Welcome at JGU MAGAZINE

 

Dr. Bianca Navarro-Crummenauer (photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)FORENSIC OUTPATIENT CLINIC

"This child's death could have been prevented"

Fifteen years ago, a young physician started thinking about how she could better help abused and mistreated children. Now that physician, Dr. Bianca Navarro-Crummenauer, is in charge of the Forensic Outpatient Clinic for Victims of Domestic Violence at the Institute of Legal Medicine at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Some 500 cases a year keep her busy.


Roman coins were often palm-sized. (photo: Peter Pulkowski)COIN COLLECTION

Roman small change was rather big

Although the coin collection of the Department of History's Ancient History division at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) fits into a single vault, it still holds quite a few surprises – at least for the layperson. Huge Roman coins sit beside ranks of imperial representations. Alexander the Great and Cleopatra can be admired here in silver, gold, and bronze.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)HERBARIUM

The collection is growing and growing

The herbarium at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is hardly known – although it includes a number of rare plants and fungi, some of which are still awaiting proper classification. In addition to the extensive array of fungi and plants native to the Rhineland-Palatinate region and gathered from the Mainz Sand Dunes nature reserve, there are also exotic specimens from Costa Rica and Rwanda. Dr. Gudrun Kadereit shows what the herbarium has in store.


Professor Dr. Stephan Goertz (photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)MORAL THEOLOGY

The Catholic Church under fire

The Catholic Church seems to be constantly in the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. The controversies surrounding the morning-after pill, child abuse, and the employment rights of those working for the church are making waves. The atmosphere has become so charged that the situation is becoming increasingly radicalized. Professor Dr. Stephan Goertz, holder of the Chair of Moral Theology at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has taken a stand.


MAINZ SCREENING CENTER

Discovering nature

Robots search for new drugs to fight cancer and Alzheimer's and analyze the effects of nanoparticles in humans: at the Mainz Screening Center, Professor Dr. Roland Stauber and his colleagues work in a whole range of fields. The Mainz Screening Center is at the hub of a widely distributed network consisting of a group of highly varied institutions.


High-altitude research aircraft Geophysica (photo: Stephan Borrmann)METEOROLOGY

Hunting down clouds in a spy jet

Two of the most important factors influencing climate events are still a mystery: The clouds and the aerosols in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Professor Dr. Stephan Borrmann is tracking them both down. A new, large-scale project is ready to start in the skies above India. The European Union is providing EUR 2.75 million in financial support.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ART AUCTION

A Warhol under the hammer

A group of 56 students staged a major auction at the Institute of Art History of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Their fictitious auction houses, Phoenix and Galla, offered works ranging from Otto Dix and Salvador Dali to Andy Warhol and George Grosz – bringing in nearly EUR 6 million in bids from the public. A tremendous success, even if no real money changed hands.


Mussels of the genus Glycymeris from the Mainz Basin, ca. 30 million years old (photo: Peter Pulkowski)PALEONTOLOGY COLLECTION

Mollusks chronicle the climate

Mammoths and mussels, dragonflies and corals: the Paleontology Collection at the Institute of Geosciences at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is incredibly diverse. What's missing is a proper curator. Because the million or so specimens in the collection are too much for anyone to manage on a part-time basis.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)HYMNBOOK COLLECTION

4,000 litmus tests from history

The Hymnbook Archive of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) holds perhaps the world's most important collection of utilitarian Christian literature, making it an essential resource for scholars. Hymnbooks reflect history in a unique way. Professor Dr. Hermann Kurzke invites us to take a tour through the centuries.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)SKILLS LAB

Future doctors practice for the real thing

At the Skills Lab of the Mainz University Medical Center students learn from fellow students what is often covered all too briefly in standard study programs. Whether it be intubation or catheter placement, ultrasound examinations or medical history-related aspects, the courses on offer are diverse and help fill gaps in the curriculum.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY

When ants stir up a rebellion

It has long been known that certain ants keep other ants as slaves. However, Professor Dr. Susanne Foitzik of the Institute of Zoology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has discovered that these slaves have what it takes to rebel. And she can explain how this ability has developed during the course of evolution.


(photo: Ivana Matic)ACADEMY OF ARTS

A place at dOCUMENTA (13)

Nine students from the Mainz Academy of Arts took part in the dOCUMENTA (13) exhibition. Professor Andrea Büttner was the driving force behind the initiative. She arranged that her students from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) were invited to serve as artistic assistants to Canadian Gareth Moore at one of the world's leading exhibitions of contemporary art.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)STUDENT SERVICE CENTER

Calling the university hotline

The Student Service Hotline of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is the first point of contact for anyone with questions about student life. Up to 1,500 calls are taken each day. JGU's hotline service was the first of its kind at a German university and now it celebrates its 10th anniversary.


AFRICAN MUSIC COLLECTION

African music from the basement

There are more than 10,000 recordings stored in the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The African Music Archives (AMA) represents a unique treasure trove of African music. There are old shellac disks from Tanzania, LPs from Mali, and the latest CDs from Senegal. Archive Director Dr. Hauke Dorsch invites visitors on a tour of this diverse aural landscape.


US PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Most Germans would vote for Obama

Exactly one week before the final decision is reached in the US presidential election, the relative chances of success of Barack Obama and his Republication opponent, Mitt Romney, were discussed in the largest lecture hall on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Germany would clearly vote for Obama – but what about the Americans?


Dr. Dr. Ilkan Ilhilic (photo: Peter Pulkowski)MEDICINE AND PHILOSOPHY

A Muslim, Turk, and Mainz resident on the German Ethics Council

His appointment has caused quite a stir: Dr. Dr. Ilhan Ilkilic of the Institute of the History, Philosophy, and Ethics of Medicine at the Mainz University Medical Center is the first Muslim on the German Ethics Council. In this capacity, he views himself as an intermediary between cultures and academic disciplines.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)PRISON GROUP

Law students behind bars

The 'Prison Group' of the Department of Criminology, Juvenile Criminal Law, the Penal System, and Criminal Law of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has a long history – and a successful one. Students get to experience what it is like behind bars, and prisoners on remand get to have contact with the outside.


HISTORIANS CONFERENCE

Of resources, conflicts, and the view of  Europe

3,500 participants, 400 speakers, 99 dedicated helpers on site and two years' preparation time: the 49th German Historikertag (German Historians Conference) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) turned out to be a major event. For four days, one of the largest European conferences for humanities scholars focused on the topic of "Resources – Conflicts" and much more.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)SPORTS SCIENCE

The Olympic spirit has a home in Mainz

Professor Dr. Norbert Müller has played an important role in forming the modern image of the Olympics. He advises the International Olympic Committee in various posts, is initiating new projects, and has always been a passionate defender of the Olympic ideal, which he considers more important than all the medals.


(photo: Uwe Feuerbach)IMAGINES III

Ancient mythology conquers modern culture

Dr. Irene Berti has no doubts: "The echoes of antiquity are everywhere as modern culture has stolen a lot from it. The past is still present." The scholars of the IMAGINES research network made this their focus at the "Magic and the Supernatural from the Ancient World" conference at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), where the subjects included sorceresses and zombies, mythical creatures and superheroes.


(photo: Nassim Boumaiza)INTERPRETER POOL

Students tear down language barriers

Those who need to make a visit to the authorities but are afraid that their German language skills are insufficient can now  turn to the interpreter pool in the Germersheim region. Thirty students of the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) help during interviews with social services, the youth welfare office, and other government authorities. The interpreter pool was set up in early 2012; the Rhineland-Palatinate Commissioner for Integration will finance the project in 2013.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)KITCHEN GARDEN

Traditional plants, newly grown

Mombacher Winter, Gonsenheimer Treib, and Hunsrücker fava bean – the Kitchen Garden on the premises of the Botanic Garden at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has all these and many other rare agricultural crop plants and regional varieties that have been almost forgotten. An immense variety can be found on only 100 square meters, providing a number of surprises: flowering lettuce over here, and an onion watching the carrots over there.


(image/©: Campus Mainz e.V.)CAMPUS MAINZ

A portal to the wonderful world of the University

With its internet portal, the association Campus Mainz e.V. opens up new routes of communication at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). It gathers together information and helps with problems. But that's not all: The internet portal also wants to portray the campus in all its various aspects. There is a lot that can be discovered at www.campus-mainz.net with just a few clicks.


(photo: Thomas Hartmann)INTERNATIONAL SUMMER COURSE

Learning in the land of freedom and narrow lanes

The German language is not difficult and it even can make fun to learn it – this is the motto promoted by Michaela Küper and her team. They welcomed 115 participants from 31 nations at this year's 64th International Summer Course at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), who were eager to discover not only the German language, but also the country.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)SUMMER FESTIVAL

Discovering the Botanic Garden

On the hottest day of the year, the Botanic Garden of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) held its summer festival. Thousands came to inspect the grounds, attend concerts and the children's theater, meander between couscous and bratwurst, or rush to the popular plant bazaar.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)CLIMATE

Finnish trees tell the story of 2,000 years of climate history

Over the past 2,000 years, the climate in northern Europe has cooled more than previously assumed. This is the conclusion drawn by an international group of researchers following the examination of the growth rings of fossilized pines from Finnish Lapland. Scientists from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) also took part in this major project, most notably the climate geographer Professor Dr. Jan Esper.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)NAT-LAB

Wearing white lab coats and discovering colors

The NaT-Lab school laboratory at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has moved to its latest home in the Institute of Physical Chemistry's new building – just in time to undergo its first major field trial: For four days, pupils will be using it to track down dyes. By performing a range of experiments, they will gain completely different insights into chemistry, biology, and physics than they would during normal lessons.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)EURO CRISIS

Don't panic, we're still on course

The euro crisis is on everyone's lips and one disaster has hardly had to time to dissipate before the next arrives. Germany is putting up billions, Greece is still sinking despite bailout fund, Spain and Italy are teetering on the edge of the abyss, the financial markets are fluctuating between nervousness and hysteria. Mainz economist Professor Dr. Philipp Harms tries to remain objective in view of the situation.


(illustration/©: Institute of Geography, JGU)MIGRATION SURVEY

No gap between foreigners and Germans

It is no longer possible to clearly differentiate between foreigners and immigrants on the one hand and Germans on the other. These are the preliminary findings of the "Survey of Migration in Mainz" undertaken by the Institute of Geography and the Center for Intercultural Studies (ZIS) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), in which hundreds of students participated.


(photo: Carola Lentz)BURKINA FASO AND GHANA

Archiving West African settlement history

Anthropologists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Goethe University Frankfurt have documented an extensive record of the settlement history of more than 200 villages in Burkina Faso and Ghana that had previously only been handed down in oral form. The researchers' findings have been presented to the National Archives of Burkina Faso where they represent an important contribution to the long-term preservation of this country's intangible cultural heritage.


(photo: Frank Erdnüß)SPONGES

On the trail of an ancient survivor

Sponges have a lot to relate: And Mainz molecular biologist Professor Dr. Werner E. G. Müller has been showing the world exactly what they have to tell us over the past few decades. In an interview he talks about this long underestimated organism, its significance to research, and its potential to help people in so many different ways.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)SOCCER AND FANS

Mainz 05 reinvents itself as a carnival club

What form does regional identity take in an increasingly globalized world? This was the subject of the inaugural lecture of cultural anthropologist Dr. Christina Niem. Her talk was entitled "Regional representation or competing regional identities? Two Rhineland-Palatinate Bundesliga soccer teams in comparison", and she used it to provide an analysis of 1. FSV Mainz 05, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, and their fan clubs.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)CLASSICAL ARCHEOLOGY COLLECTIONS

The action cinema of the ancient world

Powerful ancient masterpieces, detailed paintings on Greek ceramic vessels, and much more are on offer in the cast and original collections of the Institute of Classical Archeology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Not only teaching staff but also students are involved with the collections. They jointly develop design concepts and organize exhibitions.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

"Can it really be called academic research?"

Friedemann Schrenk, the 13th scholar to hold the Johannes Gutenberg Endowed Professorship, often seems to stray from the normal path. The paleoanthropologist demonstrated this ability once again in his final "Out of Africa" lecture. Moving from fossilized teeth through racist thinkers and genetic findings, he ended up by encouraging people to become members of the Friends of Mainz University association.


(photo: Andreas Linsenmann)HANDBOOK

A state with big differences

The first handbook of the history of Rhineland-Palatinate is now available. There has not been a book like this before and the 40 authors who worked on it have charted new territory. Co-publishers Professor Dr. Michael Kißener, Professor for Contemporary History at Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz (JGU), and Dr. Pia Nordblom, coordinator of the handbook project at JGU, talk about the challenges they faced in the momentous project.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)DIES ACADEMICUS 2012

Outstanding young researchers and forgotten collections

On its Dies academicus, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) celebrates its young researchers. 14 outstanding dissertations were honored this year. In his ceremonial address, Dr. Andreas Brandtner, Director of the University Library, dealt with a topic that has come back into style after being long ignored: university collections.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

The story of the continent with no history  

The cradle of humanity is in Africa, yet the continent is still considered by many to have no history. It is the intention of Professor Dr. Andreas Eckert to change this preconception. Gutenberg Endowed Professor Friedemann Schrenk invited him to rectify this distorted image of Africa in the lecture series "Out of Africa: The Global History of Homo Sapiens".


(photo: Nadine Dalheimer)MINERALOGICAL COLLECTION

Immortal minerals

The Mineralogical Collection of the Institute of Geosciences is housed in a simple room with 60s charm. Here, rubies, emeralds, gold, and much more sparkle in plain glass cabinets. Professor Dr. Wolfgang Hofmeister guards these treasures and is responsible for adding new items – sometimes even vaporizing a diamond in the service of science.


(photo: Volker Faust / Jürgen Hofmann)J.P. MORGAN CORPORATE CHALLENGE

JGU runs in Frankfurt

A team captain, two photographers, 28 runners, and the motto "The Gutenberg Spirit: Moving Minds – Crossing Boundaries" – this is how JGU presented itself at this year's J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge event in Frankfurt am Main.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)ECONOMIC PLANTS

Renewable resources

The magic word that promises to facilitate energy transition is "renewable resources". They seem like the perfect solution: environmentally neutral, versatile, and constantly replenishing themselves. But are they really a panacea? Dr. Ralf Omlor, custodian of the Botanic Garden at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), is using the occasion of the "Renewable Resources – Plants, Products, Perspectives" Week to put his case that we need to take a more critical approach to this complex aspect.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

Meave Leakey encounters relatives in Mainz

The famous British paleoanthropologist Meave Leakey came to Mainz at the invitation of Professor Friedemann Schrenk, holder of the 2012 Gutenberg Endowed Professorship. She gave a lecture at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in which she reviewed six million years of human history. But before that, she met with her ancestors in the Mainz Museum of Natural History.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)MODEL EUROPEAN UNION MAINZ

Europe meets in Mainz

Students from around the world met at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in order to simulate the activities of the European Parliament. Thanks to the Model European Union Mainz (MEUM), participants can experience the EU's legislative process up close. The idea is to promote the concepts underlying the formation of the European Union.


(© N'Socialist Soundsystem)MUSICOLOGY

Right-wing extremism breaks into new music genres

The 'white power' rock bands that emerged in the 1980s are now a thing of the past. Neo-Nazi-inspired strains are moving on to conquer whole new  swathes of different styles of music. And this is a development that Dr. Thorsten Hindrichs of the Institute of Musicology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) finds extremely worrying. In his view, a broad-based collective approach is necessary to counteract this trend.


(Foto: Peter Pulkowski)GERMAN ASSOCIATION FOR AMERICAN STUDIES

Siri Hustvedt deplores categorization

She read from her books and tirelessly discussed and debated with experts from various disciplines. The famous US-American author Siri Hustvedt was the star guest of the  59th annual conference of the German Association for American Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). However, she was not the only one with something to say to the more than 300 guests from around the world. Seventy-six speakers gave presentations on the conference theme "American Lives."


(photo: Thomas Hartmann)NEW BUILDING

A new home for excellent research

The Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) is a new center for life sciences on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation is providing EUR 100 million over 10 years in support for running the project, while the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is financing the institute's construction and building. In a special tour given for the JGU MAGAZINE, Dr. Bernhard Korn, Director of Scientific Core Facilities and Technology, highlights the work completed to date.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

And sometimes a ball hits the museum walls

African museums are no longer just repositories for dusty exhibits. Instead, they have become melting pots for society, where people discuss politics, continue their education, or play sports. Three experts discussed this development at the invitation of Gutenberg Endowed Professor Friedemann Schrenk.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTION

Bronze head tells a tale of African culture and European plunderers

The Ethnographic Collection of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is tucked away in the basement of the Forum universitatis. The more than 3,200 objects not only tell the stories of foreign cultures but also reveal just as much about the culture of European collectors over the past century. Custodian Dr. Anna-Maria Brandstetter provides insight into this treasure trove.


(Foto/©: SUNA)A CAPPELLA

EURO 2012 in their hearts, summer on their minds

Five students at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) are making a musical contribution to the European Football Championship 2012. As the a capella group So! ... und nicht anders, they sing about winning the championship and have made a quirky video that even professional footballers could learn from. In the interview, they talk about friendship, fans, and the art of making music simple.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)INNOVATIVE TEACHING PROJECT

From container ship to artwork

The light and sound installation "resonate" was a huge success at the Frankfurt Luminale. Approximately 2,000 visitors a day came to see the container ship transformed into a work of art. The project was made possible through a joint project of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Mainz University of Applied Sciences (MUAS). Students from the design faculty collaborated with Kaspar König of the School of Music.


(photo: Max Frömling)POETRY

One poet, six translators

He is famed in Chile, yet rather unknown in Germany, although Raúl Zurita is one of the most important figures in Latin American literature. Six women – three students and three instructors – from the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies (FTSK) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now opened a gateway to his writing for German readers: They translated selected works by the poet.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)PLAGIARISM

German ministers are not the only ones who have problems with plagiarism

On May 30th, the University Library (UB) of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) will be playing host to a conference with experts which is dedicated to a very topical subject: "Plagiate & Co – Wissenschaftliches Fehlverhalten ist (k)ein Kavaliersdelikt" ("Plagiarism and other transgressions – Academic misconduct is (not) a trivial offense"). Prior to this, UB director Dr. Andreas Brandtner talks about the nature of plagiarism and the objectives of the conference.


(illustration: Musical Inc.)MUSICAL

Spring awakes with strong voice power

This June, the association Musical Inc. will be performing their version of the hit Broadway musical "Spring Awakening" on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). A public rehearsal gave a foretaste.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)LITERATURE

Writing about 9/11

"Ground Zero Fiction: History, Memory, and Representation in the American 9/11 Novel" is a 500-page analysis of American novels dealing with the events of September 11 written by Birgit Däwes, Junior Professor of North American Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The book has been awarded the American Studies Network Book Prize for 2012.


(photo: private)NIGERIA

From war in Biafra to the conflict in the Niger Delta

Professor Edlyne Anugwom of the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is working on a project entitled "From Biafra to the Niger Delta Conflict: Memory, Ethnicity, and the State in Nigeria". We asked him to talk about his country, which is suffering not just from the current conflict but also, it seems, from denial of the past as well.


(photo: Uwe Feuerbach)JGU ALUMNA

University and children go well together

To German TV viewers, she is better known as "Super Nanny". Katia Saalfrank got great ratings but also garnered a lot of criticism. Before commencing her TV career, she studied education at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). It was not easy for the mother of four children; she always had to work hard to combine looking after a family with her university course. At the invitation of the Office of Gender Affairs and Equal Opportunity, this graduate of JGU came to Mainz to speak about how she managed it.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)GIRS' DAY

Girls can do everything

190 schoolgirls came to the 10th Girls' Day at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Under the motto "Science is Exciting", they built computers, discovered the chemistry of colors, and solved tricky crimes. The mentors of the Ada Lovelace Project (ALP) were there to advise and guide them.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

The search for the "missing link" is called off

The evolution of mankind did not begin with a bigger brain, it began with the upright gait. As curtain raiser to his lecture series "Out of Africa: Zur Globalgeschichte des Homo sapiens" ("Out of Africa: On the global history of Homo sapiens"), Professor Dr. Friedemann Schrenk, the 13th holder of the Johannes Gutenberg Endowed Professorship, takes his audience back to the roots of humanity.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)SOCIAL MEDIA

Privacy is just an illusion

From party photos to relationship status to sexual orientation – self-disclosure in the social web has become part of our everyday lives. But, users rarely make distinctions between good friends, acquaintances or workmates when posting private information. As a result, the 'private sphere' is disappearing. Dr. Leonard Reinecke, Junior Professor at the Institute of Media and Communication Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has been looking closely at this trend; how are users of social network platforms like Facebook dealing with this problem of self-disclosure and the protection of their private sphere?


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ARS LEGENDI PRIZE 2012

One man gets excited about tiresome teaching

Mass universities need to place greater emphasis on teaching, says Dr. Malte Persike from the Institute of Psychology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). He has just been awarded the Ars legendi Prize for Excellence in University Teaching from the German Rectors' Conference and the Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany – even though he teaches a subject that most of his students dread: Psychological methodology


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)SYRIA

"I have never experienced such a mode of disinformation before"

Günter Meyer is a popular interview partner when the crisis in Syria is the subject. Media representatives arrive in droves to talk with the professor, who works at the Institute of Geography at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The expert on the Middle East is trying to correct the picture being propagated by mainstream journalism with its excessive bias in favor of the opposition.


(Foto: Peter Pulkowski)SURVEY

Germans spend EUR 103 billion on sport

Sport is dear to German hearts, but before Holger Preuß conducted his study nobody had any idea just how dear it is. The professor of Sports Sociology and Sports Business Administration at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) presents figures that provide impressive proof of the economic impact of sport: Germans spend at least EUR 103 billion on sport every year.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)BIOLOGY

A molecule folds itself into a solar sail

Professor Dr. Harald Paulsen and his team are researching the characteristics of the light-harvesting protein LHCII. The protein and its unusual self-organization skills have fascinated biologists for twenty years. It plays an important role in photosynthesis and may one day majorly increase the efficiency of solar cells.


(photo: private)SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Straight from university to the opera stage

In 1988, the famous mezzo-soprano Claudia Eder brought a breath of fresh air to the School of Music at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Appointed to a professorship, the singer was able to combine study and practice in a unique way. Her concept continues to be very successful and she now has many imitators.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)FUKUSHIMA

The media fueled fears while experts went unheard

What happened a year ago in Fukushima? What role did the media play concerning safety assessment? What are the risks of nuclear power? Dr. Gabriele Hampel, operating manager of the research reactor TRIGA of the Institute of Nuclear Chemistry at JGU, advocates an objective discussion about questions such as these. She sees the symposium "Radiation Protection - A Year after Fukushima" as a step in the right direction.


(photo: Harald Schleicher)VIDEO INSTALLATION

Six years of filming on the river

The video installation 'fliozan' invites visitors to lose themselves in the fascinating network of German riverscapes. It took six years for Professor Dr. Harald Schleicher of the Academy of Arts at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) to complete this monumental project. It is now on display in Duisburg.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)NATIVE AND INDIGENOUS STUDIES

Winnetou under scrutiny

Professor Dr. Mita Banerjee's research focuses on indigenous peoples. She studies how Maori, Inuits, Aborigines, and American Indians live in contemporary society. The North American Studies specialist challenges stereotypes and combines diverse academic disciplines in her projects.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)APPRENTICESHIP

University trains first-class mechanics

Everybody knows that you go to university for studying. But who knew that Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is also the largest vocational training institution in the region? The workshop at the Institute of Physics has now modernized its training facilities for precision machinists and presented its new CNC machines.


(photo: campus digital)PHOTOGRAPHY

Images of an unfamiliar university

Under the name 'campus digital', five experienced amateur photographers have taken it upon themselves to capture as many facets of the university as possible on film. The group puts on a new exhibition every six months. Their latest show, 'laboratories’, has just opened.


Foto: Die Jugendherbergen in Rheinland-Pfalz und im SaarlandBRAIN AND SPIRIT

A weekend with brain researcher Hans Flohr

In January, medical and theology students of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) met for a weekend seminar which focused on an exchange of ideas between neuroscience and fundamental theology. Unsurprisingly, there was a clash of perspectives. But the students definitely benefited from the dialog between the two disciplines.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)JOURNAL OF UNSOLVED QUESTIONS

Failures fuel science

Leonie Mück and Thomas Jagau found they were meeting a previously unexpected need when they started their "Journal of Unsolved Questions" in 2011. The two doctoral candidates at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) were surprised by the positive response that their journal elicited from all sides. Even though the interest in the publication is still considerable, the future of their "Journal of Unsolved Questions" remains uncertain.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)DOPING IN MASS SPORTS

Drugs testing is only a band-aid

Professor Dr. Dr. Perikles Simon has caused a stir with his method for detecting gene doping: He and his colleagues have succeeded in doing what was previously thought impossible. When it comes to headlines, this kind of research is exactly what the media love. However, in an interview, the head of the Sports Medicine, Prevention and Rehabilitation division at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) tends to take a rather different view.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)GENIZA PROJECT WEISENAU

A treasure chest of everyday Jewish life in the 18th century

The geniza of the old synagogue in Weisenau provides an in-depth look at the culture and everyday life of this old Jewish community. Professor Dr. Andreas Lehnardt of the Faculty of Protestant Theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) has spent the last two and a half years carefully combing through this legacy from the 18th and 19th centuries. In the process, some very unique items have been discovered.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)BOTANIC GARDEN

Jesus didn't know of chocolate

The Green School at the Botanic Garden of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is not yet two years old but it has already established itself as a popular educational institution for young and old alike. Some 4,700 visitors came in 2011. UNESCO, the German federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate, and the Chamber of Architects have also honored this exceptional institution.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)JGU SERVICE

Record turnout for the Student Paper Info Night

The number of students who attended the first-ever Student Paper Info Night at the University Library of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) was much larger than expected. Director Dr. Andreas Brandtner was highly pleased with the enthusiastic student response to this event.


JGU IDEA COMPETITION

Gutenberg's types move around the world

A special kind of world map, a photo gallery of JGU history, and a wall sculpture - these are the winning ideas developed by members of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) to embody the motto of its Institutional Strategy "THE GUTENBERG SPIRIT. Moving Minds – Crossing Boundaries."


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)TRANSLATION STUDIES

The trials of becoming a good interpreter

Dörte Andres is Professor of Translation Studies at  the Germersheim location of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Her field of research is still young and the professorship she holds was created only a short time ago. She talks about the challenges presented by the course and about the many facets of her subject.


(photo: Sascha Katanic)TEACHING EXCELLENCE

Poetry for all the senses

In the Mainz LyricsLab, poems emerge as multimedia experiences. Poetry is seen and heard, sometimes even smelled and tasted. This unusual teaching project began in 2011. In it, students at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and the University of Applied Sciences Mainz work together to cast lyrics in new forms.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)HISTORICAL LINGUISTICS

The landscape of surnames

As Professor of Historical Linguistics at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), Damaris Nübling's special interest is the development of the German language from its first documented form as Old High German, dating to around 800 AD, to contemporary German. Her current projects are witness to the fact that historical linguistics is actually anything but a drab and dry-as-dust discipline. Currently she is investigating the morphology of surnames in Germany.  


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)PARTICLE PHYSICS

Higgs boson electrifies Mainz physicists

Matthias Neubert and his team are elated since scientists at Geneva's CERN research center found the first indications of the existence of the Higgs boson. This is the last building block missing from the standard model of physics. The head of the Theoretical Elementary Particle Physics unit at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) now expects his area of research to take off.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)DIAGNOSTICS

Evaluating cirrhosis 'live' and accurately at the cellular level

Detlef Schuppan and his colleagues are developing a revolutionary method that will make it possible to evaluate the progress of fibrosis and cirrhosis at the cellular level and to even view the effects. For this work, the physician and chemist has been awarded the most highly endowed research grant of the European Union, the ERC Advanced Grant.


(photo: Stefan F. Sämmer)GENERAL STUDIES

IFuL tempts students to think outside the box

The integration of the General Studies program in the new Bachelor's and Master's degree courses at Mainz University is in full swing. The interdisciplinary Research and Instruction (IFuL) Department has designed its courses to encourage students to move outside their individual subject to question their own methods and learn about other working methods.


(photo: Peter Pulkowski)ECONOMIC EXPERTISE

The euro area needs a redemption pact

Beatrice Weder di Mauro presented the Annual Report of the five-member German Council of Economic Experts at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). This council, which has included Weder di Mauro since 2004, is suggesting a redemption pact for the euro area as a way out of the current crisis.


(photo: Volker Weihbold, OÖ Nachrichten)ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012

All humans come from Africa

Friedemann Schrenk is the 13th scholar to hold the Johannes Gutenberg Endowed Professorship. His lecture series on paleo-anthropology for the summer semester 2012 will focus on the evolution of human beings. Under the title "Out of Africa: The Global History of Homo Sapiens" he wants to look at the spatial, biological and cultural connections that have led to the human beings of today.


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