Humboldt Participation in Collaborative Research Centres
CRC 980: Episteme in Motion. Transfer of Knowledge from the Ancient World to the Early Modern Period
The Collaborative Research Centre Episteme in Motion is dedicated to studying knowledge change in selected premodern cultures from Europe and beyond. The Centre investigates longue-durée processes of knowledge change in particular historical configurations and develops a methodology for their description. While there has been a wide-spread tendency to view premodern knowledge as primarily static – both within the premodern cultures themselves but also in the eyes of modern scholars – the Centre’s guiding hypothesis is that premodern knowledge was subject to constant change, especially in cases where there have been powerful claims to the contrary. For the purpose of understanding the specific dynamics of premodern knowledge change, the Centre has developed two closely-linked analytical terms: ‘episteme’ and ‘transfer’. ‘Episteme’ conceives of knowledge as a ‘knowledge of something’ that is always invested with some claim to validity – a claim which becomes manifest in particular discourses and practices and can never be understood without a consideration of its mediality and materiality. The term ‘transfer’, as understood by the Centre, denotes a form of knowledge change that consists in re-contextualisations that transform knowledge within new configurations and entanglements. Precisely because knowledge change is thus marked by constantly shifting reciprocal relations, its analysis makes it necessary to overcome traditional categories such as ‘period’ or ‘culture’. As a consequence of these observations, the Centre has developed the concept of ‘oikonomies of knowledge’ that encapsulates the multidirectional dynamism of premodern processes of knowledge change, as well as rendering analytically accessible the implicit norms, selection processes, invisible rules and power structures that shape the transformation of knowledge. During the Centre’s third funding period, a new concept, momentum, will play a key role for the Centre’s research programme. Momentum is designed to yield insight into the particular impulses within the multidirectionality that is central to knowledge change.
Coordinating University:
Freie Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Gyburg Uhlmann
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Theology, Department of Classical Philology
Duration: 07/12 - 06/24
Webpage: http://www.sfb-episteme.de/konzept/index.html
CRC 1078: Protonation Dynamics in Protein Function
An der Schnittstelle von Biologie, Chemie und Physik wurden in der Vergangenheit einige grundlegende Prinzipien der Wirkungsweisen von Eiweißen aufgeklärt. Der SFB „Proteinfunktion durch Protonierungsdynamik“ schließt hier an und zielt auf die Entschlüsselung eines neuen Funktionsprinzips. Unter Protonierungsdynamik verstehen die Forscherinnen und Forscher die Bewegung von Wasserstoffionen, die zum Beispiel die Koordination verschiedener Funktionsorte in komplexen Proteinen erlaubt und die der Umwandlung von Lichtsignalen in Pflanzen und Cyanobakterien zugrunde liegt. Wie genau die sowohl lokale Verlagerung von Protonen in Wasserstoffbrücken-Netzwerken als auch der Protonentransfer über größere Distanzen hinweg abläuft, soll anhand von vier ausgewählten Proteinsystemen überprüft werden. Ziel ist es, die Protonierungsdynamik als bestimmenden Faktor der Proteinfunktion auf einer grundlegenden physikalisch-chemischen Ebene zu verstehen. Dies soll durch Kombination neuer biophysikalischer Experimente mit molekularen Simulationen und quantenchemischen Berechnungen erreicht werden. Die Forschung an den Grundlagen der Proteinfunktion kann langfristig von Nutzen sein, um neuartige Konzepte, wie zum Beispiel die lichtgetriebene Wasserspaltung oder Sauerstoffreduktion (in den Energiewissenschaften), technologisch umzusetzen.
Coordinating University:
Freie Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Holger Dau
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin: Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences I, Department of Biology, Department of Chemistry
Duration: 01/13 - 12/24
CRC 1265: Re-Figuration of Spaces
The transformation of our world through increasingly transnational forms of economic activity, the development and spread of digital communication technologies, and geopolitical upheaval is commonly referred to as ‘globalisation’. However, this Collaborative Research Centre – representing six engineering and social science disciplines – is based on the assumption that these conflict-laden transformation processes can be most clearly recognised when they are understood as the ‘Re-Figuration of Spaces’. To identify the characteristics of re-figuration in empirical investigations, the researchers will study both the level of subjective experience and knowledge of spaces and that of the spatial interrelationsbetween circulation and order. Finally, they aim to illuminate the level of communicative actions, interactions and practices that link the first two levels.
Coordinating University:
Technische Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Martina Löw
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Geography
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Social Sciences
Duration: 01/18 - 12/25
Homepage: https://sfb1265.de/
CRC 1294: Data Assimilation - The Seamless Integration of Data and Models
The seamless integration of large amounts of data in complex computer models is a major challenge in mathematics. This merging of data and models is known as data assimilation. Until now it has primarily been used in meteorology, hydrology and the search for raw materials. The Collaborative Research Centre “Data Assimilation - The Seamless Integration of Data and Models” intends firstly to theoretically deepen existing algorithms of data assimilation and secondly to develop new assimilation techniques for new applications in biology, medicine, cognitive science and neuroscience.
Coordinating University:
Universität Potsdam
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. -Ing. Sebastian Reich
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics
Duration: 07/17 - 06/25
Homepage:https://www.sfb1294.de/
CRC 1349: Fluorine-Specific Interactions: Fundamentals and Functions
The objective of the CRC “Fluorine-Specific Interactions: Fundamentals and Functions” is to understand and control the complex interactions that can originate from fluorinated building blocks in chemical systems.
Coordinating University:
Freie Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry
Duration: 07/19 - 899999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999hz
CRC 1375: Nonlinear Optics down to Atomic Scales (NOA)
The researchers of the CRC "Nonlinear Optics down to Atomic Scales (NOA)" hope to achieve a better understanding of the non-linear processes involved in the interaction between light and matter for nanostructured materials. To this end, tailor-made structures will be created to control light on scales that are smaller than its wavelength. This has not yet been possible. Using a combination of theory and experiment, the aim is to develop a concept for non-linear optics that can also be applied at the atomic level.
Coordinating University:
Universität Jena
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Ulf Peschel
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Physics
Duration: 07/19 - 06/23
Homepage:
CRC/TR109: Discretisation in Geometry and Dynamics
The central goal of the CRC is to pursue research on the discretization of differential geometry and dynamics. In both fields of mathematics, the key objects under investigation are governed by differential equations. Generally, the term “discretization” refers to any procedure that turns a differential equation into difference equations involving only finitely many variables, whose solutions approximate those of the differential equation.In dynamics, it became apparent that obtaining locally high-accurate approximations is not enough if one is interested in the global, qualitative long-term behavior of a dynamical system. A good discretization scheme should therefore preserve important qualitative aspects of the continuous system. For example, if energy is preserved in the continuous system, then the discretized system should also exhibit some sort of energy conservation. Since the modern theory of dynamical systems is formulated in the language of geometry, the subfield that is concerned with such structure-preserving discretizations is called geometric integration.In differential geometry, structure-preserving discretizations turned out to be useful as well. For example, for many special classes of surfaces (such as minimal surfaces or surfaces with constant Gauss curvature) structure-preserving discretizations are known. These types of discrete surfaces are polyhedral surfaces with special properties defined in elementary geometric terms. However, they exhibit the same qualitative behavior as the continuous surfaces, which are governed by nonlinear partial differential equations.The common idea behind these developments in geometry and dynamics is to find and investigate discrete models that exhibit properties and structures characteristic of the corresponding smooth geometric objects and dynamical processes. Refining the discrete models by decreasing the mesh size should of course converge in the limit to the conventional description via differential equations, but in addition the important characteristic qualitative features should already be captured at the discrete level. The resulting discretization should constitute a fundamental mathematical theory, which incorporates the classical analog in the continuous limit.The CRC brings together scientists, who have joined forces in tackling the numerous problems raised by the challenge of discretizing geometry and dynamics.
Coordinating University:
Technische Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Alexander I. Bobenko
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics
Duration: 07/12 - 06/24
Webpage: https://www.discretization.de/
CRC/TR154: Mathematical Modelling, Simulation and Optimization using the Example of Gas Networks
The “turnaround in energy policy” is currently in the main focus of public opinion. The desire for a clean, environmentally consistent and climate-friendly energy production is stronger than ever and, as a matter of fact, gas becomes more and more important in the decades to come. But an efficient handling of gas transportation induces a number of technical and regulatory problems, also in the context of coupling to other energy carriers. It is the goal of the Transregio-CRC to provide certified novel answers to these grand challenges, based on mathematical modeling, simulation and optimization.
Coordinating University:
Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Alexander Martin
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Department of Mathematics
Duration: 07/14 - 06/26
Webpage: https://www.trr154.fau.de/
CRC/TR175: The Green Hub. Central Coordinator of Acclimation in Plants
Chloroplasten sind als Ort der Photosynthese essentiell für die Primärproduktion von reduziertem Kohlenstoff auf unserem Planeten. In den letzten Jahren ist klar geworden, dass Chloroplasten darüber hinaus als Schaltstelle für Anpassungsvorgänge an verschiedene abiotische Signale, vor allem Licht und Temperatur, dienen. Zu erklären, wie der Chloroplast die Akklimatisierung der gesamten Pflanze steuert, ist Ziel dieses SFB-Transregio.
Coordinating University:
Ludwig-Maximillians-Universität München
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Dario Leister
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Biology
Duration: 07/16 - 06/24
Homepage: https://www.tr175.bio.lmu.de/
CRC/TR266: Accounting for Transparency
There has been little research to date on the consequences and driving factors of mounting regulations regarding the disclosure of previously internal company information and the growing trend of companies taking on more social responsibility. The CRC/Transregio "Accounting for Transparency" will examine how companies' transparency is influenced by accounting methods and what impact corporate transparency has on society. These topics are relevant in view of the 2007 global financial crisis and the resulting demands for greater transparency. They are also a desideratum in business administration.
Coordinating University:
Universität Paderborn
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Caren Sureth-Sloane
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Economics and Business Administration
Duration: 07/19 - 06/23
Homepage:
CRC 1449: Dynamic Hydrogels at Biointerfaces
The overarching goal of this CRC is to define the key physicochemical parameters that determine protective hydrogel function at biological interfaces in health, and abnormalities in disease for prospective development of novel therapeutic strategies. To achieve this goal, we will perform a detailed analysis of the physical, chemical and biological properties of synthetic and native hydrogels (i.e. mucus and glycocalyx). We focus on the individual and combined contributions of hydrogel components and their functional impact on airway and intestinal surfaces constituting the largest biointerfaces covered by hydrogels in the human body. In this context, we will include studies of exemplary pulmonary and gastrointestinal diseases, in which abnormal hydrogels have been implicated as important determinants of pathogenesis. These examples include i) cystic fibrosis (mucoviscidosis) as a chronic muco-obstructive lung disease triggered by abnormal viscoelastic properties of mucus in the airways; ii) acute respiratory tract infections caused by bacteria and viruses; and iii) inflammatory bowel disease as chronic disease condition associated with abnormal mucus composition in the gastrointestinal tract. Our overarching approach will determine mucus properties and dynamics at the molecular level including structure, mesh size, charge conditions, viscoelastic and transport behavior, to determine which molecular parameters define healthy vs. disease states. We base the approach on our unique capability to (bio)synthetically build key hydrogel components and compare them with the native hydrogels. The three main research objectives of the CRC are i) to determine the structure and role of individual hydrogel components, i.e. glycoproteins, salt and water, in the complex process of hydrogel formation and its function at biointerfaces; ii) to reconstitute synthetic mimics of native hydrogel components and study whether the synthetic hydro-gel variants can recapitulate the native barrier to prevent infection by bacteria and viruses; iii) to define the relationship of hydrogel properties (mucus/glycocalyx) in health vs. disease to design new therapeutic concepts.
Coordinating University:
Frei Universität Berlin
Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Rainer Haag
Participating Departments of Humboldt-Universität Berlin:
Faculty of Mathematic and Natural Sciences, Department of Chemistry
Duration: 01/21 - 12/24
Homepage: https://www.sfb1449.de/