helping to develop Frank Köster has a vision: a car that he doesn‘t need to drive so he can read on the motorway of vehicles in technical systems that torways becomes possible it won‘t be today. And if his car can make the trip or simply watch nature go by. Together with his colleagues, the computer scientist is haven‘t changed in a long time.“ He more than a few years before cars can to the charging point on its own, that working to ensure that that vision goes into serial production within a few years‘ time points out that although there is a lot of do even more on their own, Köster says. will be one small task less for Köster to technology in vehicles nowadays, „the You could be sitting at the hairdresser‘s take care of - leaving him more time principle of using the steering wheel while your car goes to the supermarket for taking walks with his daughter. (dr) and pedals to drive them has remained the same.“ But Köster is convinced that When he‘s not working Frank Köster For Köster, driving a car is a waste of what embedded systems for auto- this will change in the next five years. prefers to leave the car in the garage. He time. So it seems logical that his field of mated driving should look like.“ The- „At least on motorways, automated particularly enjoys going for long walks research is automated and networked se systems take over monitoring and driving will also be possible in serial with his daughter. Walking through driving. steering functions in vehicles. „They products,“ he predicts. Partially auto- the woods and letting nature work on This is a complex subject that still perform their tasks largely unnoticed mated vehicle functions are already all his senses is his idea of relaxing. requires plenty of basic research, but by the user,“ Köster notes. Air bags and available on the market today. His job, however, involves lots of which is already seeing extensive tes- cruise control are examples of embed- However, they have one crucial di- travelling. He commutes between ting. Köster feels privileged to be able ded systems that were introduced in sadvantage: the driver still has to con- his two workplaces in Oldenburg and to participate in both research and tes- vehicles more than 30 years ago. Kös- centrate on the traffic and be ready to Braunschweig, but also travels a lot ting. His professorship at Oldenburg ter and his colleagues are developing take over in an emergency. Köster and around Germany and Europe. He uses University, „The Design of Intelligent integral systems in which a number his colleagues have more ambitious a car every now and then but prefers Transport Systems“, is oriented to- of otherwise autonomous embedded goals: they want the driver to be able taking the train because then he can wards basic research, Köster explains. systems come together and, for in- to give the car complete control. If a work at the same time. Around half „Together with colleagues from other stance, make it possible for vehicles to vehicle is controlled by cameras, sen- his working hours are spent on the go. fields I‘m examining questions like communicate with each other. sors, radars and laser scanners, the Cars will soon be able to do even more on their own, like looking for a free parking space.

8 EINBLICKE 2016 9 Research Update

Veterinary drugs in the soil and water Traffic safety on land and waterways Four new marine research groups In addition to nutrients that promote the environment. Animals excrete si- and in groundwater? Which drugs leave The ”Interdisciplinary Research Centre Institute of Transportation Systems plant growth, liquid manure also con- gnificant amounts of these drugs – in residues in the ground, meaning that – on Safety-Critical Systems Enginee- in Braunschweig and the competence Oldenburg University is in charge of tains residues of veterinary medicinal some cases up to 100 percent of the depending on the concentration – ring for Socio-Technical Systems“ at network SafeTRANS on the project. four out of six new groups in Lower products. A new team of junior resear- dose – either unchanged or as break- the local water supplier needs to take Oldenburg University has secured an The basic research already covers a bro- Saxony that are engaged in marine and chers led by Oldenburg hydrogeologist down products. A certain amount is action? Water suppliers must adhere initial sum of one million euros in fol- ad spectrum: one project is studying coastal research. Two of these projects Dr. Victoria Burke is studying the ef- retained in the ground (initially), some to stringent limits here because stu- low-up funding from the State of Lo- how motor vehicles can proactively involve members of the general public fects these residues have on soil where of it seeps away, and the rain washes dies have proven that drugs and other wer Saxony. The team of scientists in compensate for driver weaknesses, in the research. manure is used and also their impact some of it into the deeper soil layers, chemical residues have negative effects this joint project began their research while another is analysing the po- The four new research groups will on the groundwater from which we with each substance behaving diffe- on humans, animals and the environ- into safety in human interactions with tential risks of new methods for safe receive 5.1 million euros in funding source our drinking water. The Kurt rently in the process. Together with ment. In experiments of varying scales, complex technical systems in 2013. The ship navigation. A third project is ex- provided by the Ministry of Science and Eberhard Bode foundation is providing two PhD candidates Burke wants to from laboratory tests to field tests on a key goals of the second 18-month fun- amining safety issues in highly inter- Culture of Lower Saxony and the Volks- a total of 460,000 euros in funding for find out which drug residues quickly section of land provided by the Lower ding period are to expand knowledge in connected socio-technical systems, wagen Foundation‘s ”Niedersächsi- the research group at the University‘s make their way into the groundwater, Saxony Chamber of Agriculture, Burke basic research and to build up a unique and in addition there are research sches Vorab“ fund. Together with col- Institute for Biology and Environmen- how, in what concentration – and also hopes to gain an understanding of the pan-European research network in projects on the safe design of offshore leagues from the Institute for Biology tal Sciences. The funding period ends which substances are retained in the entire process, from the point at which the field of safety-critical systems. The operations and on adaptive integrated and Environmental Sciences, as well as in 2019. unsaturated upper layers either tem- the residues enter the ground to the University and its affiliated OFFIS in- ship bridges which are able to adjust to cooperation partners both inside and The use of industrial fertilisers such porarily or for longer periods of time. point where they reach the groundwa- stitute are cooperating with the DLR different nautical tasks. outside Germany, by 2020 the scien- as liquid manure on areas used for Their research will also examine how ter. The research will also focus on the tists at the Institute for Chemistry and agriculture is considered to be one of these tracers are broken down. What question of how laboratory results can Biology of the Marine Environment the principal ways in which veteri- happens with antibiotics for example? be designed to better reflect events as (ICBM) hope to find answers to a num- nary drug residues are released into How quickly are they broken down in soil they occur in nature. ber of questions. New insights into the theory of relativity A project led by Prof. Dr. Oliver Zie- linski is investigating whether the Fresh impetus for research in the field the University of Bremen. Gravitatio- amount of light penetrating the wa- of gravitational physics in north-west nal physics has become an increasingly ter in coastal areas is decreasing, and Germany: the German Research Foun- topical and exciting field of research in what impact this would have on the dation (DFG) has approved the con- recent years thanks to confirmation of North Sea coast‘s ecosystem. Citizens tinuation of the Research Training the existence of gravitational waves can contribute to the project by provi- Group ”Models of Gravity“. The group and the fact that these are created th- ding sea colour data obtained using the will receive a total of 4.2 million euros rough the merging of two stellar-mass EyeOnWater app specially developed in funding. It is led by Prof. Dr. Jutta black holes. The scientists hope to gain for this purpose. Kunz of Oldenburg University‘s Ins- fresh insights about the equivalence To study the sources, dispersal path- titute for Physics and Prof. Dr. Claus principle and by extension about the ways and contamination zones of Lämmerzahl of the Center of Applied foundational basis of the theory of re- macroplastics in Germany‘s North Sea Space Technology and Microgravity at lativity. coastal areas, another research team led by Prof. Dr. Jörg-Olaf Wolff is put- ting some 100,000 pieces of wood into the water. The team would like people Kale prevents cancer who find these ”drifters“ to report the location online at macroplastics.de. Kale is considerably more effective at they made an amazing discovery: A team of researchers led by Prof. protecting against cancer than other northern German kale varieties cont- Dr. Helmut Hillebrand and Prof. Dr. vegetable varieties, a team of Olden- ain ten times more cancer-preventing Bettina Meyer is studying the impact burg researchers led by Prof. Dr. Dirk substances than broccoli, the front on a marine ecosystem when one ma- Albach of the Institute for Biology and runner up to now. Kale owes its can- rine animal species gradually ousts Environmental Sciences working to- cer-preventing properties to its high another from the system as a result gether with chemists from the Jacobs content of glucosinolates, which the of climatic factors in the Southern University Bremen has discovered. human organism breaks down into Sea. The fourth research team, hea- They were looking for kale varieties sulphur compounds. Certain sulphur ded by Prof. Dr. Thorsten Dittmar and that were low in bitter-tasting com- compounds have been proven to have Dr. Hannelore Waska, is focusing on pounds but rich in cancer-preventing chemopreventive effects, which means groundwater and the underground Hydrogeologist Victoria Burke: tracing the pathways of veterinary drugs at three different levels of analysis. substances, and during this search they help protect against cancer. transport of nutrients from land to sea.

10 EINBLICKE 2016 11 Research Update

High-tech for cutting-edge research Junior Research Group: How knowledge is created through music

Large machines are indispensable for optimise layer structures in batteries to purchase the second from the Fe- With the support of her own junior personae themselves. In such produc- selected case studies stretching across top-level research. In 2015 the Univer- and solar cells. deral Ministry for Economic Affairs research group and funding from the tions the history of music is presented time and space, from the Parisian be- sity received funds to the tune of seve- The University has also acquired and Energy. The total investment German Research Foundation‘s pres- and experienced in a very special way: ginnings of historiographic musical ral million euros to acquire high-end two new supercomputers. Together amount is five million euros. tigious Emmy Noether Programme, it is sung, spoken, played or compo- theatre in the 18th century and the technology. Most of the money came “CARL“ and “EDDY“ are among the The University‘s scientists in the fields musicologist Dr. Anna Langenbruch is sed. In this way the history of music problematic nature of voice historio- from federal and state budgets. fastest supercomputers in the world of psychology and medicine will be able investigating ”The History of Music on itself becomes an aesthetic event. The graphy to the stage expertise of con- Chemists and physicists at Oldenburg and one of the most powerful com- to use the new magnetic resonance the Stage“. The group will receive a to- researchers are interested in exami- temporary opera houses. University will now be able to use a puter cluster in Germany‘s univer- imaging (MRI) scanner at the School of tal of 1.1 million euros in funding from ning how this form of production of In the sub-project ”Mozart on Stage“, new X-Ray Photoelectron Spectrome- sity research landscape. Around 200 Medicine and Health Sciences (Faculty the five-year programme. With the knowledge functions, or in other words Daniel Samaga is analysing typical ter (XPS) for their research. This device scientists from more than 30 research VI) for their research. The MRI scanner addition of musicologists and drama how knowledge about music is con- narrative strategies of historiographic performs chemical analyses of solid groups are using the newly availab- has already been used for a study on experts Daniel Samaga and Clémence veyed through the medium of music. musical theatre using the example of object surfaces – an important functi- le computing power for numerical the effects of chronic pain which was Schupp, who joined Langenbruch‘s Through the project they hope to gain Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, a central on in materials research. The layers it simulations. The computers receive carried out by the University in colla- project in August, the team is now new insights for the historiography of figure in musical theatre history. The analyses are five nanometres thick, or funding from two separate budgets: boration with the Klinikum Olden- complete. music, as well as for the historiography third sub-project, ”The History of Mu- just one ten-thousandth the diameter the German Research Foundation burg. The scanner is also an important The musicologists are studying how of the arts in general. sic in Popular Musical Theatre from of a hair. In a group led by Prof. Dr. (DFG) and the State of Lower Saxony new research tool for the ”Hearing4all“ musical history is reconstructed in The project is divided into three parts, 1970 Onwards“, focuses on perception Gunther Wittstock, professor of che- provided the funds for one of them Cluster of Excellence, which can use it musical theatre – for example in ope- each with their own specific emphasis processes. Here, Clémence Schupp is mistry, Oldenburg scientists are using while the ForWind Centre for Wind for imaging brain structures involved ras, operettas and musicals. There are as regards content and method. Under using a selection of productions about this technology among other things to Energy Research received the funding in the hearing process. hundreds of works that deal with mu- the heading ”Music|History|Theatre“ historic chanson and jazz singers to sicians such as Mozart, Farinelli, Clara Anna Langenbruch is exploring the examine how the actors involved in Schumann, Edith Piaf or the Beatles. history of musico-historical know- these productions experience and These historic figures have frequently ledge production. Her methodological shape the confrontation with the his- Education for Sustainability: Four new projects ”Hearing for all“ been presented on stage as dramatis reflections are based on the analysis of tory of music on stage.

Making socially challenging educa- flats and in coastal areas as an impor- Excellent hearing research: the ”Hea- tional topics accessible for youths is tant task in schools and non-school ring4all“ Cluster of Excellence compe- the goal of four closely interconnec- learning environments. In his project ted successfully in the „Cutting-Edge ted projects at the University which aspects of marine and coastal dynamics Research in Lower Saxony“ competi- will receive a total of 800,000 euros in the context of climate change will tion organised by the Lower Saxony in funds from the German Federal En- be analysed and prepared as teaching Ministry for Science and Culture and vironmental Foundation (DBU). The content and then integrated into the the foundation VolkswagenStiftung. educational materials and concepts educational activities of the Lower Sax- With the one million euros in funding developed within these projects are to ony Wadden Sea National Park. they secured, the researchers from be made available to school and non- Chemistry educationalist Prof. Dr. Vere- Oldenburg and Hanover plan to begin school educational establishments. na Pietzner wants lessons with a greater research in new fields and at the same Technology educationalist Prof. Dr. emphasis on vocational orientation. In time work on boosting the Cluster‘s Peter Röben and project manager Dr. her school laboratory CHEMOL, pupils chances of receiving follow-on funding Katharina Dutz view teaching pupils are given special exercises that serve as in the German Universities Excellence and trainee teachers the knowledge an introduction to careers in trade and Initiative. and skills necessary to carry out repairs industry, landscape conservation, admi- The new two-year research unit ”Hea- as an integral component of education nistration and environmental analysis. ring for all“ aims to bridge the gap bet- in technology and computer science Biology educationalist Prof. Dr. Corin- ween specialised hearing research and aimed at sustainability. In a project ti- na Hößle and her colleagues Anja Wüb- a sustained impact on patients‘ every- tled RETIBNE, and together with com- ben and Dr. Holger Winkler advocate day lives. To this end the researchers puter science educationalist Prof. Dr. transfer of knowledge about current are focusing on three important and Ira Diethelm, they are developing exer- marine research in schools, teacher pioneering challenges: audiological cises involving repairs to help pupils training and national park facilities. precision medicine, improved machine acquire the practical skills necessary They aim to build up a network that processing of language, and new ma- to carry out such tasks. connects the University with national terials and control mechanisms for the Physics educationalist Prof. Dr. Michael park facilities and to launch innovative hearing aids of the future. Prof. Dr. Dr. Komorek sees the discussion of the educational initiatives at the ”Learning Birger Kollmeier is the coordinator of physical mechanisms at work in mud Laboratory Wadden Sea“. the Oldenburg research unit. A prestigious programme for junior researchers: Anna Langebruch has put together her own team of researchers.

12 EINBLICKE 2016 13 Portrait

may have evaded millions of euros in extreme events he resorts to so-called has also been involved in contributing taxes? How to calculate the total cu- robust statistics. “They bring a fun- to the statistics software “R”, together mulated damages if a physician has damental scepticism to calculation with many other experts. Using this systematically submitted false claims models designed to describe reality, open source software – “which is ac- for reimbursement? These are the sort because in this school of thought you tually the computational foundation of questions that the 46-year-old ma- never know whether a past event will of what we are working with here” – thematician and his working group be recurrent, reproducible in the fu- together with his group, he is main- spend their days trying to answer. ture or whether it was just a one-off,” taining about 20 extension packages. When he talks about his research, Ruckdeschel explains. „Consequently When it comes to large data sets pa- he weighs his words carefully. Because you try not to give too much weight to rallelization, i.e. dividing the workload whether he’s dealing with banks or any single event, including the more among many computing units, helps flood protection, whether the search is extreme ones.“ to substantially reduce computation for tax evaders, fraudsters or the right This approach is also applied in time, and “R” provides a powerful in- combination of planned operations fraud detection: “When you generate frastructure to this end. “We have the to achieve maximum cost-efficiency a procedure that picks out Uli Hoeneß necessary computing clusters here in in a hospital – in the many and ever from thousands of tax files, it is doubt- Oldenburg so that a task that a nor- new areas in which Ruckdeschel is ap- ful that there will be another Uli Hoe- mal computer would take 100 days to plying his expertise, suspected crimes, neß any time soon,” the statistician perform can be completed in one and criminal investigations or substantial stresses. “In other words, it is doubtful a half days.” economic interests are quite often in- whether a procedure tailored to the Large volumes of data are also the volved. “For obvious reasons many of specificities of a small minority can reason why Peter Ruckdeschel has In the many and ever new areas in which Ruckdeschel now applies his expertise, suspected crimes, criminal investigations or substan- tial economic interests are quite often involved. the specific details in these cases are be used to make predictions in other been called in as an expert witness confidential and are therefore not pu- cases. And here the robust approach is in lawsuits in cases of medical billing blished” he says. more sceptical. It demands empirical fraud. When the prosecution is not One of the focal points of Ruckde- evidence that such – or similar – cases able to check each individual bill sub- schel’s research is risk quantification, won‘t just occur once, but more often.” mitted for reimbursement, a carefully in which he addresses such things as selected sample is decisive in helping so-called operational risks for banks. ”Tackle problems to determine a lower confidence limit Banks are obliged to protect themsel- for damages with 99.5 percent certain- The Appeal of Numbers that actually come up“ ves against losses, for example through ty. This, too, requires the expertise of fraud, by setting money aside. “But ca- a statistician like Ruckdeschel who, pital is expensive, which is why banks Aside from isolated cases involving together with other colleagues, is cur- His domain is statistics, but thanks to his expertise in this field he is active in a number of need these risk quantifications to be as millions in dodged taxes the statis- rently setting up the “Centre for Sta- other fields too. Peter Ruckdeschel gives us a few insights into his research, the details of accurate as possible,” he says. And this tician is aiming for “a procedure that tistics in Oldenburg & Bremen” as a which are often confidential is where statistics come in. What is the substantially improves on tax inspec- hub for other scientists from the two probability of specific events occurring, tors simply reaching blindly into the fi- universities, as well as for businesses. and what is the severity distribution of les.” Ruckdeschel elaborates: “It’s about He has already started to create links the respective damages or to which de- being able to quantify more precisely between his research and a number gree is the bank exposed to these risks? how valuable the presence of a par- of other disciplines in Oldenburg, for It was not your usual cowboy film. It blem in your head, you can’t let it go you can’t let this drop, you keep asking But even for a statistics expert the ticular feature might be for identifying example healthcare research, biolo- was an epic documentary about the last and it keeps popping up at the most in- yourself whether five is good or not. It’s answer is anything but trivial. Be- something as suspicious.” In this task, gy, economics and the neurosciences. cow herders in Italy and he saw it with convenient moments.” Like back then a classical problem with a beautiful so- cause damages that occur frequently as a mathematician, he says, here, as Statistics is by definition an “interface a fellow student at a film festival in Hof, at the film festival, recalls Ruckdeschel, lution. And according to that solution but mostly on a relatively small scale – in all domains, he relies on the domain science”, Ruckdeschel believes, “and Upper Franconia, some 20 years ago. who is now a statistics professor and five is extremely good. But we didn’t credit card fraud, for example – cannot knowledge of experts in the respec- going outside the field provides a cons- Peter Ruckdeschel is a film enthusiast, has been teaching and conducting re- know that at the time and so we walked be assessed in the same way as cases tive field. This is crucial to avoid false tant source of new ideas. In this way, but this is not why he is telling this search at Oldenburg since 2015. through town as if on autopilot, discus- like that of former trader Jérôme Ker- alarms, as a computer easily needs to its applications trigger new research. anecdote from his university days – Right at the beginning of the do- sing different approaches.” viel, who accrued stock market losses check thousands of features in order to You tackle problems that actually come he’s using it to illustrate one of the cumentary an old cattle herder talks Today Peter Ruckdeschel seeks so- running into billions. “Damages on sort tax returns, for example, into the up.” Indeed this is one reason why he downsides of his academic discipline, about how, on his first day of work, lutions in a number of different fields: this scale don’t occur very often so the more suspect ones and the less suspect, ended up in statistics in the first place. mathematics. his boss gave him 20 cows to look after How much capital should a bank set statistics are trickier,” Ruckdeschel he explains. “One day you’re working with a biolo- Because while one advantage of and told him each of their names. At aside as a buffer to cover vast sums lost says, explaining that statistics achieve To ensure that statisticians every- gist, the next with a judge – it‘s very maths is that it can be done anywhere – the end of the day – much to his dis- by employees on the stock market, for their full potential and precision when where are able to make calculations varied. You have to constantly reassess ”all you need is pencil and paper” – it may – he could only remember five example? How can tax inspectors most case numbers are higher. according to the latest technical stan- your ideas, but that’s what makes it so also means that “once you have a pro- of their names. “As a mathematician efficiently track down offenders who In order to also do justice to rare and dards, for several years Ruckdeschel exciting.” (ds)

14 EINBLICKE 2016 15 Cover Topic

Pioneering Work in Marine Research

Bernd Blasius (left) and Helmut Hillebrand: ”There is still plenty of room for proper pioneering work in the field of biodiversity.“

Biologist Helmut Hillebrand and physicist Bernd Blasius What does the topic of biodiversity Blasius: Incidentally, from a scien- to ascertain how many species really developments accurately. There are are representative of the interdisciplinarity in Olden- mean for you? tific point of view it is truly amazing have died out and how quickly this has basic theoretical papers from the 1960s burg University‘s marine research. In an interview the Hillebrand: Biodiversity is a concept how little we know about biodiversity. happened – in other words the number which say that more complex, more that aims to describe the diversity of We don‘t know exactly how diverse of species that have become extinct and diverse systems are inherently un- two scientists from the Institute for Chemistry and life forms. These can be different spe- our planet is, nor do we understand the rate at which they are dying out. If stable. Conversely, that would mean Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) talk about cies, different types of habitat within the function of biodiversity. Is there we take the example of amphibians, that lower diversity leads to more sta- dramatic extinction rates, open questions, invasions a certain region, or populations com- a minimum level of biodiversity we many of which are at great risk, the ble systems, which in theory would be prising different genetic information. need here on Earth? This question has actual number of properly documented a good thing. These theoretical state- and valuable ”green soup“. And about the new Helm- It has been a key concept of ecology yet to be answered. At the same time extinction events is not particularly ments, however, stand in stark cont- holtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity in Ol- ever since ecology came into being. it‘s alarming to see that we live in an high. Of course today we are still well rast to the findings of numerous field denburg, which got the green light from the Helmholtz Already in the 19th century the zoolo- age in which biodiversity is declining below the kind of extinction quotas studies which show that systems with gist and naturalist Ernst Haeckel, who dramatically. Faster than ever before reached during the five major mass lower biodiversity are considerably less Association in October coined the term ”ecology“, spent most on Earth. This discrepancy is a strong extinctions of this geological era. Be- stable and more vulnerable to invasion of his time making wonderful scienti- motivation for many of our students tween 75 and 98 percent of all species and parasites. We have already obser- fic drawings of biological diversity. For to study biodiversity. died out during these events. What ved this with monoculture farming. me personally, biodiversity was what really worries us today is the rate at To date, the whole diversity-stability motivated me to study ecology in the The loss of biological diversity is one which species are becoming extinct. debate per se is entirely unresolved. We first place. The question of why some of the greatest threats to humanity – This has the same impact for mankind still don‘t know whether lower diver- species live together and others don‘t, would you subscribe to this sentence as climate change. sity means that vital functions of the and how they interact has always fas- from a Green politician? Blasius: But the problem is that we ecosystem as a whole are lost. cinated me. Hillebrand: First of all it‘s important can‘t even assess the scope of these Hillebrand: … and for me, too, this is

16 EINBLICKE 2016 17 precisely the question that drives my genization and ultimately to less spe- birds and butterflies, marine species research. With climate change we al- cies diversity on our planet. In this are hard to get to, and for many people ready have global models that can tell scenario all that would be left across they often remain abstract. us with relative certainty how the tem- the world is a handful of dominant spe- peratures or rainfall in specific regions cies that are very similar to each other. Biodiversity and marine science is are going to change. But we don’t have Particularly in coastal regions, invasion a focal topic of research at Olden- them for biological diversity. is a significant factor behind changes burg University. What makes it so in aquatic communities. special? Speaking of the climate, what im- Hillebrand: There are above all two pact do climate changes have on bio- ”We‘re still in the very early things that set us apart from similar diversity? Is it possible to make any research institutions. Firstly we stu- stages when it comes to clear statements on this? dy biodiversity both in the sea and on Blasius: No. Or at least there is no clear marine conservation“ land. The Institute for Biology and En- pattern. It may well be that changes Helmut Hillebrand vironmental Sciences is an important in the climate increase biodiversity partner here. Take the artificial islands in certain regions because they allow You‘re talking about marine biodi- near the East Frisian Island of Spiek- other species to specialize there. But versity. Is the knowledge gap here as eroog – created to find answers to ques- they may also have the opposite effect – large as it is in terrestrial research? tions about species diversity and the so when it comes to species diversity Or even larger? colonization of newly formed islands. there are winners and there are losers. Hillebrand: Unfortunately our know- Thereby we also examine the intersec- That’s why it‘s very difficult to make ledge of marine biodiversity is far more tion between land and sea. Secondly, at these predictions. A key factor that limited. The little we do know is de- ICBM we focus on interdisciplinarity. Interdisciplinarity in action: Biologist Helmut Hillebrand watches physicist and modeller Bernd Blasius at work. contributes to changing biodiversity duced on the one hand using global Elsewhere research is primarily orga- patterns on our planet is invasion … distribution data on organisms that nismic and biological, which accounts can be identified relatively easily. For for only about a third of the work. We Your speciality ... example we know that Steller‘s sea also have access to enormous expertise gible. Around 90 percent of the studies that there is still plenty of room for one nation. That means that national Blasius: That‘s right – we are working cow has been wiped out because it is in chemistry and physics. on this topic focus mainly on primary proper pioneering work in the field of legislation and initiatives can‘t achieve with several colleagues on this topic. no longer to be found anywhere. On production, or in other words the pro- biodiversity! Even students often ex- much here. Secondly, the things that The vectors of bioinvasion are global the other hand we work with long- So a genuinely interdisciplinary duction of biomass via photosynthesis. plore unknown territory during their can be used to change and influence transport systems like ships, which term monitoring data. Unfortunately, approach? By integrating physics and geochemi- research internships. marine biodiversity are not localised. carry species and organisms back and long-term time series as done on Hel- Hillebrand: Absolutely, and it is very cal research groups here at the ICBM On land the situation is clear: a square forth across the world. If we look at the goland, where data has been gathered rewarding. We can team up with mo- we have acquired an unusually strong So what are the questions of the fu- metre of land that I convert into farm- impact, once again there are no clear for decades, are the exception to the delling and hydrodynamics experts understanding of the processes invol- ture for you? land is definitely no longer uncultiva- patterns: in some areas invasion can rule. We can‘t make any realistic pro- so that theory and empirics go hand ved. With our projects we have become Hillebrand: One area we want to fo- ted land. At sea, by contrast, it‘s mainly lead to greater biodiversity. The Pacific jections about the biodiversity of the in hand. We can exchange insights an integral part of interdisciplinary cus on in future is the fundamentals about food extraction, but this doesn‘t oyster in the Wadden Sea is a good North Sea in 100 years‘ time at this with our geochemists about organic environmental research. This is how of marine conservation. The central change the sea‘s surface. There is no example. So far it hasn‘t caused any stage. Another thing that is lacking is substances in the sea – in other words we see ourselves and this is what de- question here is: How do you protect impact on the surface, which means apparent damage and in fact appears ”citizen science“: research carried out the products and resources of microbes fines biodiversity research in Olden- marine ecosystems? The problem is area-based conservation would be ex- to have enriched the ecosystem. But by enthusiastic amateurs that provides which would normally be the preserve burg. that the underlying concepts all come tremely difficult to implement. So from a global point of view such inva- us with additional data, as is the case of a biologist. This makes the aspect of from terrestrial nature conservation we‘re still in the very early stages when sions could lead to increased homo- with terrestrial biodiversity. Unlike ecosystem functioning far more tan- What does that mean for you as a research. The focus so far is on esta- it comes to marine conservation. physicist and modeller? blishing areas for conservation, thus Blasius: That‘s exactly how I see it too. reducing or stopping exploitation in A second important question is The fitness of a species, which deter- certain protected areas. There are alrea- strongly linked to the social scien- mines whether or not it is threatened dy professorships for the conservation ces. Prof. Dr. Helmut Hillebrand by extinction, depends as much on its of terrestrial ecosystems. We don‘t have Hillebrand: Yes, the second topic we Marine biologist and biodiversity expert Helmut Hillebrand heads the „Planktonology“ chemical and physical environment all these things in marine research yet. want to make headway with is so- research group at the ICBM and coordinates the „Marine Biodiversity“ research centre as it does on its biological environ- For very plausible reasons: for example called ”ecosystem services“. This re- with the University of Bremen. Also a coordinator of the BEFmate research project ment. It is only through the interaction how does one go about protecting mo- fers to the services that the ecosystem on biodiversity and ecosystem function relationships, his research topics include between biologists, geochemists, mo- bile species that use extensive areas? performs for us which benefit society. monitoring concepts for the German Bight and marine food chains in the Southern dellers and physical oceanographers Would an area-based approach using These can be anything from providing Ocean. Hillebrand has been appointed as the director of the new Helmholtz Institute that we can gain a comprehensive so-called ”Marine Protected Areas“ food in the form of fish to breaking for Functional Marine Biodiversity in Oldenburg, which will commence its activities in understanding of an environmental be adequate here? Firstly, most of the down harmful substances. They can‘t 2017. He is one of the most frequently cited scientists worldwide in his field. system. Another exciting incentive is areas in question don’t belong to any be defined from the perspective of the

18 EINBLICKE 2016 19 Cover Topic Prof. Dr. Bernd Blasius Physicist Bernd Blasius is the director of the ICBM and heads the interdisciplinary re- search group „Mathematical Modelling“ there. Blasius is an expert in global transport routes, bioinvasion and the spread of infectious diseases, and is also one of the ICBM‘s researchers at the Helmholtz Virtual Institute „Polar Time“. There he is developing ma- thematical models for developing krill populations and also studying the adaptability of marine invertebrates.

natural sciences. Expertise in the so- dibly valuable. But try telling that to a are planning a theory and computer cial sciences is what is needed here! tourism manager! So there are ecosys- science professorship to advance mo- Take the ocean, for example: it extracts tem services that definitely have a divi- delling in these areas. It‘s also worth most of the carbon dioxide from the sive impact. This calls for a perspective mentioning that Germany‘s two lar- atmosphere and deposits it in the deep that takes into account society in all gest research vessels will be among sea, using it as a kind of warehouse. its complexity. This is the second big this new research consortium‘s ”re- It‘s like a biological carbon pump. This gap we would like to close in marine sources“. The ICBM is the home in- process requires the production of large biodiversity research. stitute of the ”Sonne“ research ship Blasius: And we want to do this to- and the AWI has the ”Polarstern“. If we gether with the Alfred Wegener In- add the Senckenberg am Meer rese- ”Data and knowledge What is the secret of the Roseobacter clade‘s success? Microbiologist Meinhard Simon is edging closer to unravelling this mystery. stitute (AWI). We‘ve just started setting arch centre and the Centre for Tropical about all the world‘s oce- up a research cluster called ”Marine Marine Ecology to the equation, both ans at our disposal“ Diversity“, and at the same time we‘re of which we also work closely with, Bernd Blasius establishing the Helmholtz Institute we have data and knowledge at our for Functional Marine Biodiversity. disposal about all the world‘s oceans, This means we will have a Helmholtz from the tropics to the polar regions. amounts of algae. So one conclusion centre here on the Oldenburg campus. In combination with the interdiscip- The Allrounders would be that stopping climate change The key elements of this project are linarity we practice in Oldenburg this will require large-scale production of two new professorships: one for ”Mari- puts us in a unique and clearly visible algae. In other words, this green soup ne Conservation“ and one for ”Marine position internationally. may not look very nice but it is incre- Ecosystem Services“. In addition we Interview: Volker Sandmann, Deike Stolz of the Oceans

Marine Roseobacter reduce the greenhouse effect, supply algae with vital vitamins and help fish to grow. Professor Meinhard Simon is studying these multi-talented and versatile marine bacteria in a Collaborative Research Centre at Oldenburg

A library full of mutants – what discovering the secret of their success. Oldenburg, Braunschweig and Göt- sounds like something out of a horror Prof. Dr. Meinhard Simon started tingen. The team comprises micro- film is actually cutting-edge biological working towards this vision almost biologists, physiologists, ecologists, research. The scientists of the ”Roseo- 20 years ago. He is a microbiologist at geneticists, genomics scientists, bio- bacter“ Collaborative Research Cent- Oldenburg‘s Institute for Chemistry technologists, organic chemists, and re (CRC) keep 4,000 bacteria with ge- and Biology of the Marine Environ- geochemists. ”We have the leading netic variations, mutants, at the ready. ment (ICBM) and the coordinator of the German experts in this field of research Frozen in little plastic tubes at minus Collaborative Research Centre ”Ecolo- all working together here, so we can co- 80 degrees, they are kept on standby to gy, Physiology and Molecular Biology ver every conceivable question almost be activated whenever needed. These of the Roseobacter Clade: Towards a perfectly,“ Simon explains. genetically manipulated tiny living Systems Biology Understanding of a And there are plenty of questions. organisms serve as comparison mate- Globally Important Clade of Marine ”These bacteria are capable of pret- rial for various analyses conducted on Bacteria“. Eighty researchers, from PhD ty much anything,“ the scientist says. ”normal“ organisms. All with the sole students to professors, are investiga- They are found in almost all oceanic Further research needed: Realistic predictions about how the North Sea‘s biodiversity will develop over the next 100 years are not yet objective of unravelling the mystery ting the particularities of this group ecosystems – from the surface to the possible. of the Roseobacter clade bacteria and of bacteria at three different locations: deep sea, and from the tropics to the

20 EINBLICKE 2016 21 researchers know relatively little at are formed. This natural ”air condi- bolism of these bacteria – precisely this stage about the role they play in tioning“ would not function with- how it works and how the metabo- their environment, what they do know out the roseobacters. Some scientists lites affect other living organisms, for sounds very promising. Their rapid me- even believe that in certain places algae example the algae that benefit from tabolism helps the surrounding orga- and bacteria could neutralise the global the vitamins. For the last two years nisms such as algae, for example, which warming caused by humans. Simon is the emphasis has been on genomic cannot produce their own vitamin B12. reluctant to go that far, but he too is analysis, in other words studying the Even humans benefit: eating algae is convinced that ”roseobacters definitely genetic makeup and the role it plays in considered healthy in many cultures. contribute to a healthy climate.“ metabolic processes. This is where the ”We believe that what makes algae so The Roseobacter Collaborative mutant library comes into play, which healthy are the roseobacters living on Research Centre is now in its second Simon describes as ”a fantastic in- The scientists use a rosette system for collecting water samples at different depths (l.). The bacteria are then subjected to detailed analysis in the laboratory (r.). them, and humans benefit from their funding phase. To avoid drowning strument for finding answers to highly vitamins,“ says Simon. Roseobacters in the overwhelming diversity of the specific questions.“ In a sub-project, producing the antibiotic substance Roseobacter bacteria the researchers his team, led by marine microbiologist mentioned above, tropodithietic acid, are focussing on just two clade mem- Prof. Dr. Thorsten Brinkhoff, is investi- polar regions. They even colonise oxy- organism was rod-shaped and appro- own characteristics, just like provinces are now being used in aquaculture to bers: ”Phaeobacter inhibens“, which gating how algae react when a bacte- gen-free sediments and pack ice, ear- ximately three micrometres in length, on land. How do the bacteria of the protect fish larvae from harmful germs. Simon‘s team has been studying since rium suddenly stops producing certain ning them a reputation as the ”oppor- a micrometre being one millionth of Roseobacter clade live together with the start of the millennium, and ”Din- substances. To do this the researchers tunists“ among marine bacteria, and a metre. other bacteria in the individual pro- Clouds for a oroseobacter shibae“. The latter has a put together an alga and a mutant that they can adapt better than any other In the years that followed the re- vinces? This is one of the questions the less versatile metabolism but posses- has been genetically manipulated to healthy climate group to changing conditions. ”They searchers in Simon‘s team continued researchers are now hoping to answer, ses other notable abilities: it can use not produce certain signalling sub- are truly unique in this respect,“ Simon to come across members of this family by extracting a total of 45,000 litres light as an energy source and can even stances. They then compare the result notes, adding: ”We have probably all of bacteria – in mud flats, in the North of water from the Pacific at 19 diffe- Roseobacters also help maintain a survive in anaerobic environments. with the interaction between an alga encountered them somewhere – on Sea and during a research trip in the rent locations. Everything is running healthy climate by promoting cloud Scientists are continuously discovering and a normal bacterium. In this way seaweed, shells, snails, starfish and Southern Ocean. ”That was when we smoothly, including the transport of formation. If algae come under stress, bacteria that are genetically related they are piecing together the puzzle also worms.“ Particularly in open water realised that this clade was incredibly the samples to Oldenburg in huge cool for example due to high temperatures, to the Roseobacter clade, new-found of the perfectly coordinated interplay they play a major role. interesting,“ the microbiologist recalls. boxes. Next comes the analysis, which many of them produce a sulphur com- relatives, so to speak. So how many between organisms in the sea. The story of the Oldenburg scientist The US-based Moore Foundation and will take several years. pound which roseobacters can convert branches are there in this family tree? The researchers of the Collaborative and his ”multi-talented bacteria“ be- the Ministry for Science and Culture Nonetheless already Simon conclu- into dimethyl sulphide. This rises into Hundreds – and their number is gro- Research Centre are convinced that gan in autumn 1997. Simon was just for Lower Saxony financed the first des: ”The Sonne expedition has been the air and causes clouds to form. The wing. ”This almost automatically raises they will be able to solve some of the settling in as a newly appointed pro- genome analyses. ”By then we alrea- a complete success.“ The high-tech clouds block the sunlight and the tem- new questions. That‘s what makes it so mysteries of these vital marine bacte- fessor at Oldenburg University when dy had nearly everything we needed ship – whose home institution is the perature drops. When temperatures exciting,“ Simon believes. ria. Next year they will apply for a third the State of Lower Saxony launched a to apply for a CRC,“ Simon says. Their ICBM – is an excellent platform for this drop the algae calm down; they produce In the Collaborative Research Cen- funding phase, and Simon is confident programme on the biotechnological application was approved by the Ger- sort of work. On-board comfort is also less sulphur and the bacteria have less tre‘s first phase of funding from 2010 that they will secure it. There is certain- uses of marine bacteria. He signed up – man Research Foundation (DFG) in excellent, he says, with the mess (the material to convert, and fewer clouds to 2013 the focus was on the meta- ly no shortage of open questions. (bb) and with great success: ”We were November 2009. ”We were delighted. eating area) situated well above the fortunate enough to be able to isolate It was like a reward for the enormous waterline and featuring large panora- a bacterium that produces a highly amount of work we had put into this mic windows. ”Just having a view like effective antibiotic.“ It was closely re- subject,“ he recalls. But that was only that makes it special,“ he adds. Another lated to a bacterium that had already the beginning. research expedition with the ”Sonne“ been discovered but was still relatively is planned for January to the end of unknown, and which the researchers 45.000 litres taken February 2017, starting from New Zea- then examined more closely in a com- land and heading for the Subantarctic. out of the Pacific parative study. Both bacteria proved ”Then we‘ll have covered practically extremely interesting because not only the whole Pacific, from the Subarctic do they synthesise tropodithietic acid, Auckland, 1 May 2016: The sun shi- to the Subantarctic. There has never an antibiotic, but they can also produce nes brightly as 40 scientists set off to been anything like it, not even for other other natural substances which benefit sea in the research vessel ”Sonne“. Thir- marine bacteria,“ Simon points out. the various organisms around them. ty-four days out on the open Pacific lie Living on a ship for weeks on end, col- Vitamin B12, for example, which helps ahead. The plan is to arrive in Alaska lecting and filtering thousands of litres algae grow. The researchers named the at the beginning of June. The resear- of water, then analysing it in the labo- bacterium ”Phaeobacter inhibens T5“ chers want to gather samples from the ratory – are these tiny living organisms – it was the first „Oldenburg“ Roseob- ocean‘s various biogeographical pro- really worth all the trouble? ”Absolutely,“ acter bacterium. The newly discovered vinces. These provinces each have their says the microbiologist. Although the A colourful display under the microscope.

22 EINBLICKE 2016 23 Cover Topic

by terrestrial ecologist Kleyer and a organised the construction of the arti- The colonization of these minia- team of students, PhD students and ficial islands – back-breaking work, as ture islands is a dynamic process that postdoctoral researchers off the coast the researchers weren‘t allowed to use will continue for years – too long for of Spiekeroog in the summer of 2014. anything but shovels and wheelbar- this research project, which was ini- The metal containers used to construct rows in this highly protected UNESCO tially designed to last just three years the islands are clearly visible from the World Heritage Site. The project suf- and comes to an end in 2017. ”This is a ferry; they flash in the sunlight, and in fered a terrible setback early on when long-term experiment: it involves the rainy or stormy weather they look like the first island constructions built in growth of generations of plants that mini fortresses. Seen from the ship the summer of 2013 were completely could provide us with solid answers you would never guess that this is an destroyed by Cyclone Xaver in Decem- to urgent questions. We hope it will be unique large-scale project. ber of the same year. ”We were pretty extended to 12 years, but the funding In the joint research project BEF- disappointed,“ Kleyer recalls, but the is not yet secure,“ says Kleyer. Ecologi- mate (Biodiversity effects on ecosys- team refused to be discouraged and cal processes take time – especially in tem functioning across marine and went ahead with a second attempt – highly dynamic habitats like coastal terrestrial ecosystems) marine and this time successful. The new metal areas. The balanced conditions found terrestrial scientists from the univer- cages, made of the same steel used in woodland ecosystems never develop sities of Oldenburg and Göttingen are for ships, have withstood the wind, in this kind of habitat. The only con- working side by side for the first time weather and storm tides for just over stant in the Wadden Sea is the interac- to gain transdisciplinary insights for two years now. Situated at a distance tion between high and low tide. biodiversity research. They have built of between 300 and 500 metres from a huge open-air laboratory covering the salt marshes near the National Park Three flood zones for Landscape ecologist Michael Kleyer is studying how islands form in the Wadden Sea. He coordinated the construction of a group of small artificial islands for his research. a surface area of 120 square metres – a Centre Wittbülten, they are waiting to ”saltwater showers“ of scientific Garden of Eden for biologists, be colonised – by plant seeds washed geologists, ecologists and environmen- up by the sea or carried by the wind, varying duration tal scientists. Eight PhD students and and also by insects, worms or birds – several post doctoral researchers from like the oystercatcher. But the resear- Each little island has a surface area Oldenburg and Göttingen are docu- chers don‘t just want to know which of 12 square metres and is split into menting how mudflat communities plants and animals will cross the barrier three levels, each at a different height. An Open-Air turn into salt marsh communities; between old and new habitat first, but These levels simulate the three flood how what was initially a marine eco- also how they affect each other: who zones of salt marshes and ensure that system becomes a predominantly ter- drives out whom? How important are the plants are exposed to ”saltwater ritorial ecosystem. Here, in one of Eu- the different communities for the new showers“ at varying intervals. The Laboratory between rope‘s most dynamic habitats, they are ecosystem? How much new biomass plants in the so-called ”pioneer zone“ studying the functional importance of does the colonization process generate, need to be particularly robust: glass- species diversity and how it changes as and how much carbon dioxide is stored? worts and cordgrass can withstand sea levels rise – a subject that is gaining To answer all these questions the several hours of submersion twice a High and Low Tide importance against the backdrop of scientists walk out to the islands on a day. The lower salt marsh zone is also global climate change. regular basis as soon as the tide goes in the eternal battle zone between sea out. Each time they have six hours to and land. It, too, is flooded every day, Only shovels and make key measurements such as sa- but only by a few centimetres of water There is nothing like it anywhere else in the world: the twelve artificial islands near the linity, temperature and soil moisture and for 30 minutes maximum, so for a wheelbarrows are North Frisian island of Spiekeroog are a one of a kind large-scale project. Marine and and to document the plants and ani- much shorter period than the pioneer allowed at the UNESCO terrestrial ecologists and biologists from the universities of Oldenburg and Göttingen are mals that have settled there. So whi- zone. Typical for this zone are species World Heritage Site le some team members are working such as common saltmarsh grass and working together for the first time to gain transdisciplinary insights into the biodiversity outdoors, others are sitting at their sea-lavender. The upper salt marsh of one of Europe‘s most dynamic habitats computers in Oldenburg and Göttin- zone is only ever flooded by storm or ”The artificial islands help us to un- gen using the collected data to develop spring tides. Species such as sea couch, derstand how plant and animal com- models for long-term projections or red fescue and thrift grow here. munities, and indeed entire ecosystems, designing simplified ecosystems in the ”Our hypothesis on this pronounced would reassemble if new islands were laboratory. At the end of this process zoning is that at the stressful end of Haematopus ostralegus is not a rare common sight in the North Sea regi- Biology and Environmental Sciences to form in the Wadden Sea. So this is an the researchers will put together all the gradient plants will be limited by bird species in the mudflats – quite the on. But last summer it was a source of (IBU) when, for the first time, a pair experiment that recreates this process the pieces of the puzzle in order to un- their physiological ability to deal with contrary, the oystercatcher with its red some excitement for Professor Michael of oystercatchers set up a nest on one so that we can analyse it scientifically,“ derstand the fundamentals of ecology the salt factor and the flooding, while beak and black and white feathers is a Kleyer and his team at the Institute for of the twelve artificial islands built Kleyer explains. He coordinated and and evolution. the plants on the more benign side will

24 EINBLICKE 2016 25 One of twelve artificial islands in Lower Saxony‘s Wadden Sea (above). When the tide goes out the scientists walk out to the islands – in the summer almost every day (centre). They gather samples that are then brought to the laboratory for further analysis (below).

be limited by competition with other conditions and observe how well they species,“ Kleyer explains. To verify this adapt to a ”higher sea level“ and chan- hypothesis the researchers constructed ging environmental conditions. How six zones in Spiekeroog‘s salt marshes long before they die out or are replaced and cleared them entirely of plants and by species better adapted to the more roots to eliminate all resident plants. stressfull conditions? How resilient are ”We expect that the plants that we find they? In view of rising sea levels, the in- at the most stressful end of the gradient, creasing frequency of extreme weather namely glassworts and cordgrass, will events, changing species diversity and also grow in the most benign zone, na- bioinvasions, these questions urgent- mely the upper salt marshes,“ he says. ly need answers. Kleyer and his team But in the long term, he explains, they expect common saltmarsh grass and will be displaced by the species of the sea purslane to die out quickly in the upper salt marshes in their immediate pioneer zone because they can‘t cope vicinity because they are more competi- with the frequent flooding and high tive. The observations and data gathered salinity, thus making way for typical so far appear to confirm this hypothesis. pioneer zone plants. ”We have data to confirm this,“ he says. Stress test for the plants: But it‘s a very different matter when common saltmarsh grass and How resilient are they? sea purslane are planted in the upper salt marsh zone on the artificial islands The researchers left six of the twelve – where at first they have zero compe- islands as ”bare“ as the six areas in the tition from other species. ”We had as- [Anzeige] salt marshes, filling them with sand sumed that these plants would thrive only. This is where, alongside compe- here until the day came when the more tition, another factor comes into play: competitive species of the upper salt dispersal. Which plant seeds will esta- marshes colonized the zone and eli- blish here first – far away from Spiek- minated the alkali grass and the sea eroog – and which will come to domi- purslane. But we haven‘t observed this nate the community in the long term? process so far because it takes much Initial trends are already apparent: The longer here than in the comparison team can now confirm the hypothesis zones in Spiekeroog‘s salt marshes,“ that the islands would be mainly popu- Kleyer explains. The seeds of the upper lated by plant species that are particu- marsh plants can disperse far more larly good at dispersing: ”Some seeds quickly there because they don‘t have float, others are carried by the wind. We to first pass the mudflats that form a have found specimens of these species spatial barrier between the ”dry land“ on the artificial islands even in the of Spiekeroog and the artificial islands. zones where they wouldn‘t normally This project is without doubt one exist in the salt marshes because the- of the most important research pro- re they would be eliminated by more jects of recent years in the Wadden Sea competitive species.“ The conclusion is National Park. By gaining an under- clear: if dispersal is hindered, it takes standing of how balance is achieved in far longer for the kind of balance the plant and animal communities, how researchers observe in the natural salt ecosystems are formed and which fac- marshes to emerge here. tors lead to certain species surviving The researchers planted seeds on or dying out, the scientists will be able the remaining six islands: ”We plan- to make concrete predictions about ted species that are typically found in biodiversity and ecosystem functions. low salt marshes in both the upper So Spiekeroog is not just a touristic salt marsh zone and the pioneer zone,“ highlight but is also developing into a Kleyer explains. The idea is to delibe- biodiversity research site with interna- rately expose these plants to stressful tional appeal. (kl)

26 EINBLICKE 2016 27 Reportage

Today girls and boys with disabilities or torate at Oldenburg University and together with researchers from Co- challenging behaviours form a normal now works closely here with Prof. Dr. logne, has initiated a number of pro- part of ordinary schools – the buzzword Clemens Hillenbrand. Hillenbrand jects that aim to improve children’s here is inclusion. It means that every- is conducting research on teaching emotional-social skills and basical- one has the possibility to participate children with learning disabilities at ly help them learn to get along with everywhere: at school, at work and in the University‘s Department of Special others. A key “member” of this pre- leisure activities. And the respective in- Needs Education and Rehabilitation. ventative team is “Lubo from outer stitutions should adapt to the various The special needs educator knows that space” – a bright green hand puppet needs of their users instead of the other the new diversity in the classroom can with multicoloured hair, wonky flying way round. The United Nations has de- entail a number of challenges. “Every goggles and a broken spaceship. “After fined inclusion as a human right in the now and then situations arise that an emergency landing on Planet Earth Convention on the Rights of Persons can be very difficult for teachers to Lubo needs friends to help him repair with Disabilities. Germany has signed control,” he says. Hillenbrand is re- his spaceship,” Hillenbrand explains. the agreement. ferring in particular to children with He takes this story into classrooms – challenging behaviour, such as aggres- in Northern Germany and beyond. Scientists sion and attention deficit disorder. “It Lubo has now become a highly suc- can ruin the entire lesson, especially if cessful export and visits kindergar- in the classroom there are a few such children in one tens and schools all across Germany, class. International studies also corro- and even in a number of neighbouring In many places it has become the borate this,” the researcher says. countries. The idea is that the children norm for pupils with and without disa- To pre-empt such situa- show Lubo how to make friends here bilities to share lessons. This is the case tions his team, on Earth. In this situation they are in Leon’s school, too, but something the experts who share their is different here. His classroom recei- knowledge. “That’s the trick. Research in the classroom: Clemens Hillenbrand observes the goings-on in a school class. ves regular visits from researchers at They are called upon to share Oldenburg University who want their skills, and this is very good to find out how the challenge of for learning,” the pedagogue inclusion can best be tackled. But explains. they are not only in the classroom Lubo’s classroom visit demon- to observe; they also bring their strates how this works. The children With Help from knowledge and experience to bear. in 2a are a little too old for hand Every Thursday special needs educator puppets but after Lubo landed Carolin Reinck structures the lessons here several times last year all in 2a. Here she pays particular atten- of them were keen to see him Outer Space tion to children who need help with lear- again. Lina remembers it well: ning, whether or not they have been “Each time we spent an hour with diagnosed as such. “The other children Lubo. We talked about being brave are important role models whom they and things like that.” Today Lubo has A school for everyone. Inclusive teaching is particularly important at a time when there are can use for orientation,” Reinck says. brought along lots of coloured puzzle so many refugees, Prof. Dr. Clemens Hillenbrand believes. The special needs educator and his But the children who pieces for the children to put team take to the classroom to research and test how to make lessons work for everybody are higher achievers together. A task also benefit from the which requires shared lessons, them to work Reinck adds, together. because they Each group Leon* moves from table to table, a the puzzle and taken his seat again. children in their group who find school learn to work places its look of deep concentration on his face. Then the special needs educator easier than they do: Igor is learning with children puzzle in The eight-year-old who was born with Carolin Reinck gives the go-ahead and German as a second language, Kim- of different the middle Down Syndrome hands out pieces of each group fits its pieces together to berly struggles with solving problems abilities and to ac- of the class- a puzzle to his fellow pupils. The gir- complete a puzzle. Leon works along- step by step and Niko is often agitated cept and make use room in a circle. ls and boys in 2a have arranged their side other pupils who find tasks like and even aggressive. of the different strengths The teacher calls it “Lubo’s pro- tables into groups on this Thursday this one easy. And so, quite naturally, Until a few years ago children like and weaknesses within the blem-solving circle” – it is meant morning. They wait expectantly until he learns from them. Igor, Kimberly Leon, Igor, Kimberly and Niko would classroom community. to be a guide for difficult situa- Leon has handed out all the pieces of and Niko also look for guidance to the have attended a special needs school. Reinck completed her doc- tions. “Imagine you’re in the cor-

28 EINBLICKE 2016 29 Better together: How do you feel when Carolin Reinck and Leon take the children solve tasks in teams. another child pushes you? a look at what Lubo brought along.

ridor and someone pushes you. How do falls behind in class. Here they make using questionnaires, teachers’ assess- as possible. He even regards their lear- the researchers teach in various con- Many secondary schools are not even you feel and what do you want to hap- use of the so-called “Advance Organi- ments and targeted parent surveys. ning German as enriching for the rest tinuing education courses. In a focus able to provide this basic support,” pen?” asks the special needs educator. zer” – a learning method that orders Here, too, Hillenbrand says that if the of the class. “When the teacher points project for North Rhine-Westphalia, Hillenbrand explains. The govern- Theresa knows the feeling and points new information according to existing methods are right, in particular chil- out specific features of the language, for example, they train teachers to be ment of Lower Saxony has now taken to the appropriate Lubo picture. “I feel thought structures and thus aids me- dren with learning difficulties benefit incorporates a grammar or vocabulary “inclusion experts” who then pass on initial steps to address the shortage angry and I want them to say sorry.” mory retrieval. “It is based on cogniti- significantly. A further key point for exercise here and there, all the children their knowledge to their colleagues. of teachers, considerably increasing The teacher nods in approval. The ve psychology,” Hillenbrand explains. Hillenbrand is that they should learn in benefit.” “We have already trained 300 teachers, the number of places on courses at cuddly little alien has helped the chil- Carolin Reinck is applying the method a group rather then be singled out and and a further 150 are currently in the Oldenburg University‘s Department of dren to become aware of their feelings today in a religious education class “schooled” separately. “What’s the best Extending inclusion process of obtaining their qualificati- Special Needs Education and Rehabili- and shown them how to solve a poten- to teach children about the Creation way to learn? Not with a work sheet but on,” says Hillenbrand. They also offer tation. In a few years‘ time three times to refugees tially tricky situation. story. While she recites a passage from through interaction with others,” the special courses for head teachers in as many young people will be trained The success of the Lubo programme the Bible the children place correspon- pedagogue emphasises. Lower Saxony, who are likewise con- as special needs educators here as have has been proven in a number of studies ding objects, words and pictures in the Learning as part of a heterogenous Learning together – the underlying fronted with the challenges of inclu- been up to now. And nine new pro- involving some 700 pre- and primary middle of a circle of chairs. When God group – for Hillenbrand the idea has concept of inclusion – also applies for sion, in issues such as legal matters. fessorships are being created to help school children. “We observed a posi- creates the seas, Leon lays down a bowl never been more relevant than it is to- refugee children, Hillenbrand says. “We were preaching to the converted teach them. tive impact especially when it came to of water. A little later Niko is allowed to day. He is thinking in particular about “The general structure is there after in schools. There seems to be huge de- This is one of the reasons why Hil- solving social problems and prosocial add some small wooden trees, and The- the children with a refugee backg- all.” In many primary schools special mand for a more objective approach to lenbrand is confident that the German behaviour,” Hillenbrand explains. The resa takes care of the cows which repre- round who are currently being integ- needs teachers teach reading, writing the issue and concrete support,” Hil- education system will be able to meet results also show that children with sent “the animals of the earth”. “The rated into the German school system. and arithmetic to children with lear- lenbrand says. the challenge of “schools for everyone”. risk factors benefit even more than objects help the children remember “Many of the children initially end up ning difficulties in small groups. So Schools come under additional Recently he visited a class in Oldenburg others. “It seems that we reach pre- the Creation story later on – especially in so-called “welcome classes” where it makes sense to integrate refugee pressure due to a general shortage of that offers basic special needs support cisely the children who need it the those who are less confident readers they are meant to learn German. This children into these groups. In the “wel- teachers in Germany. In many places in which refugee children sat next to most. As special needs educators this and would have problems with a prin- strikes me as problematic in the long come classes” by contrast, according to there are simply not enough trained children with learning difficulties. He is of course music to our ears.” ted text,” Reinck says. term,” the expert says. The problem media reports,the children are rarely professionals – and special needs was very encouraged to see how well The researchers also use other is that these children are supposed to taught by trained teachers. The staff teachers are in even shorter supply. the pupils worked together. “One of A targeted approach Oldenburg projects for assisting lear- make an effort to learn a new langua- are very committed and are provided Hillenbrand points out that in Lower our students works there voluntarily. ning: they teach kindergarten chil- ge, but unless they have contact with with suitable teaching materials – but Saxony since the education act on in- She is Kurdish and can translate for to promoting learning dren a basic understanding of num- German-speaking children the idea that cannot replace proper teacher clusion was passed in 2012 most pri- them. She doesn’t understand all the bers using the children’s book “The will remain completely abstract, he training, the researcher believes. A mary schools are obliged to make basic children but if need be they translate Of course, Lubo is just one of many Hungry Caterpillar” or, once children observes. According to Hillenbrand, number of Oldenburg projects have teaching provisions for children with among themselves. For me that shows building blocks. The Oldenburg re- have transitioned into class 5, they use after a brief, intensive practice period shown that there are better ways to special needs. “But this is just an extra that it’s always possible to find a way to searchers are also focussed on targe- “Olympic Number Games” to train ba- the refugee children should be inte- successfully implement inclusion, Hil- two to five hours maximum with a spe- put good ideas into action.” (bb) ted teaching support so that no one sic arithmetic skills. Progress is charted grated into normal classes as quickly lenbrand points out. This is something cial needs teacher – in primary schools. * The children‘s names were changed

30 EINBLICKE 2016 31 How Wind Works

1 Wind energy plays a key role in Germany‘s energy transition („Energiewende“). But there is still plenty of room for improvement. Mankind needs to gain a better understanding of the wind. The Oldenburg „turbulence researchers“ at the ForWind Center for Wind Energy Research are doing important pio- neering work in this area. They simulate and mea- sure rotor blade wind flow on their computers, in a wind tunnel and in field tests. A story in pictures

1 ForWind, the joint Centre for Wind Energy Research of the Universities of Ol- denburg, Hannover and Bremen, recently 2 acquired one of the largest turbulent wind tunnels in Germany. Inside this tunnel and with the help of four huge turbines they can simulate the wind fields, or wind patterns, that occur in nature.

2 Thanks to air baffles up to six metres high, the wind blows at constant speeds of up to 40 meters per second around the curve of the wind tunnel without any loss of flow.

3 The wind tunnel is a prominent feature of the new ”WindLab“. This four- storey building accommodates more than 130 scientists from the fields of physics, meteorology, oceanography and enginee- ring. Together they are studying the inter- actions between turbulent atmospheric currents and wind farms, wind turbines 3 and their components. 32 EINBLICKE 2016 33 7 At open area test sites the scientists measure the ”real“ external influences to which the wind farm is exposed. The photo shows a 3D scanner being set up.

7

4

8

5

4 Tests in the wind tunnel require a lot of preparation. One important step is computer modelling.

5 Thanks to its high-performance compu- 8 For large-volume measurements of ting cluster ForWind can create large-scale wind fields ForWind uses the laser-based simulations. For instance the Oldenburg measuring system LiDAR, a method of opti- wind researchers can calculate the extensive cal distance and speed measurement that is impact of windstorm Kyrill, which raged related to radar. across Western Europe in 2007, on Europe‘s energy system. 9 With its measurements ForWind also provides accurate data about the operational 6 Laboratory tests are performed to check behaviour of large offshore wind farms. The the computer-generated simulations. The tests help to increase the efficiency of the 6 picture shows a laser measurement of the 9 farms and to avoid technical and financial wind flow around a rotor blade segment. risk factors.

34 EINBLICKE 2016 35 Globetrotting Scientists

Katharina Al-Shamery, Harvard (USA) Katharina Al-Shamery, professor of physical chemistry, former Acting President of the University, and Vice President for Research, accepted an invitation to Harvard University in July 2016. Professor Al-Shamery used the one-month visit to exchange insights with scientists at the Har- Oliver Kramer, Berkeley (USA) vard-based ”Energy Frontier Research Center for Sustainable Chemical Oliver Kramer, a computer scientist and ju- Production“ as well as with junior researchers at the Rowland Institute. Hans-Michael Trautwein, Saint-Étienne (France) nior professor for computational intelligence, She also took part in a workshop titled ”How to Prevent Terrorism by Hans Michael Trautwein, professor of international economic relations, spent a visited the International Computer Science Steering Youth Away from Violent Extremism.“ Professor Al-Shamery is month as a visiting professor at the Université Jean Monnet in Saint-Étienne last Institute (ICSI) in Berkeley in March, where planning a cross-faculty series of events on this topic in Oldenburg. March, where he researched crisis measures adopted by central banks in con- he set up a collaborative research project on temporary European currency unions and in the years leading up to World War I the subject of ”Artificial Intelligence and in a project on monetary theory controversies. The project compares the current Machine Learning.“ The research focuses controversies over European Central Bank policies with the debates surrounding on ”deep learning“, a new method of infor- the Latin Monetary Union, the Scandinavian Monetary Union and the German mation processing using artificial neuronal Monetary Union of 1871/76. It is to be continued in a series of conferences and networks that has led to breakthroughs in publications. image recognition and speech processing. In his research group at Oldenburg University Kramer employs algorithms to process data from various domains that can be used among other things to make predictions about wind and solar energy. Gun-Britt Kohler, Minsk (Belarus) Gun-Britt Kohler, professor of Slavic literature and director of the Institute for Slavic Studies, spent a re- search semester in Minsk. During her visit she examined archive materials and normative documents with a view to publishing an annotated volume on the literature market of the first third of the 20th century in a project funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Together with colleagues in Minsk, Professor Kohler also prepared a nationwide survey on perceptions of current Esther Ruigendijk, Tel Aviv (Israel) cultural policy and contemporary Belarusian literature Esther Ruigendijk, professor of Dutch linguistics and Vice President for Junior in Belarus. Her agenda also includes the compilation of a Researchers and International Affairs, spent two months conducting research ”Literary History of Belarus.“ in Tel Aviv in the spring. Together with her Israeli colleague Professor Naama Friedmann, Professor Ruigendijk compiled an application for a research grant for a comparative study titled ”Psycholinguistic and neural study of acquired and developmental language impairments in Hebrew, German, Palestinian Arabic, and Dutch.“ The main focus is on grammatical aspects such as sentence construction, word order and case marking.

Simon Doclo, Perth (Australia) Lydia Potts, Harare and Kampala (Zimbabwe/Uganda) Simon Doclo, professor of applied physics with a special emphasis on signal pro- Lydia Potts, political scientist and coordinator of the ”European Master in Migration and cessing and lead researcher in the ”Hearing4all“ Cluster of Excellence, travelled Intercultural Relations (EMMIR)“ programme, travelled to Africa twice in the spring to act as to Perth in September. At Curtin University he met with recognised experts in scientific director for the exhibition ”Kabbo ka Muwala“ (The Girl‘s Basket) in Zimbabwe and the development of signal processing algorithms for assistive hearing devices, Uganda. The exhibition‘s theme was migration and mobility in contemporary art in Eastern also known as ”hearables“. Together with his Australian colleagues, Professor and Southern Africa. The project was funded by the German Federal Cultural Foundation. The Doclo aims to develop new technologies for inhibiting acoustic feedback in National Gallery of Zimbabwe, the Makerere Art Gallery and the Städtische Galerie Bremen innovative hearing aids and to see them quickly integrated into industrial pro- were partners in the project. ducts. The project is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD).

36 EINBLICKE 2016 37 Portrait

the average person on the street, you “pure opinions” Siebel and his research available. The test survey has shown don’t get very far.” team do not offer participants financial that the monotony correlation indeed Mark Siebel’s passion is precision. incentives. The vignette opinions are holds. Siebel gives an example from the As a distinguished representative of then subjected to a more exact stati- vignette survey: “A family of three is al- “analytical philosophy” it is impor- stical analysis. lotted a 100-square-metre apartment tant to him to formulate philosophical In one of the research units Siebel by the state, a second family of three problems as clearly as possible. “In our works alongside psychologists, soci- receives an 80-square-metre apart- discipline terminology is paramount. al scientists, and economists, resear- ment, and a third a 40-square-metre Only when the language is precise, can ching questions related to need-based apartment. As expected, the less a fa- we assess things clearly and develop justice and distribution procedures. mily‘s needs are catered for, the grea- new theories that go on to gain greater Specifically his research deals with ter the unease.” But there were also scholarly importance,” the philosopher “Measures of Need-Based Justice, Ex- surprises. The so-called „monotony says. If need be, he can reach into his pertise and Coherence”. Siebel says: sensitivity“, for example, was not con- methodological portfolio for instru- “In simple terms need-based justice firmed. The researchers had assumed ments from other disciplines. “Mathe- means that each person gets what they that the perceived injustice would in- matics helps me to describe theoretical crease overproportionally the greater situations as precisely as possible.” The How fair was the the gap was between what an indivi- “fact checking” is then performed em- dual in the scenario needs and what distribution pirically. “I strive for theories that are they actually get. The opposite was empirically informed.” The aim, Siebel of the lemons? the case. “The resulting policy recom- says, is to take into consideration peo- mendation would be: Take from the ple’s everyday lives – also in order to need. But since things are not always poorest and give to those whose needs identify consequences for philosophi- available in sufficient quantities, we are almost fulfilled! This, of course, puts cal concepts and theories. are looking at what should happen us in a difficult situation. We now need Academically, Siebel is moving be- with a commodity that is in short sup- to find out how these findings can be Mark Siebel: ”I strive for theories that are empirically informed.“ tween two worlds here – something ply.” The researchers are examining explained. Perhaps the test subjects are he refers to as “interplay”. On the one the question of how to determine the missing some important information,” hand he sits in the philosopher’s arm- degree of need-based justice provided the philosopher observes. chair, on the other he regularly gets by a particular distribution. “Take the Information is another key factor out of it to address people’s actual con- example of how to allocate a limited in this project’s underlying hypothe- victions. This approach is known as amount of lemons in order to cover sis. The researchers are examining the From the Armchair “experimental philosophy” and it is certain vitamin C requirements. We so-called “expert hypothesis”. This cen- not uncontroversial. People’s intuitive are interested in determining to what tres around the question of how exper- common sense, critics say, may suffice extent different ways of distributing tise affects the test subjects’ ratings on to cope with local, familiar problems, the lemons are perceived in the end as justice. “We assume that greater ex- to the Street but when it comes to fundamental fair,” Siebel continues. pertise will lead to greater coherence in theoretical and societal challenges, The armchair philosopher alrea- the justice ratings,” Siebel explains. To the intuitions of ordinary people are dy has some ideas on the theory. His test this, the test subjects are provided too limited. team’s thought experiments focus with information that elevates them to Can empirical methods be applied to philosophical questions? Mark Siebel is convinced And yet the findings of “experimen- primarily on normative axioms – in the status of experts on the one hand, they can. He compares his thought experiments with people‘s intuitive common sense tal philosophy”, which is also gaining other words, the question of which ba- and the recommendations of experts popularity, can be astonishing. Siebel sic properties a measure for need-based are integrated into the vignettes on is currently involved in two policy-re- justice should have. One of these pro- the other. “We expect that in both cases lated research units funded by the Ger- perties, Siebel says, is monotony. “We overall there will be less divergence in man Research Foundation (DFG). In work on the premise that the more the the opinions, or in other words, more The armchair philosopher gains philosopher thinks up a situation that Institute for Philosophy, knows what both research designs, test persons resources in the described scenario are consistency. Naturally it makes a dif- his insights through a process both might be very difficult to recreate in he is talking about. But he does not are asked questions in “vignette expe- allocated in line with actual needs, the ference whether the scenario features conscious and rational. He arrives at reality. He then considers how to as- spend all of his time in his armchair. riments”. These centre around short more just the participants in our ex- a well-known expert expressing his his conclusions “a priori”, indepen- sess the situation ‘intuitively’, and He is interested in what reality makes stories, descriptions of situations and periment will perceive the situation to opinion or a fortune-teller looking into dently of experience – having posed what happens when the theory is ap- of his thought experiments: “In the people from everyday life – so-called be,” explains the Oldenburg professor. a crystal ball,” Siebel comments with questions to himself or grappled with plied to this situation. All of this takes end philosophy is also about ideas for a vignettes. The participants in the expe- Practice follows theory. The sur- a smile. the positions of other philosophers. place exclusively in his head,” Mark better world, ideas you want to share. riment are asked to give their opinion vey involving a total of 174 or so test The second research unit in which Thought experiments are another Siebel explains. Siebel (52), a profes- But when these are deduced on a level on a hypothetical situation using a set subjects has yet to be analysed in de- Mark Siebel is currently involved with proven method of his: “The old-school sor at the University of Oldenburg‘s that goes completely over the head of rating scale. To avoid distorting their tail – but initial findings are already a team of two assistants also uses me-

38 EINBLICKE 2016 39 thods from “experimental philosophy”. is to develop so-called probabilistic together. The result: “Our theory was Under the heading “New Frameworks measures of coherence – measures confirmed empirically. The coherence of Rationality” psychologists, philo- which, on the basis of the probabilities measure that we brought into play cor- sophers and computer scientists are of the given statements, calculate how responds most closely with the results studying the way people make deci- well they fit together. In a second step of the survey. Therefore the rational as- sions and what actually constitutes a the researchers “confront” their own sessment is consistent with the verdict rational decision in the context of wars, of lay persons.” climate change and other disasters. ”I attain the precision Mark Siebel is a man of numbers – In their subproject the Oldenburg re- mathematics comes naturally to him. I was striving for in my searchers are examining the aspect of Which is why the philosopher so enjo- coherence. “One of the things we are statements.“ yed the “Introduction to Logic” course looking at is the extent to which state- at the start of his studies. “I felt I was ments from different witnesses which measurements and competing mea- in good hands because I realised that are similar and therefore fit together surements with reality, again using here I could attain the precision I was are more reliable.” vignette surveys. “For example we pre- striving for in my statements,” Siebel Here, too, the philosophers first ap- sented the test subjects with witness says. Yet he would never claim that this ply mathematical logic then empiri- statements from different people on is the only way to go about philosophy. cal testing – “although the empirical identical situations,” says Siebel. The “Sometimes being imprecise is just comparison is on a much smaller scale test subjects were then asked to rate what you need. It encourages creati- in this case,” Siebel adds. The first step how well the various statements fitted vity!” (vs) [Anzeige]

In the Oldenburg philosopher‘s research designs test persons give their verdict on a hypothetical situation. Siebel and his team then subject these lay verdicts to statistical analysis.

40 EINBLICKE 2016 41 Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg

A New Chairman and the UGO Excellence Prize

Honorary Professor Dr. Werner of Management and Chief Executive who is thirty-nine, was awarded for his Brinker is the new Chairman of the Officer at EWE Aktiengesellschaft he work in the area of nanoscale radiative Universitätsgesellschaft Oldenburg was also one of its main sponsors. He heat transfer. e.V. (UGO). He was elected at the sug- also has other close ties with science. He completed his degree and his gestion of his predecessor Michael We- Among other posts he was a member PhD at the Institue of Physics, whe- fers, who did not run for re-election for of the Association of Sponsors for the re he also earned his habilitation in professional reasons. Wefers has served Promotion of German Science (Stif- 2014. His thesis earned him the 2008 on the UGO board since 2005 and been terverband für die Deutsche Wissen- Weser-Ems-Wissenschaftspreis awar- its chairman since 2008. Under his schaft) and Chairman of the Board of ded by the OLB Foundation. A scho- leadership the UGO‘s membership has Managing Directors at Forum für Zu- larship from the German Academy of risen to more than 1,100 members. kunftsenergie e.V. Sciences Leopoldina took him to the With the election of Werner Brin- renowned Institut d‘Optique in Paris, ker the members‘ meeting has cho- where during a two-year stay he con- sen a chairman who is extremely well ducted further research on radiative connected in the regional network and Physicist receives award heat transfer. at the same time has a deep understan- In recent years Biehs has been re- ding of the University, Wefers said. This year the UGO Award for Excel- searching theoretical concepts for di- Brinker was a member of the Universi- lent Research, which includes prize odes, transistors and capacitors that [Anzeige] ty Council of Oldenburg University for money of 5,000 euros, went to physi- are based not on electric currents but ten years, and as Chairman of the Board cist Dr. habil. Svend-Age Biehs. Biehs, on heat flux.

Imprint / Publication Data

Issue 61, 31st year of publication Freelance work: fotolia/nito: Titelfoto ISSN 0930/8253 Katja Lüers (kl) fotolia/kartoxjm: pp. 36/37 www.presse.uni-oldenburg.de/en/ ICBM: p. 20 Layout and Design: Lukas Lehmann: p. 3 Press and Public Relations Office Inka Schwarze Jarek Puczylowski: p. 35 Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118 Andreas Rehmann: p. 24 26129 Oldenburg Infografic: Daniel Schmidt: pp. 4, 5, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16/17, 18, Phone: 0441/798-5446, Fax: -5545 Per Ruppel: pp. 6/7 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, 30/31, 31, 33 (3x), 34 [email protected] (2x), 38, 40, 52/53 Translations: Jörge Schneemann: p. 32 Publisher: Lucy Powell, Alison Waldie Dominik Traphan: p. 34 Presidential Chair of the Carl von Ossietzky Stephan Voß: p. 35 (2x) University of Oldenburg Printed by: Officina-Druck Chief Editors: Posthalterweg 1b - 26129 Oldenburg The articles may be reprinted only after Dr. Corinna Dahm-Brey (cdb) Tel.: 0441/36144220 - [email protected] consulting the editorial staff. The source Volker Sandmann (vs) must be cited. Photos: Editors: Thomas Badewien: p. 22 Paper: PEFC certified (Programme for Birgit Bruns (bb), Christian Burkert: p. 26 (3x) the Endorsement of Forest Certification Daniela Reile (dr, Trainee), Deike Stolz (ds) DLR: p. 9 Schemes)

42 EINBLICKE 2016 43 New Appointments New Appointments

Pascal Dohmen Sascha Laubinger Sebastian Lehnhoff Arne W. Nolte Sebastian Schnettler Ulrike Raap Cardiac Surgery Evolutionary Genetics Energy Informatics Ecological Genomics Social Research Dermatology

Prof. Dr. Pascal Dohmen has been ap- Prof. Dr. Sascha Laubinger has been ap- Prof. Dr. Sebastian Lehnhoff has ac- Prof. Dr. Arne W. Nolte has been ap- Prof. Dr. Sebastian Schnettler has been Prof. Dr. Ulrike Raap has been appoin- pointed full Professor of Cardiac Surgery pointed Professor for the „Evolutionary cepted the post of Professor of Energy pointed Professor of Ecological Geno- appointed Professor of Social Rese- ted Professor of Dermatology. Prior to at the University‘s School of Medicine Genetics of Plants“ at the Institute for Informatics, which he had held as a ju- mics at the Institute of Biology and arch Methods at the Institute of Social her appointment in Oldenburg she and Health Sciences. This was made Biology and Environmental Sciences. nior professor since 2010. Lehnhoff, who Environmental Sciences. With this Sciences. Before his appointment in was a deputy and adjunct professor possible through the establishment of Laubinger took his degree in biology works at the University‘s Department of appointment Nolte returns to his Oldenburg and since 2011, he was a at the Department for Dermatology an endowed professorship by the Klini- at the Heinrich Heine University Düs- Computing Science, leads the ”Energy“ home city, where he began studying research scientist and lecturer at the and Allergology at Hannover Medical kum Oldenburg, where Prof. Dohmen seldorf and also earned his doctorate research at the University-affiliated biology in 1997. Prior to his return to University of Konstanz‘s Institute of School (MHH). She is also the new di- has also become the new director of there focusing on how plants use light OFFIS Computer Science Institute and Oldenburg he conducted research Sociology. After earning a degree in rector of the University Department of the University Clinic for Heart Surgery. as a source of information to adapt has been executive head of this research and taught at the Max Planck Insti- sociology, economics and statistics at Dermatology and Allergy at the Klini- Born in the Netherlands, Prof. Dohmen their growth. He then took a position as area since 2012. He earned his degree tute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Free University of Berlin Schnettler kum Oldenburg. Raap studied human studied human medicine at the Univer- a post-doctoral researcher at the Max in core informatics at the Technical Schleswig-Holstein. Nolte, an expert worked for a strategy consulting firm medicine at the University of Lübeck sity of Leuven (Belgium) and completed Planck Institute for Developmental University of Dortmund, where he then in freshwater fish, earned his degree in Washington DC. In 2004 he enrolled and MHH, where she obtained her M.D. his M.D. After residency training at the Biology, where he studied how and took a position as a research assistant and in biology at the Institute for Genetics as a PhD stu-dent at Yale University in 1999. In 2001, following a post-doc Charité Berlin he completed a doctor when plant genes are switched on and obtained his PhD in 2010. Lehnhoff is the of the University of Cologne in 2001, (USA), where he also became a fellow phase at the University of Marburg, medicinae at the HU Berlin in 2003. off. Professor Laubinger founded his coordinator of the German Informatics‘ where he also completed his doctorate at the Center for Research on Inequa- she returned to the MHH, where she Following his Habilitation in 2006 he own research group in 2010 with fun- Society‘s Special Interest Group ”Energy in 2005. His thesis dealt with the ques- lities and the Life Course. He comple- was appointed as a junior professor and returned to the Charité, where he was ding from the Max Planck Institute of Informatics“ and a research fellow with tion of why the European bullhead fish ted his PhD in sociology in 2010. He deputy. She habilitated in 2013. In Han- first a consultant and later vice-director Molecular Physiology in Dortmund the School of Information Technology has been able to multiply so rapidly in then took a post as a research scientist nover Raap established the research in at the Department of Cardiovascular and the Center for Plant Molecular and Electrical Engineering at the Uni- the Lower Rhine area in recent years. with the Max Planck Institute for De- autoimmune bullous skin diseases. She Surgery. In 2010 Prof. Dohmen was ap- Biology at the University of Tübingen. versity of Queensland (Australia). His A year later, with funding from the mographic Research in Ros-tock. His also focuses on immunological mecha- pointed to Professor of cardiac heart sur- There he studied gene regulation me- research deals with intelligent energy German Research Foundation, he took main research interests are analytical nisms of inflammatory skin diseases. gery at Leipzig University. In 2014 he chanisms in plants subjected to diffe- systems, so-called ”smart grids“, and is a position as a postdoctoral researcher sociology, evolutionary and social de- Raap´s research is currently funded returned to the Berliner Charité as a rent stress situations. In Oldenburg aimed at developing an environmentally at the Université Laval in Québec (Ca- mography, social inequality and fa- by the German Research Foundation consultant, lecturer and head of research Laubinger will focus on how plant ge- friendly, economic and secure power nada). In 2008 he moved to the Max mily sociology. (DFG) with a project in the clinical re- and teaching at the Department of Car- nes are regulated under different stress supply network for the future. The main Planck Institute in Plön, where he has search group “Autoimmunity”. She has diovascular Surgery. Prof. Dohmen‘s re- situations and what influence plant focus of Lehnhoff‘s research is real-time led a research group since 2011. Noltes‘ received several awards for her work, search focuses on the artificial produc- communities have on the stress-rela- capable methods for safety-critical ap- main area of research is the evolution including the TUI Foundation‘s Rudolf tion of biological tissue and the deve- ted gene regulation. plications in electronic energy systems. of fish species, with a special focus on Schoen Prize. lopment of bio-compatible heart valves. He is also conducting research on net- the conditions under which hybridi- His special areas of interest are heart work-oriented decentralized business sation – the cross-breeding of diffe- failure, endocarditis and heart valve management, as well as the co-simula- rent species – promotes evolution. surgery. tion of complex energy systems.

44 EINBLICKE 2016 45 New Appointments Doctorates

Fakultät I - Bildungs- Jana Rogge, Thema: „Verteilungsprä- Dirk Brunnberg, Thema: „Zur Wir- und Sozialwissenschaften ferenzen und Akzeptanz personenbe- kung von Sentiment in der Kapital- zogener Priorisierung im Gesundheits- marktkommunikation auf Finanzana- Dennis Bürjes, Thema: Interventi„ - system – gesellschaftliche Einstellun- lysten.“ onsökonomie – Der Zielkonflikt ,War gen im internationalen Vergleich.“ Volkswirtschaftslehre Sonderpädagogik on Terror‘ versus ,State Building‘ in Petra Dünhaupt, Thema: „Financiali- Afghanistan.“ Marie-Christine Vierbuchen, The- zation and Income Distribution – Em- Sozialwissenschaften ma: „Förderung sozial-kognitiver In- pirical Evidence from OECD Countries.“ Lars Eichen, Thema: „Interventions- formationsverarbeitung im Jugendal- Betriebswirtschaftslehre studie zur Genauigkeit von Beobach- ter. Konzeption und Evaluation eines Florian Fortmann, Thema: „Augmen- tungseinschätzungen elementarpä- Förderprogramms unter besonderer ting Monitoring Performance during dagogischer Fachpersonen. Empiri- Berücksichtigung spezifischer Risi- Multi-UAV Supervisory Control with sche Untersuchung diagnostischer kofaktoren für schulischen Dropout.“ Adaptive Displays.“ Kompetenzfacetten mittels Videovig- Sonderpädagogik Informatik nettentest.“ Sonja von Waaden, Thema: „Mathe- Tim Grönemeyer, Thema: „Daten- Pädagogik matiklernen von ,Risikokindern‘ in schutzrechtliche Probleme bei der Ulrich Klügel, Thema: „Das Studiense- der Jahrgangsmischung – Eine empiri- Nutzung des ‚Web 2.0‘ im Intranet ei- minar Oldenburg 1892-1983: Der lange sche Studie zur Auswirkung kindlicher nes Unternehmens.“ Heinz Wilkes Joachim Willems Michael Winklhofer Weg zur Professionalisierung der Leh- Handlungs- und Lageorientierung auf Rechtswissenschaften rerausbildung an höheren Schulen.“ die Leistungsentwicklung.“ Organic Geochemistry Religious Education Sensory Biology Bernd Hackmann, Thema: „Social Pädagogik Pädagogik Learning Processes in International Burkhard Leimbach, Thema: „Ver- Berna Öney, Thema: „Mainstream par- Environmental Governance; as applied Prof. Dr. Heinz Wilkes has been appoin- Prof. Dr. Dr. Joachim Willems has Prof. Dr. Michael Winklhofer has been – schenkte Chancen Schülerinnen und ties‘ strategies on the ethnic dimen- in the case of Adressing Greenhouse ted Professor of Organic Geochemis- been appointed Professor of Reli- appointed Professor of the Sensory Schüler als Optimierer ihrer Schulkar- sion in new democracies: The case of Gas Emissions from International try at the Institute for Chemistry and gious Education at the Institute for Biology of Animals at the Institute for rieren? Optimierung der Zusammen- kurdish opening-up process in Turkey Shipping.“ Biology of the Marine Environment. Evangelical Theology and Religious Biology and Environmental Sciences. arbeit von Schule und Eltern und ihren 2009-2011.“ Betriebswirtschaftslehre Wilkes earned his degree in chemistry Education. Willems, who had already Winklhofer studied geophysics at the Kindern – eine Befragung von Schüle- Sozialwissenschaften Lydia Illge, Thema: „Entwicklung und at the University of Hamburg, where held the chair as deputy professor for Ludwig-Maximilian University of rinnen und Schülern mit türkischem Erprobung einer Methode zur Abschät- he also completed his PhD in 1993. He two semesters in 2014/15, previously Munich and completed his PhD there Migrationshintergrund bezüglich der zung der Beiträge einer Branche zur then became a research fellow with the taught and conducted research at the in 1999 with a thesis on the physical Einstellung zu schülerorientierter El- Fakultät II - Informatik, nachhaltigen Entwicklung mit einem Institute for Petroleum and Organic Technical University of Dortmund. He foundations of magnetoreception in ternarbeit an Gymnasien. Eine explo- Wirtschafts- und Indikatorensystem.“ Geochemistry at the Forschungszen- studied theology and musicology in animals. After several years as a post- rative Studie.“ Rechtswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaftslehre trum Jülich. In 2001 he switched to Neuendettelsau, Bonn and Hamburg. doctoral researcher in Tennessee and Pädagogik the German Research Centre for Geos- Having obtained his degree in theo- California (USA) and as a Teaching Fel- Holger Achtermann, Thema: „Wah- Reemda Jaeschke, Thema: „The Ef- János Lilienthal, Thema: „Beein- ciences in Potsdam. Wilkes earned his logy he went on to earn his PhD in low in Southampton (England), he ob- rung von Betriebs- und Geschäftsge- fects of Corporate Corruption and Cor- flussungsfaktoren der Diffusions- Habilitation in 2004 at the Technical 2003 at the University of Hamburg tained his Habilitation at the Universi- heimnissen der Wirtschaftsauskunftei- porate Sustainability on Firms‘ Finan- geschwindigkeit einer At-the-bot- University of Berlin. Before taking the with a thesis on Lutheran communi- ty of Munich in 2007 and was awarded en bei Datenschutzaufsichtsbehörden.“ cial Disclosures.“ tom-Innovation in einem regionalen post as professor at Oldenburg Univer- ties in Russia. In 2008 Willems also a Heisenberg fellowship by the German Rechtswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaftslehre Bildungswerk.“ sity he was an adjunct professor at the completed an educational science Research Foundation (DFG) in 2008. Pädagogik Nazime Assly, Thema: „Vertrauens- Lars Klostermann, Thema: „Erwar- Technical University of Berlin. Wilkes dissertation dealing with the intro- During this period he also taught and bruch als Kündigungsvoraussetzung im tungsnutzentheorie und Regret The- Carolin Reinck, Thema: „Lernförde- is a board member of the European duction of religious education lessons conduted research in California and deutschen und türkischen Arbeitsrecht orie als Erklärungsansatz preispoliti- rung im Mathematikunterricht durch Association of Organic Geochemists. into the school curricula in Russia at Zurich (Switzerland). In 2013 Winkl- am Beispiel der Bagatellkündigung.“ scher Entscheidungen – Ergebnisse Advance Organizer. Eine quantita- His main research topics include mo- the University of Hildesheim. In ad- hofer was appointed as an adjunct Betriebswirtschaftslehre eines Quasi-Laborexperiments zum lecular mechanisms of biogeochemical dition to religion in Russia, Willems‘s professor at the University of Munich. tiv-empirische Erhebung zur Untersu- Florian Axel Hendrik Berding, The- deutschen Automotive Aftermarket.“ key reactions and metabolic pathways research also focuses on developing Before coming to Oldenburg he was chung der Wirksamkeit eines Advance ma: „Der Einfluss epistemischer Über- Betriebswirtschaftslehre in environmentally relevant microor- diversity-sensitive religious educati- a visiting professor at the University Organizer für heterogene Lerngrup- zeugungen auf Lehr- und Lernprozesse Michael Koch, Thema: „Analyse der ganisms. He also studies the fate and on: he studies how Christian, Muslim of Duisberg-Essen. His main areas of pen im Mathematikunterricht der 3. in der kaufmännischen beruflichen Rahmenbedingungen und Gestal- transformation of hydrocarbons and and non-religious youths deal with research are biogenic magnetic nano- Jahrgangsstufe.“ Sonderpädagogik Bildung.“ tungsanforderungen onlinegestützer petroleum in the environment and religious plurality. This picks up on the particles and their potential function Wirtschaftspädagogik Maßnahmen der dritten Qualifizie- uses organic indicators to reconstruct theme of his Habilitation thesis, ”In- in animal orientation using the Earth‘s Marita Blank, Thema: „Reliability As- rungsphase von Lehrkräften in der climate conditions of the past. terreligious Competence“, for which magnetic field. sessment of Coalitions for the Provisi- ökonomischen Bildung.“ the Humboldt University of Berlin on of Ancillary Services.“ awarded him his Habilitation in 2010. Informatik

46 EINBLICKE 2016 47 Doctorates Doctorates

Ökonomische Bildung Dennis Rendschmidt, Thema: Fakultät III - Sprach- Lena Albers, Thema: „Mechanistic In- Georg Fiedler, Thema: „Macht – Re- Max Kronberg, Thema: „Explicit Con- – Hanno Kortleben, Thema: „Eine „Growth by Electricity - Elektrifizie- und Kulturwissenschaften vestigations on Lewis Acid-Catalysed gional Governance Herrschaft. Eine struction of Rational Torsion Divisors empirische Untersuchung zur Rolle rung bei kleinen Unternehmen und Skeletal Rearrangement Reactions of vergleichende Untersuchung von zwei on Jacobians of Curves.“ von Qualitätssignalen bei der Finan- Wachstum in Entwicklungsländern Ilka Flöck, Thema: „Requests in Ame- Polysilanes and Germanpolysilanes – Regional Governance-Regimes in Ex- Mathematik zierung von Start-ups auf deutschen sowie als Business Case bei Energy rican and British English: A contrasti- Subtle Capture of Intermediates.“ tremadura (Spanien).“ Nils Könne, Thema: „Molekularer Chemie Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften Crowdinvesting-Plattformen.“ Shops in Namibia.“ ve, multi-method analysis.“ Wärmetransport einzelner Moleküle.“ Betriebswirtschaftslehre Betriebswirtschaftslehre Anglistik Matthias Augustin, Thema: „The elec- Viktor Gerliz, Thema: „Charakterisie- Physik Tobias Krahn, Thema: „Flexible De- John Brian Robertson, Thema: „Cli- Jan Michalsky, Thema: „Frageinto- trocatalytic ORR activity of nanostruc- rung des metastabilen Verhaltens der Matthias Langemeyer, Thema: „Der tektion von Arzneimittelnebenwir- mate-Change Risk-Management In- nation im Deutschen. Zur intonatori- tured manganese oxides in aprotic me- Chalkopyritdünnschichtsolarzellen Energiefluss in offenen, zeitperiodisch kungen für die Versorgungsforschung.“ stitutions in Major Banks Understan- schen Markierung von Interrogativität dia.“ mit der zeitaufgelösten Photolumines- angetriebenen Quantensystemen.“ Informatik ding Institutional Diffusion.“ und Fragehaltigkeit.“ Physik zenzspektroskopie.“ Physik Volkswirtschaftslehre Germanistik Physik Steffen Kruse, Thema: „Co-Evolution Elisabeth Bauma, Thema: „Entwick- Ann-Katrin Meinhardt, Thema: „An- of Metamodels and Model Transfor- Stanislaw Schmal, Thema: „Konsoli- Miriam Schumacher, Thema: „Erzäh- lung Numerischer Lösungsstrategien Saskia Grunau, Thema: „Geodesics organisch-geochemische Untersu- mations.“ dierungswellen und Prognoseverhal- len vom Widerstand als Erzählen von zur Steuerung von Werkzeugmaschi- and Thermodynamics of Black Objects chung quartärer Sedimente des Arkti- Informatik ten von Finanzanalysten.“ Gemeinschaft – Literarische Repräsen- nen für die Mikrofertigung.“ in Five Dimensions.“ schen Ozeans.“ Betriebswirtschaftslehre Mathematik Physik Meereswissenschaften Matthias Lachenmann, Thema: „Da- tationen des Widerstands gegen den tenübermittlung im Konzern.“ Klaas Schmidt, Thema: „Wissensba- Nationalsozialismus in Westdeutsch- Matthias Bender, Thema: „Synthese Marit Gudenschwager, Thema: Bianca Michalik, Thema: „Star com- Rechtswissenschaften sierte Entscheidungsunterstützungs- land (1945-1989).“ neuer C19-Sterane zur strukturellen „Funktionelle Architekturen auf Basis pass orientation in birds: Learning, systeme zur Übertragung und Wieder- Germanistik Aufklärung von Biomarkern für die neuartiger Nickel- und Selten-Erd-Po- Jessica Lange, Thema: „Werteorien- perception and interaction with the anwendung von Erfahrungswissen aus Organische Geochemie.“ lysulfonate.“ tiertes Management von Chancen und Gerrit Vorjans, Thema: „Von der ,Tor- magnetic compass.“ Entscheidungsprozessen.“ Chemie Chemie Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften Risiken in der kommunalen Energie- heit, wählerisch zu sterben‘. Zur Funk- Informatik versorgung.“ tion und Bedeutung von Suizidarten Imke Büsing, Thema: „Physiological Hassan Hadi Al Karawi, Thema: Rany Miranti, Thema: „Charge trans- Betriebswirtschaftslehre Jan Schneider, Thema: „Unilateral in Texten der deutschsprachigen Lite- and molecular characterization of ge- „Phytic acid in green leaves.“ port and transfer processes in CuInS2 Climate Policy – Carbon Leakage, Effi- ratur um 1900.“ Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften Christopher-Marcel Meinecke, The- netic mutants of the anaerobic aro- nanocrystal-based hybrid solar cells.“ ciency, and Incidence.“ Germanistik Physik ma: „Der Privathaushalt als Klimaret- matic compound degrader ,Aromato- Tim Homeyer, Thema: „Aeroakusti- Volkswirtschaftslehre ter? Eine empirische Wirkungsanalyse leum aromaticum‘ EbN1.“ sche Untersuchungen von Strömungs- Safaa Mothna, Thema: „Anhydromo- Smart Meter-basierter Feedback-Sys- Thomas Schwenke, Thema: „Private Fakultät IV - Human- und Meereswissenschaften instabilitäten an gekrümmten Flächen nosaccharide als Biomarker für den teme und Stromtarif-Modelle in einem Nutzung von Smartglasses im öffent- Gesellschaftswissenschaften Christina Delfs, Thema: „Isogenies mit darin eingearbeiteten Kavitäten.“ Eintrag von Holzverbrennungspro- Feldtest.“ lichen Raum.“ and endomorphism rings of abelian Physik dukten in marine Sedimente.“ Rechtswissenschaften Betriebswirtschaftslehre Ute Beyer-Henneberger, Thema: „Su- varieties of low dimension.“ Marta Jacuniak-Suda, Thema: „Re- Meereswissenschaften pervision und Burnout-Prophylaxe in Mathematik Silke Neumeyer, Thema: „Natur- Andreas Solsbach, Thema: „Docu- gional Governance im Kontext der Niklas Oehl, Thema: „Nano-structu- pastoralen und schulischen Berufs- schutz als Schwelle zur nachhaltigen ment Engineering als Ansatz für eine Gerlinde Dingerkus, Thema: „Orga- Regionalentwicklung in peripheren red anode materials for lithium-ion feldern.“ Regionalentwicklung.“ überbetriebliche Nachhaltigkeitsbe- nisations- und Bewusstseinskultur ländlichen Räumen am Beispiel von batteries. Crystal structure and phase Ev. Religion u. Religionspädagogik Betriebswirtschaftslehre richterstattung.“ in Hospizteams. Entwicklung eines regionalen Netzwerken in Ermland- evolution.“ Informatik Oliver Hirt, Thema: „Rekonstruktion Masuren (Polen) und auf den Western Physik Anna Pechan, Thema: „Utilities in a Fragebogeninstruments unter Berück- des moralischen Standpunkts nach Isles (Schottland).“ Changing Environment – Adaptati- Mani Swaminathan, Thema: „Quan- sichtigung der Dimension Bewusst- Jan Ohlert, Thema: „Hydrothermale dem Freiheitskapitel der Negativen Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften on to Climate Change and the Energy titative and Structural Analysis of sein.“ Carbonisierung (HTC) von Klär- und Dialektik.“ Transition.“ Real-Time and Probabilistic Systems.“ Psychologie Constantin Junk, Thema: „Statistical Faulschlämmen.“ Informatik Philosophie Volkswirtschaftslehre Daniela Dirnberger, Thema: „Uncer- methods for probabilistic wind and Chemie Martin Kowalewski, Thema: „Ver- wind power forecasting.“ Jan Pinkowski, Thema: „Prozessge- Thomas Vogelgesang, Thema: „Mul- tainties in Energy Rating for Thin Film Jana Packmor, Thema: „Harpacticoi- räumlichung in der Musik.“ Physik triebene Risikoanalyse zur Bewertung tidimensionales Process-Mining für PV Modules.“ da (Crustacea, Copepoda) of Madeira Philosophie maritimer Operationen.“ die Analyse medizinischer Versor- Physik Christopher Krause, Thema: „La- and Porto Santo – Inventory and first Informatik gungsprozesse.“ Martin Dörenkämper, Thema: „An dungsträgergeneration in organisch/ comparison with seamounts of the Informatik anorganischen Hybridsolarzellen mit Frank Pothen, Thema: „Raw Materi- Fakultät V - Mathematik investigation of the atmospheric in- ‚Madeira Hot Spot Track‘ .“ CuInS2 Nanopartikeln.“ Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften als, International Trade, and Numeri- Monika Walter, Thema: „Ein Konzept und Naturwissenschaften fluence on spatial and temporal power Physik cal Models.“ zur Identifikation von Unterstüt- fluctuations in offshore wind farms.“ Till Preuß, Thema: „Titankatalysato- Volkswirtschaftslehre zungspotenzial für Simulationsstudi- Mohsen Alavash Shooshtari, Thema: Physik Viola Kretschmer, Thema: „Schnelle ren für die intermolekulare Hydroa- en bei Verwendung multidimensiona- „Complex Functional Brain Networks Jaika Dörfler, Thema: „Präparative Signalverarbeitung visueller Infor- minoalkylierung von 1,3-Dienen.“ ler Datenmodelle.“ and Their Relation to Capacity Limits Studien zur regioselektiven inter- und mationen beim Jagdverhalten in der Chemie Informatik in Working Memory and Multi-Tas- intramolekularen Hydroaminoalkylie- Schützenfischretina.“ king.“ rung von Alkenen.“ Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften Psychologie Chemie

48 EINBLICKE 2016 49 Doctorates Habilitations

Jaroslaw Puczylowski, Thema: „Sen- Eike Stut, Thema: „Wirkungen der Ina Kodrasi, Thema: „Dereverberation Fakultät I - Bildungs- Fakultät V - Mathematik sor development for highly resolved Psychosynthese.“ and noise reduction techniques based und Sozialwissenschaften und Naturwissenschaften measurements in turbulent flows.“ Psychologie on acoustic multi-channel equaliza- Physik tion.“ Jaybalan Tamahrajah, Thema: „Ex- Dr. Vera Busse, Vortrag: „Unterrichts- Dr. Michael Jürgen Raupach, Vor- Medizinische Physik und Akustik Katharina Pukaß, Thema: „Ursachen perimental and theory-based studies ansätze für eine plurilinguale Gesell- trag: „Die Kambrische Explosion“. der α-Synuclein Aggregation in oligo- of silicic acid formation under hyd- Daniel Marquardt, Thema: „Develop- schaft“. Schrift: „Sprachliches und Schrift: „The application of molecular dendroglialen Zellen.“ rothermal conditions – evaluation of ment and evaluation of psychoacousti- interkulturelles Lernen: individuelle methods in animal species identifica- Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften various methods.“ cally motivated binaural noise reduc- Voraussetzungen und schulische För- tion and classification.“ Chemie Daniel Ritterskamp, Thema: „Evolu- tion and cue preservation techniques.“ derung.“ Zoologie Medizinische Physik und Akustik Pädagogik tionary Dynamics in Food Webs: Influ- Martin Theuring, Thema: „Light Ma- Dr. Bert Engelen, Vortrag: „Bakteriel- ence of Resources and Space“ nagement in Flexible Silicon Thin Film Hu Niandan, Thema: „Metoprolol in- ler Elektronentransport über mehrere Meereswissenschaften Solar Cells.“ creases TIPMP-2 expression in mice Zentimeter“. Schrift: „Prokaryotes and Physik Fakultät II - Informatik, Sunke Schlüters, Thema: „Uncon- bearing acute complex atherosclerotic viruses in the marine subsurface: From Wirtschafts- und ditionality in spaces of holomorphic Reinhard Vetters, Thema: „Entwick- plaque.“ Coastal sediments to the deep-subse- Humanmedizin functions.“ lung und Evaluation eines Diagno- Rechtswissenschaften afloor biosphere.“ Mathematik seinstrumentes zur Erfassung me- Nicolás Palanca-Castán, Thema: „In- Mikrobiologie Dr. Marlen Arnold, Vortrag: „Stake- takognitiver Fähigkeiten im Bereich terraural time difference processing Wiebke Schubotz, Thema: „Perfor- holder-Integration als Pflicht oder Kür Dr. Petra Groß, PhD (Umhabilitation), Formelsprache.“ in the auditory brainstem of two bird mance of Current Models of Speech Re- unternehmerischen Managements? Schrift: „Development of laser sources Chemie species.“ cognition and Resulting Challenges.“ Möglichkeiten und Grenzen offe- and microscopy techniques for laser Neurowissenschaften Physik Cordula Walder, Thema: „Develop- ner Managementkonzepte.“ Schrift: spectroscopy and confocal laser scan- Veronika Seiberlich, Thema: „Das ment of a High Voltage Top Cell for Frederice Pirschel, Thema: „Coding „Nachhaltigkeit als strategische Im- ning microscopy.“ Physik Mikrotubuli assoziierte Protein Tau Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells.“ of Touch in Neurons of the Medicinal plikation zur Verankerung in Innova- und Proteinaggregatbildung in oligo- Physik Leech Hirudo medicinalis.“ tionsprozessen.“ Neurowissenschaften dendroglialen Zellen.“ Heidi Wichmann, Thema: „Effects of Betriebswirtschaftslehre Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften the marine natural products tropodi- Johannes Voßkuhl, Thema: „Effects Fakultät VI – Medizin und Ravail Singh, Thema: „Biodiversity of thietic acid and dimenthylsulphoni- of transcranial alternating current Gesundheitswissenschaften deep-sea nematode communities from opropionate on neuronal and oligo- stimulation on cognition and brain Fakultät III - Sprach- commercially important manganese dendroglial cells as well as Caenorhab- activation.“ und Kulturwissenschaften Dr. Heiner von Boetticher, Vortrag: Psychologie nodules areas.“ ditis elegans.“ „Fledermäuse und Phantome – un- Meereswissenschaften Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften Maren Weber, Thema: „Entwicklung Dr. Michaela Keck, Vortrag: „The Plea- terschiedliche Zugänge zur klinischen Stephan Späth, Thema: „Statistische inhibitorischer Synapsen im auditori- sures and Challenges of a ‚Parallel Cul- Farbdopplersonografie“. Schrift: „De- Korrektur von Ensemblevorhersagen schen Hirnstamm: Immunhistoche- ture‘: Childhood Constructions in Early scription, recording and analysis of der regional aggregierten Windleis- Fakultät VI – Medizin und mische, molekulare und massenspek- and Contemporary African American X-ray dose deposition in radiology for tung.“ Gesundheitswissenschaften trometrische Analysen.“ Children’s Literature“. Schrift: „Deli- procedure optimization and risk esti- Physik Neurowissenschaften berately Out of Bounds: Women’s Work mation.“ Ling-Chia Chen, Thema: „Cortical on Classical Myth in Nineteenth-Cen- Benjamin Steffen, Thema: „Negiertes Medizinische Strahlenphysik plasticity in cochlear implant users.“ tury American Fiction.“ Bewältigen – Eine Grounded-Theo- Psychologie Amerikanistik: Literatur und Kultur Apl.-Prof. Dr. med. Uwe Maus, (Um- ry-Studie zur Diagnose von Bewer- habilitation), Schrift: „Therapie der tungskompetenz durch Biologielehr- Martin Chi-Sing Lam, Thema: „Haut- chronischen, MRSA-induzierten Os- kräfte.“ elektroporation mit einem für huma- titis mit bakteriziden Knochenersatz- Biologie/Umweltwissenschaften nes Host Defense Peptid hCAP- 18/LL-37 Fakultät IV - Human- und stoffen.“ kodierenden Plasmid zur Förderung Gesellschaftswissenschaften Georg Steinert, Thema: „Microbial Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie der Wundheilung.“ Diversity of Temperate and Tropical Humanmedizin Dr. Ralph Hennings, Vortrag: „‚Die Sponges.“ Kwami-Affäre‘ im September 1932. Meereswissenschaften Frauke Eenboom, Thema: „Entwick- Deutsches kolonial-missionarisches lung und Evaluierung eines Dosismo- Alexander Stollenz, Thema: „Die Erbe und nationalsozialistischer Ras- nitorsystems für die moderne Strah- Coelenterata der Deutschen Bucht in sismus treffen in Oldenburg aufeinan- lentherapie.“ Abhängigkeit von den Umweltbedin- Medizinische Physik der“. Schrift: „Kirchengeschichtliche gungen.“ Studien. Alte Kirche, Russlanddeut- Meereswissenschaften sche und Oldenburg.“ Ev. Theologie u. Religionspädagogik

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