We are delighted to share the latest edition of our new information update by, and for, the Research Alumni Network. This update contains a selection of insights into some of the University of Siegen's many international research cooperations, as well as information pertaining to research at the university more generally. We hope you enjoy reading it.
Your Research-Alumni Office Team

Overview:
1. Research Tandems
2. Research Alumni Portraits
3. Programme Activities
4. News from the Research Alumni Community
5. Research News of the University of Siegen

One of the strongest benefits to research collaborations is that they allow researchers from different fields to come together to use their complementary areas of expertise to develop a new project. This was the case for Prof. Kristof Van Laerhoven, who is a professor of ubiquitous computing at the department for electrical engineering and computer science in the University of Siegen, and Prof. Abdelhadi Soudi, a professor of natural language processing at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Rabat in Morocco. Click here to read more.

Research Alumni Portraits

Dr. Dipankar Das, Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea: My research field is polymer chemistry, specifically the fabrication of biopolymer-based crosslinked networks. By chemical modification of biopolymers, we can develop interesting kinds of materials called hydrogels or nanogels. These gels possess outstanding properties like 3D structure, porosity, swelling behaviour, cyto-compatibility etc. Click here to read more.

To read more about Dr. Das's research project at the University of Siegen in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Holger Schönherr and his colleagues in the Physical Chemistry I research group at the University of Siegen, click here .

On the 18th of June 2020, the Welcome Center and the Alumni Office, together with the Research Alumni Programme, organised a virtual meetup between current and former Humboldtians for them to get to know one another and to share their insights into international research. Click here to read more.

Professor Hans-Peter Künzi has passed away
on 13 August 2020:
Prof. Hans-Peter Künzi worked at the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics at the University of Cape Town in South Africa, where he lead the Topology Research Group. Throughout his career he published numerous influential papers on asymmetric topology, category theory, and analysis, and was internationally highly recognised for his research. He made research visits to Siegen on a regular basis, to collaborate with Prof. Dr. Dieter Spreen, including two sabbaticals during which he also gave lectures. His last visit was made in 2018. A further visit was scheduled for the previous summer term, but had to be cancelled due to the Covid19 pandemic.

Our thoughts are with his friends and family during this difficult time. Click here to read more about his life.

Funding secured to advance joint research project between the Universities of Siegen and Ghana.
Since her graduation from the University of Siegen, Dr. Efua Esaaba Mantey Agyire-Tettey has forged a strong research partnership with Prof. Johannes Schädler between her current institution, the University of Ghana, and her former university. Their latest initiative, the Life Course Transitions and Trajectories of Persons with Disabilities in West African Societies (LICOT-WASO) project has received funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research to provide scholarships for eight PhD students to work on the project. The main aim of this cooperation is to better understand the impacts of social structures in Ghana and across West Africa on the life courses of people with disabilities. Click here to read more.

How has international research been affected by the current global pandemic?
Insights from our research alumni network
Throughout 2020, the way in which we live and work has changed significantly due to COVID19.  To see how international research partnerships were affected during this turbulent time, we reached out to members of our research alumni network and asked them about how their research has been affected. We received interesting insights from researchers based in many different countries, including China, Ghana, Mauritius, Brazil and the USA. The respondents also specialised in a wide range of different subjects, such as Engineering, Media Science, Physics, Social Work and Chemistry. Click here to read more.

Second edition of University of Siegen’s bilingual research magazine "future" is published
This magazine ponders many fascinating questions: How harmful are nanoparticles from sunscreens to aquatic organisms? Can DNA analyses improve cancer detection? Can artificial diamonds be developed into a super capacitor? The magazine also contains a broad research mix from all faculties: Topics include: the power of popularity; plants lost in space; whether green economic growth is possible. Click here to read it.

Nanoparticles of the future
Researchers in Siegen have developed the world's first afterglow-magnetic nanoparticles. The patented invention is designed for various applications including cancer detection in medicine and the detection of fine particulates in living organisms. Click here to read more.

Professor Messari-Becker becomes a member of the Club of Rome
Dr. Lamia Messari-Becker, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Siegen, is a new member of the Club of Rome, a non-profit organization dedicated to sustainability. Click here to read more.

"A fantastic opportunity for the whole university"
The University of Siegen has won funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program for a large-scale project aimed at strengthening the mobility and career development of scientists. It gives experienced researchers from around the globe the opportunity to work as visiting fellows in Siegen. Click here to read more.

Funding for Collaborative Research Center extended
The Media of Cooperation Collaborative Research Center (CRC) established at the University of Siegen in 2016 will continue its work until at least the end of 2023. The Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) has greenlighted its further funding. Click here to read more.

Examining tiny protein droplets with X-ray light
In a German-Swedish research project, scientists from the Universities of Siegen, Tübingen, Lund, and Stockholm are studying the dynamics of proteins in cells. Their findings could form the basis for the development or improvement of medical treatments. Click here to read more.

Installing cognitive algorithms in small computers
How can limited-capacity devices such as smartphones run highly complex AI algorithms in the future? In the Wiplash project, researchers at the University of Siegen are working on a solution with a new computer architecture. Click here to read more.