Be it algae, rehearsal space, or YaKabikaj, the Knowledge Exchange Fund 2021 supports sustainable development throughout the pandemic.

18 August 2021, by Transferagentur

Photo: UHH/Wohlfahrt

Universität Hamburg’s Knowledge Exchange Fund 2021 is supporting 12 knowledge exchange projects with funding from the Excellence Strategy. In a 2-stage evaluation procedure and out of 29 submissions, primarily interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary research projects that break new scientific ground and focus on knowledge exchange were selected. Up to €30,000 will be granted per project.

This year, the projects are dedicated to the theme “The New Normal: Sustainable Development during a Pandemic.” For example, there is Prof. Dr. Anke Grotlüschen’s project “So Lonely? Einsamkeit und soziale Isolation trotz Digitalisierung” (So lonely? Loneliness and social isolation despite digitalization), which focuses on improving digital participation. PD Dr. Klaus von Schwartzenberg is conducting a pilot study on the production of alternative raw materials in his project “AlgaeFibre—Fädige Algen als nachhaltige Quelle von Pflanzenfasern für die Textilindustrie” (Algae fibers—fibrous algae as a sustainable source of plant fibers for the textiles industry). With his project “YaKabikaj”, Prof. Dr. Eich will contribute to efforts to tame the chaos of digital coding Arabic lettering in the internet in order to improve internet searches in Arabic. Other projects, such as “Mit der WIESE aus der Krise: Probenräume als ein Labor sozialen Wandels” (Rehearsal spaces as laboratories of social change) headed by Dr. Alexandra Manske or Museumsküche (Museum kitchen) headed by Prof. Dr. Kerstin Poehls, will create new spaces for knowledge exchange in Hamburg.

Five faculties are taking part: Faculty of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics and Natural Sciences, and Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences. A joint project of the Cluster of Excellence Climate, Climatic Change, and Society (CLICCS) and the Faculty of Business, Economics and Social Sciences is also involved.

We are looking forward to the start of the projects in September and will report on the projects and our joint new experiences with knowledge exchange. Please note that the next call for the Knowledge Exchange Fund 2022 will be announced in March.