01 April 2026

Lecture series 'Spaceship Earth – Sustainability' enters its next round

The interdisciplinary lecture series on climate protection and sustainability will continue in the summer semester of 2026. The public lectures on the Saarbrücken campus will take place every Tuesday at 4.15 p.m. in the new Chemistry lecture hall building (Building C4 3, small lecture hall II). Online participation is also possible. The series begins on 14 April with a lecture on 'Sustainable raw material extraction and urban mining'.

The following text has been machine translated from the German with no human editing.


The Earth represents a unique ecosystem in which, over billions of years, an ideal environment for the development of humanity has emerged. Like a unique spaceship, this ecosystem moves through space, and humanity must manage its limited resources carefully. Over ten sessions, this interdisciplinary lecture series will explore various aspects of the interaction between our society and the Earth’s ecosystem, as well as issues of sustainability. These will be examined from scientific, philosophical, sociological, psychological, economic and legal perspectives.


Organised by Professor Guido Kickelbick and other lecturers, the lecture series is open to students from all disciplines, and credits may be awarded in many degree programmes. Members of the public are also welcome to attend the events. The lectures last 60 to 90 minutes, followed by a discussion session.


Time and venue:

From 14 April 2026, every Tuesday at 4.15 pm

Saarland University, Saarbrücken Campus, Building C4 3 (Chemistry Lecture Theatre Building), Room 0.03 (Small Lecture Theatre II). The events can also be followed online. You can find the link to join online here or in the programme overview (under the first event).


The lecture series begins on 14 April with a lecture by Professor Guido Kickelbick (Inorganic Solid-State Chemistry) on the topic: ‘Sustainable Raw Material Extraction and Urban Mining’.

Raw materials for many technological applications are of mineral origin. Significant amounts of energy and chemicals must be used for their extraction and processing. Using case studies, the lecture examines traditional raw material extraction and highlights alternatives for more sustainable extraction and utilisation. To what extent can recycling contribute to the substitution of raw materials?


Questions answered by:

Prof. Dr Guido Kickelbick

Saarland University 

Inorganic Solid-State Chemistry 

Tel.: +49 681 302-70651
E-Mail: guido.kickelbick@uni-saarland.de
www.uni-saarland.de/lehrstuhl/kickelbick.html