Research priorities at FAU

FAU researchers in the key research priority “Exploring the principles of nature” strive to explore and understand the laws ruling our universe, the blueprints of nature, the mysteries of life. It goes without saying that this entails basic research to a large degree, but the overriding objective is much broader: during interdisciplinary collaboration, ideas and concepts are developed for how findings from basic research can inspire us to copy nature and discover new technologies and applications. “Basic research inspiring transformation” is our motto. Findings from this key research priority make a valuable contribution to medicine, materials science, climate and energy research, and quantum technologies.

Our world is changing at a breakneck speed – and we have to change to keep up. Globalization, climate change, cultural and armed conflicts – all these influencing factors pose challenges for our society, challenges that we can only tackle by taking a holistic approach involving the academic disciplines in our key research priority “Targeting environmental and economic challenges”. What influence do global commodity flows or digitalization have on our economy and our work, and how can we master them? How can we mitigate climate change, for example with low-emission energy systems, at the same time as adjusting as a society to the new environmental conditions?  And on the other hand, how can we maintain our prosperity while creating better living conditions both at home and in other parts of the world? Economics and social studies, engineering, geology and geography all come together in this key research priority.

The key research priority “Understanding norms, cultural practices and social formations” at FAU focuses on investigating cultural practices and social constellations in our society. It offers a strong basis for research projects that focus on questions of human interaction, covering topics such as human rights – the main focus of the FAU Center for Human Rights (FAU CHREN) – sociology, psychology and politics, to dealing with the past and the future or the processes and results of humans’ ability to express themselves, for example as investigated in cultural and literary studies.

The key research priority “Developing future technologies” takes into account the fact that FAU is not only a university which offers the entire spectrum of academic disciplines, but also the most innovative university in Germany. Whether it is energy systems of the future, medical engineering achievements, high-performance quantum computers, computer models or fully automated production processes – connected to the unique innovation ecosystem in the region and beyond, researchers at FAU develop technologies that make our world a better place. The questions that are essential for innovation arise: How can we react to requirements from the market and find solutions to them? How can scientific findings lead to new applications ? Do they have market potential and how can they be launched onto the market? Achievements such as MP3, the use of organic hydrogen carriers or ever more powerful technologies in medical imaging underline just how strong this priority is at FAU.

The health of society poses a wide range of challenges to science that we address from a holistic perspective in our key research priority “Engineering transformative healthcare”. Why do we become ill, and how can we prevent or diagnose illness at an early stage and slow its progression as a result? Innovations in imaging and other diagnostic tools have an important role to play, not to forget the possibilities AI offers us to stay one step ahead of illnesses. At the same time, it is important to develop technologies that facilitate prevention, recovery or life-long support, across the entire globe. Finally, we strive to develop revolutionary treatment approaches to gain a grip on illnesses that are currently considered scourges of humanity, from cancer to cardiovascular illness or automimmune diseases to new viruses. That apart, we also focus on diseases that may be rare but are all the more difficult to treat.