Magazine

The FAU magazine has current news, research results and exciting insights from research, studying and life at FAU. Discover innovations, trends and stories from the world of FAU.

18DEC 2025
Diversity 2025
Transforming Human Rights
Strengthening human rights in a critical time and breaking new ground in research: The new Cluster of Excellence at FAU shows that human rights and inter- and transdisciplinary human rights research are not obsolete. “Our goal is to shed new light on the potential and the limits of human rights,” emphasizes Katrin Kinzelbach, Chair of […]
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18DEC 2025
Passion 2025
Why, how, what for?
A day of studying like the grown-ups This fall, the Children’s University at FAU is back again. For organizer Laura Kneppe, the most important thing is that the children develop a love of science. It all starts at nine o’clock – with a welcome and handing out the “study booklet” The morning program begins at […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
Moving with the organs
Jana Hutter wants to adapt MRI imaging to the movement of tissue and organs. That would significantly improve the diagnosis of diseases. Her research has been awarded a Starting Grant from the ERC. When patients go for a scan in the “tube”, they only have one job: not to move. If they remain still, the […]
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18DEC 2025
Diversity 2025
Breaking the silence
Christoph Safferling has researched the Nazi history of the Federal Ministry of Justice. Now he is dedicating himself to a project right on his doorstep: transforming the former asylum in Erlangen into a memorial site. As a child, on his way to school, Christoph Safferling walked past the building behind the high wall on Maximiliansplatz […]
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18DEC 2025
Diversity 2025
“If you don’t love what you do, life is too short”
Bernd Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers, on passion, balance, and loyalty. He is one of the leading minds in medical technology: FAU alumnus Dr. Bernd Montag, CEO of Siemens Healthineers. He studied physics at FAU, where he also earned his Ph.D. in theoretical multi-particle physics. In this interview, he shares the values that guide him […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
Breaking down spacetime
Until now, quantum theory has not been applicable to gravitation. Wolfgang Wieland has developed a theoretical approach that provides a quantized upper limit for gravitational waves. Wolfgang Wieland sits in his office on Erlangen’s Staudtstraße, a coffee cup beside him, a white wall behind him. He does have a computer, but he prefers to work […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
Everything in its place
Whether tools in the hardware store or cows in the barn: With the start-up Pelora, Johanna Geiß is developing a system that precisely locates objects and devices. It is research that makes everyday life easier. Dr. Johanna Geiß leans back in her chair in a relaxed manner. She is currently on a break between many […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
Full of energy
With her Master’s thesis on innovative energy storage, Tamara Hein won the Hightech Prize Bavaria. The doctoral candidate is researching how sustainable energy can be used more effectively. When Tamara Hein was informed by email about her nomination for the Hightech Prize Bavaria, she could hardly believe it. “I didn’t even realize that the dean […]
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18DEC 2025
Diversity 2025
Magical and hidden
Long-forgotten texts, instruments, and practices are a true treasure for Petra Schmidl. Oftentimes, occult knowledge and modern sciences are much closer than one might think. Petra Schmidl opens a dark red box and takes out a round, brass-colored plate that resembles a compass. Rotatable disks, fine scales, and grid lines adorn the solid tool. “People […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
High-speed Helma and Turbo Alex
The supercomputers Helma and Alex housed at FAU are among the most powerful computers in the world. Petra Imhof and Gerhard Wellein support research groups from all over Germany in harnessing this concentrated computing power for scientific projects. The room is bathed in pale neon light, and a loud humming makes conversation almost impossible. The […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
High-flyer
FAU student Ediz Osman is passionate about aviation technology and even builds functional jet prototypes, which helped him to win the national finals of “Jugend forscht.” “The surface area increases quadratically and the weight cubically. So you always need significantly more power than the additional surface area you gain.” When Ediz Osman talks about the […]
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18DEC 2025
Innovation 2025
Taming immune cells
Andreas Ramming, Professor of Immunology of Organ Damage and deputy director of Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology at Uniklinikum Erlangen is developing a new therapy for chronic inflammatory diseases. Our immune system is similar to the police force of a big city. There are cells that patrol and keep an eye out […]
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