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The following text has been machine translated from the German and has undergone no postediting.
The large joint stand of Saarland University and Saarland's research institutions will be located from 2 to 4 October in the "Future through Change" mile on Mainzer Straße at the intersection with Bleichstraße in Saarbrücken. In addition, several lab courses for school students at Saarland University will be offering their experiments in the "STEM Mile" in the backyard of Mainzer Straße 26. The diverse programme is published on the university website. Here are a few examples: www.uni-saarland.de/gemeinsam-fuer-morgen
Hands-on activities offered by the Saarland Informatics Campus
Anyone who finds it difficult to motivate themselves to exercise during training or rehabilitation should take a look at the Mentalytics project run by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). This AI assistant takes into account expectations, fitness and mood – and predicts how strenuous an exercise will be and whether it will be successful. Another DFKI project also focuses on intelligent predictions: heating systems are often oversized, which means they consume unnecessary energy and generate high costs. A digital twin is designed to help small and medium-sized businesses calculate the potential savings of new heating systems.
Various research projects at the Max Planck Institute for Computer Science focus on virtual reality and detailed images of humans. For example, "3D Gaussian Splatting" can be used to reconstruct real scenes in a lifelike manner, as in a video game. This method was used, for example, in the dismantling of the Fukushima reactor. The Tangibles project addresses the question of how we perceive objects in virtual worlds. This depends largely on the subtle vibrations that our fingers feel when we touch something. At the information stand, visitors can try out how cube-shaped objects suddenly appear elastic, hard or rough because their material properties are changed virtually at the touch of a button.
Linking satellite data with artificial intelligence and social media creates new perspectives. This is demonstrated by the SkyPulse project of the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems. The platform provides real-time insights into specific regions and helps, for example, disaster control authorities to make informed decisions. These analyses also support climate observation and the monitoring of critical infrastructure.
Research projects and participatory opportunities in the biomedical field
At the INM - Leibniz Institute for New Materials, a research project is investigating how non-living materials interact with living cells. Researchers are demonstrating this using the example of a "living contact lens" that contains tiny "biofactories" that produce hyaluronic acid and release it into the eye. Special bioprinters can be used to safely encapsulate such biofactories and integrate them into contact lens gels.
In a hands-on activity offered by the INM, visitors can observe how microorganisms are given new properties. While making "DNA candies," the scientists explain how the building blocks of DNA fit together and show plates of algae gel on which fluorescent bacteria have created luminous works of art. As a souvenir, visitors can take home homemade key rings with DNA or bacterial patterns.
The Chair of Clinical Pharmaceutical Science at Saarland University uses health data and artificial intelligence to provide patients with personalised and safe treatment. The background to the EU project SafePolyMed, coordinated by Saarland University, is the fact that around 200,000 people in Europe die every year from the side effects of medication. This could be prevented by tailoring therapies more individually to each person. The Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) and the PharmaScienceHub will also present current research projects in Pharmaceutical Science and biomedicine.
New treatment options are also the focus of the presentations by the Saarland University Hospital (UKS). Since 2006, over 10,000 robot-assisted operations have been performed there. Two DaVinci robotic systems are currently in use in urology, surgery and gynaecology – from tumour removal to minimally invasive kidney transplants. Thanks to interdisciplinary expertise, patients receive optimal care and recover more quickly. At the information stand, interested visitors can try out operating with the robotic system for themselves.
The Department of General Paediatrics and Neonatal Medicine at the UKS is presenting the "Empathic Incubator" project together with various research partners. This is intended to help monitor newborns with as little contact as possible and with the support of AI. The "Empathetic Incubators" are designed to understand the emotional state of newborns and respond to their needs during round-the-clock monitoring.
Presentation of international cooperation and European studies
The Saarland University information stand will also feature numerous institutions and collaborative projects that represent the university's international collaborations. For example, the European university network Transform4Europe and the University of the Greater Region will present their work. The internationally oriented Käte Hamburger Centre will explain how cultural activities can be used to address irreversible damage – such as the destruction of cultural assets in colonised areas, war traumas or the consequences of climate change – and turn it into a future. Projects from the field of European studies will also be presented.
On Saturday, 4 October at 4 p.m., a science slam will take place at the Filmhaus Saarbrücken, where five scientists will compete against each other with short presentations, presenting their research topics in an entertaining and understandable way. The University's Legal Informatics department will also be represented. Also on 4 October at 6 p.m., there will be a reading with authors Charlotte Gneuß and Anne Rabe on the topic of "Writing as an Attitude" at the Stiftung Demokratie Saar (Europaallee 18, Saarbrücken). Gneuß will read from her award-winning debut novel "Gittersee," which tells of life in the GDR, and Rabe will read from her new book "Das M-Wort," in which she examines the significance of morality for society and politics. The panel discussion will be moderated by Christian Klein, Professor of Modern German Literature at Saarland University.
Further information and programme, including times:
www.uni-saarland.de/gemeinsam-fuer-morgen
Questions about the programme will be answered by:
Céline Krauß
University President's Office
Tel: 0681 302-3903
Email: celine.krauss(at)uni-saarland.de
