Researchers at FAU are investigating sustainable computing systems, esoteric practices and cosmic jets
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved three new Collaborative Research Centers (CRC) with the participation of Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. A new research group is developing digital tools for sustainable computing systems. Another two research groups that are investigating esoteric practices and powerful plasma jets that are emitted from black holes have again received funding from the DFG.
Developing sustainable data technologies
In our digital and connected society, the exponentially increasing need for computing capacity is creating enormous demands for energy. The use of AI systems is fueling this development. There is a clear urgency to limit the energy consumption of computing centers for information and communication technologies for IT that is socially acceptable.
The aim of the newly established research group FOR 5880 “Holistic Energy and Performance Modeling for Sustainable Computing (Mod4Comp)” is to use a holistic approach to investigate energy and performance in the interplay between hardware and software. The researchers hope to classify the elementary components of computer architecture and precisely predict the energy consumption of complex scientific simulations using mathematical models in order to encourage sustainable computing. The development tools that will be developed during the project should enable software and hardware to be developed that require considerably less energy with operating times that continue to be satisfactory. The focus lies on classic computer architectures such as those for automated driving, special architectures for AI systems and high-performance computers. Researchers from FAU, TU Dresden and Forschungszentrum Jülich are bundling their expertise in Mod4Comp. Prof. Dr. Dietmar Fey, Chair of Computer Architecture, is speaker for FOR 5880.
Investigating esoteric practices
The DFG is extending the funding of the Center for Advanced Studies KFG 17 – Alternative Rationalities and Esoteric Practices from a Global Perspective for a second funding period with a further 4.6 million euros. Up to now, the project had combined research approaches from cultural and social anthropology and religious studies.
During the second funding phase, the researchers aim to work on developing and defining a research paradigm in order to investigate esoteric practices and their markings in social conflicts and other social dynamics. The Center for Advanced Studies is observing three dimensions of the topic that are linked to each other: legal configurations and those related to institutional policy, representations in society and the media and experiences with effectiveness. Special attention is being paid to the global fight for meaning in times of fake news and conspiracy theories. As another new feature during the second funding phase, the researchers will investigate interdisciplinary perspectives in human rights, which is already an area of outstanding research at FAU as part of the cluster “Transforming Human Rights”. The Center for Advanced Studies is led by Prof. Dr. Dominik Müller (Chair of Cultural and Social Anthropology), Prof. Dr. Giovanni Maltese (Chair of Religious Studies and Intercultural Theology) and Prof. Dr. Eva Pils (Chair of Human Rights Law).
FAU observatory involved in research into cosmic jets
The DFG has extended the funding for FOR 5195 “Relativistic jets in active galaxies”. The research group led by the University of Würzburg has been investigating plasma streams that are emitted by super massive black holes since 2021. Black holes not only swallow up matter, they can also propel it back into space as powerful jets of plasma under certain circumstances. The researchers want to try and find the origins of these jets, analyze their radiation and evaluate the influence of jets on the universe.
The research group comprises a national network of astrophysicists in Germany. The Dr. Karl Remeis observatory at FAU is involved in the project with Dr. Thomas Dauser and Prof Dr. Joern Wilms.