Scientists at Bielefeld studying niche construction

Aphids – who hasn’t been bothered by these little insects at one time or another? Why do they reproduce on plants so successfully? These are among the questions that Professor Dr Caroline Müller and her research team are addressing at Bielefeld University’s Faculty of Biology. They have found out that aphids are able to influence the quality of their food, and that this may enable them to construct a niche on their own host plants. Müller’s research team is located in the Transregio Collaborative Research Centre ‘NC3’ that is studying animals and their ‘individual niches. Today (25.07.2018), they have published their findings in the journal ‘New Phytologist’.[Weiterlesen]

ERC Starting Grant for Professor Dr Minh Nguyen

How much welfare and social assistance do the millions of migrant workers in China’s and Vietnam’s global factories receive? What does this tell us about the welfare systems of these rapidly developing nations? The Bielefeld scientist Minh Nguyen has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for her social anthropological research on Eastern and Southern Asia at the Faculty of Sociology. These grants aim to promote excellent and promising young academics. Minh Nguyen’s research will receive a total of approximately 1.5 million euros funding over a period of five years. She is the third researcher at Bielefeld University to receive one of these major EU prizes to promote science.[Weiterlesen]

“Human Brain Project” at Bielefeld University extended for two years

Professor Dr. Ulrich Rückert, a researcher at Bielefeld University’s Cluster of Excellence CITEC and the Faculty of Technology, is working to better understand the human brain with the help of computer-based models. This project is taking place throughout the European Union – the goal of which is to gather findings on the brain and make new connections with this information. [Weiterlesen]

The natural way in which living beings orient themselves and move in their environment, avoid obstacles, and find their way home again without their brain consuming much energy is a model for scientists who also want to equip robots with such complex abilities. Because in this field there is a wide gulf between the brain and electronics. The exchange of expertise between behavioural neurologists and robotics scientists is the focus of a symposium at the FENS Forum 2018 in Berlin (7.-11.7. 2018).
[Weiterlesen]

Outstanding: computer science, mathematics, psychology, and sociology

Bielefeld University’s researchers are particularly successful in obtaining third-party funding from the German Research Foundation (DFG). This is one of the findings presented in the 2018 DFG Funding Atlas published today (5/7/2018). The Atlas compiles DFG funding awarded to universities for the years 2014 to 2016.[Weiterlesen]

First year of the programme for refugee teachers in its final phase

For almost a year now, 24 refugee teachers from Afghanistan, Armenia, Guinea, Iraq, Pakistan, and Syria have been taking part in the “Lehrkräfte Plus” programme at Bielefeld University with the aim of qualifying to work in German schools. Today (2/7/2018), Yvonne Gebauer (FDP), Minister of Schools and Education for North-Rhine Westphalia, visited the pioneer project in Bielefeld. In the final phase of the first year, she spoke with participants, coordinators, representatives of Bielefeld University, the cooperation partner, the Bertelsmann Foundation, contacts from schools offering internships, representatives of the Detmold and Arnsberg district governments, and other cooperation partners about successes, challenges and prospects.[Weiterlesen]

Three questions for Dr. Olga Abramov, researcher at the Cluster of Excellence CITEC

For Dr. Olga Abramov, Bielefeld University was the starting point of her academic career: she started here as a student in the fields of linguistics, text technology, German studies, and Slavic studies while also learning computer programming. She then earned her doctorate in computer science and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Cluster of Excellence CITEC, where she is working on the EcoGest project, investigating how gestures contribute to childhood language development. In addition to this, Dr. Olga Abramov is also a mother to three children – a role that enriches her research.
[Weiterlesen]

Team from Cluster of Excellence CITEC prevails in RoboCup finale

A team of students and researchers from the Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) at Bielefeld University won the RoboCup World Championship in Montreal, Canada. RoboCup is the leading, and largest, competition for intelligent robots in the world. The “Team of Bielefeld” (ToBi) showed its skills with Pepper the robot in the household service league. More than 400 teams from around the world competed in the various leagues of the competition from 18-22 June 2018. The researchers are now back in Bielefeld.[Weiterlesen]

Project on the central university hall launched

How do students and staff use the central university hall in the main university building? How do they rate the services on offer? With a short survey, the University wishes to find answers to these questions. All students and staff members are invited to take part. The online survey takes about five minutes. Participation is possible until 8 July.[Weiterlesen]

Cluster of Excellence CITEC to present intelligent technical systems at industry trade fair for automation in Munich

Mechanical hands that feel like human hands. A robot head that attentively monitors its surroundings. And agile mini robots that maneuver around obstacles. The Cluster of Excellence Cognitive Interaction Technology (CITEC) at Bielefeld University shows how flexibily technical systems can adapt to human living environments in order to provide assistance in both daily life and in the workplace. Research prototypes will be on display from 19–22 June in Munich at Automatica, the largest international industry trade fair for automation (Hall B4, Booth 313).[Weiterlesen]