Talks
Whether “Artificial Intelligence in Schools” or “A Brief History of Gravity,”
there are short lectures to give you insights into a wide variety of topics.
From 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., there will be lectures on many and varied subjects in the MZH Building.
Below is an overview of the lectures.
You can visit for free and without prior registration.
Please Note: All presentations will be held in German.
MZH
The MZH Building (Mehrzweckhochhaus, meaning “multipurpose high-rise building”) at the University of Bremen is a centrally located, functional high-rise building known for its striking reinforced concrete construction.
It primarily houses the Faculties of Mathematics and Computer Science (Faculty 3) and serves as a key campus hub with numerous seminar and study spaces, laboratories, and offices.
1:30 PM
MZH Room 1090
Carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) are the two most significant anthropogenic greenhouse gases, and their rising concentrations in the Earth’s atmosphere are the primary cause of climate change. Satellite measurements are necessary for understanding this better and monitoring global greenhouse gas emissions. In our lecture, we will explain in simple terms how these measurements work and share insights into the current state of research. To help students develop an understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and its basic properties, we carried out the Space Camembert Mission last summer in collaboration with the “Jugend forscht” workshop at Schwachhausen High School and with the meerMINT project. A weather balloon was equipped with various experiments and then sent up to the edge of space. In the second part of the lecture, we will discuss this mission and show some impressive images taken during the flight.
Speaker: Dr. Maximilian Reuter
MZH Room 1100
“A University for Everyone” – what does that mean for the University of Bremen? During the lecture, the anti-discrimination policy will be introduced through a video, and other anti-discrimination initiatives at the University of Bremen will also be discussed. The lecture includes a screening of the animated film (11 min) followed by a discussion.
Speaker: Anneliese Niehoff & Almut Dietrich
MZH Room 1460
Food is never just a side issue: In literature, theater, and film, meals are used to explore issues of identity, migration, power, and belonging. Who eats what, and with whom? Who goes hungry? What stories do food and its presentation tell about global interconnections? This short lecture provides an overview of the master’s degree program in Transnational Literary Studies. Using selected examples from literature, theater, and film, it introduces food as a subject of academic study and demonstrates how cultural productions can be analyzed across national and linguistic boundaries. Afterward, teaching staff members and students look forward to chatting with you – about the program, exciting examples, and anything else you have always wanted to know about literature, theater, film, or food.
Speaker: Teresa Cordero Villar
MZH Room 1470
From October 2019 to September 2020, the research icebreaker Polarstern spent a year drifting with the sea ice in the Arctic. The objective of the international MOSAiC expedition – under the leadership of the Alfred Wegener Institute – is to better understand the Arctic climate system and to improve climate models. To this end, a heavily interdisciplinary measurement program is of great importance that covers the areas of atmosphere, ocean, sea ice, biology, and biogeochemistry. The focus of this lecture will be on satellite remote sensing of sea ice and the climate. For more than 40 years, satellite measurements have shown the drastic decrease in Arctic sea ice. The increase in temperature in the Arctic is three to four times as much as the global mean. This phenomenon – called “polar amplification” – is one of the currently most observed indicators of global climate change. There were clear signals of this change even during the year of the MOSAiC expedition. The above-average temperatures along the Russian coast resulted in the second-lowest sea ice extent ever recorded. The ice drift in the thinner, more easily deformable ice proceeded faster than expected. As a result, the research camp had to be moved further north toward the end of the expedition. In the region stretching from northern Greenland to the North Pole, where thick, multi-year ice normally prevails, large areas of open water appeared. Satellites are the only option for observing changes like these over longer periods as well as for the entire Arctic. To develop new methods and improve existing ones, a comprehensive remote-sensing program was carried out during the MOSAiC expedition. Dr. Gunnar Spreen was on board the Polarstern during the first and last legs of the MOSAiC expedition and will report on his impressions and the research results.
Speaker: Dr. Gunnar Spreen
2 PM
MZH Room 1090
“Dad, click up there on the left … no, not that icon, the other one!” It is a scene many are familiar with. You are sitting next to your parents or grandparents. Or, maybe the other way around: Your children and grandchildren are sitting next to you. Cell phone in hand. You dive into the depths of icons, menus, and apps. Moments like these show that digital technology has long since become a part of our everyday lives and that we are always learning from each other. No one knows every device and every new feature, and that is precisely what offers opportunities. Digital literacy does not mean knowing everything, but rather staying curious and trying things out. Finding solutions together. What begins in the living room continues in the world of academia. University work is becoming increasingly digital, too. New methods. New tools. More and more data. Researchers face questions similar to those we encounter in everyday life: How do we keep track of everything? How do we deal with new technologies? But where can they acquire these skills? And what does a ball of yarn have to do with all this, anyway? If you want to learn how to navigate complex digital worlds and get a behind-the-scenes look at research, this lecture is just what you are looking for.
Speaker: Nele Fuchs, Sarah Büker
MZH Room 1470
Why do objects fall to the ground, why do planets orbit stars, and why does light from distant galaxies bend? What is the nature of gravity, the force that is responsible for all these phenomena? Researchers have been grappling with these questions since time immemorial, and in this lecture we will get to the bottom of them. Let us start with an overview of historical ideas that take us from Aristotle to Newton and to our modern and currently best understanding of gravity: Einstein’s general theory of relativity. For over 100 years, general relativity has been incredibly successful in describing gravitational phenomena such as the motion of planets, stars, and galaxies; the propagation of light; black holes; the evolution of the universe; and gravitational waves. But that is not all. In addition to these answers, general relativity has also raised new questions, such as: What is the dark matter that holds galaxies together? What is dark energy, which drives the accelerating expansion of the universe? What happens deep within black holes? And how can gravity be reconciled with quantum physics? We will explore the achievements and limitations of general relativity and discuss why our understanding of gravity is not yet complete. This then leads us to current new ideas that may one day point the way toward a broader understanding of gravity beyond general relativity, so that we can get a little bit closer to answering the question, “What is the nature of gravity?”
Speaker: Christian Pfeifer
MZH Room 1100
The German satellite TerraSAR-X orbits the Earth day after day. It does so at an incredible speed, too: In just a single second, it covers nearly 8 kilometers. That makes it much faster than a bullet, and any commercial airliner is a snail in comparison! TerraSAR-X is what is known as an Earth observation satellite – its job is to observe our world from above.
To do this, however, it does not use any regular camera; instead, it “sees” using radar. It works in much the same way as a bat does, with the satellite sending invisible signals down to Earth which bounce off the ground, buildings, or the water. These echoes are sent back to the satellite and received by it. The great advantage to this is that radar waves can even penetrate thick clouds and can also function in complete darkness.
Dr. Anja Frost works at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt – DLR) and studies how our environment is changing. She will explain how computers use the received echoes to conjure up clear images showing the Earth’s surface in great detail. In the chilly Arctic, they can track the melting of the sea ice and drifting of huge icebergs. Thanks to these observations from space, we are gaining a better understanding of how our planet is warming and what we can do to protect our natural environment.
2:30 PM
MZH Room 1470
This workshop offers a fun introduction to the topic of multilingualism. Max. number of participants: 15, age: approx. 8–10 years
Duration: ca. 60 Minutes
Speaker: Antonella Lavagno
MZH Room 1100
How can history be made accessible for everyone? Students completing the master’s degree program in Public History provide answers to this question. Using posters, they explain their view of public history as a historical discipline that transcends the boundaries of the subject. To this end, they have translated concepts, theories, methods, and key terms from public history into what they call PublicHisTrees. Discover the varied nature of the Public History degree program and a transdisciplinary branch of history!
Speaker: Dr. Thekla Keuck und Anna Leinen mit Studierenden des Masterstudiengangs Public History
MZH Room 1090
Life without a smartphone – absolutely unthinkable these days. Billions of people use wireless technologies multiple times every day. After 5G comes 6G, and research into 6G has long since begun. What innovations can we expect in space travel thanks to 6G? What role will constellations of Earth-orbiting small satellites and artificial intelligence play in this, and what will that mean for us? Join Professor Armin Dekorsy of the University of Bremen in a discussion of these questions.
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Armin Dekorsy
MZH Room 1460
Food is never just a side issue: In literature, theater, and film, meals are used to explore issues of identity, migration, power, and belonging. Who eats what, and with whom? Who goes hungry? What stories do food and its presentation tell about global interconnections? This short lecture provides an overview of the master’s degree program in Transnational Literary Studies. Using selected examples from literature, theater, and film, it introduces food as a subject of academic study and demonstrates how cultural productions can be analyzed across national and linguistic boundaries. Afterward, teaching staff members and students look forward to chatting with you – about the program, exciting examples, and anything else you have always wanted to know about literature, theater, film, or food.
Speaker: Teresa Cordero Villar
MZH Room 1110
Since the launch of ChatGPT 3.5 in November 2022, the use of AI chatbots has increased dramatically. The largest chatbots are used by up to 800 million people every week. School students in particular use chatbots to do their homework, prepare presentations, translate texts, and get help understanding school material. On the one hand, they offer potential to provide learners with personalized support; on the other hand, academic studies show that the uncritical use of chatbots leads to a decline in learners’ own learning and thinking skills. This lecture will therefore examine both sides: What uses are there, and what opportunities do they create?
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Karsten D. Wolf
3 PM
Room 1040, Ebene 1, SuUB
The library has digitized Bremen’s historical city directories from 1794 to 1980. In the directories, you can find out who lived on which street or in which house, what their occupations were, and how the population changed over the centuries. Directories also tell exciting stories, such as the impacts that World War I and World War II had through death, displacement, and expulsion.
Speaker: Maria Elisabeth Müller
Note: The lecture will NOT take place in the MZH, but directly at the Bremen State and University Library!Adress:
Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Bremen
Bibliothekstrasse 9
28359 Bremen
MZH Room 1470
Bremen is well known for being a diverse city, and that extends to its multilingualism. In relevant research, multilingualism is viewed as a resource. People often say that language opens doors: It provides greater access to knowledge, people, and cultures. While language proficiency is helpful when traveling, it is also considered an asset in the workplace. Accordingly, it also represents an educational goal – and according to the Council of Europe’s language policy, everyone in Europe should speak at least three languages. And yet, particularly in the field of education, multilingualism is often described as a problem – or at the very least, a challenge. Based on these different perspectives, we will examine the underlying conceptions of multilingualism. Using real-world examples, multilingualism is linked to the Open Campus theme of “Opening Worlds – Sharing Knowledge.”
Speaker: Eva Hackmann
MZH Room 1460
Based on a key scene from the movie Finding Nemo, the lecture will explore why and which jellyfish are dangerous to vertebrates such as fish – and ultimately to humans as well. To begin with, I will describe the research we are conducting on jellyfish in the Marine Ecology working group and what we hope to discover. This will be complemented by a tour of the lab, where we will showcase our coral and jellyfish breeding programs as well as the experiments we conduct with these cnidarians.
Speaker: Christian Wild
MZH Room 1090
Whether it is artificial intelligence, social media, or future technologies, our world is constantly changing. As part of the lecture, computer scientist Professor Rolf Drechsler will discuss current trends in digitization and explain how these are addressed in the comic “Noerdman.”
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Rolf Drechsler
MZH Room 1100
Bremen is well known for being a diverse city, and that extends to its multilingualism. In relevant research, multilingualism is viewed as a resource. People often say that language opens doors: It provides greater access to knowledge, people, and cultures. While language proficiency is helpful when traveling, it is also considered an asset in the workplace. Accordingly, it also represents an educational goal – and according to the Council of Europe’s language policy, everyone in Europe should speak at least three languages. And yet, particularly in the field of education, multilingualism is often described as a problem – or at the very least, a challenge. Based on these different perspectives, we will examine the underlying conceptions of multilingualism. Using real-world examples, multilingualism is linked to the Open Campus theme of “Opening Worlds – Sharing Knowledge.”
Speaker: Andrea Daase
3:30 PM
MZH Room 1100
Jeden Tag umkreist der deutsche Satellit TerraSAR-X unsere Erde. Dabei ist er mit einer unglaublichen Geschwindigkeit unterwegs: In nur einer einzigen Sekunde legt er fast 8 Kilometer zurück. Damit ist er viel schneller als eine Pistolenkugel und lässt jedes Verkehrsflugzeug wie eine Schnecke aussehen! TerraSAR-X ist ein sogenannter Erdbeobachtungssatellit – sein Job ist es, unsere Welt von oben zu beobachten.
Um das zu schaffen, nutzt er aber keine normale Kamera, sondern er „sieht“ mit Radar. Das funktioniert so ähnlich wie bei einer Fledermaus: Der Satellit schickt unsichtbare Signale zur Erde hinunter, die am Boden, an Häusern oder auf dem Wasser abprallen. Diese Echos kommen zum Satelliten zurück und werden von ihm wieder eingefangen. Der große Vorteil: Radarstrahlen kommen sogar durch dicke Wolken und funktionieren auch bei völliger Dunkelheit.
Dr. Anja Frost arbeitet beim Deutschen Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR) und untersucht, wie sich unsere Umwelt verändert. Sie erklärt euch, wie Computer aus den eingefangenen Echos richtige Bilder zaubern, auf denen man die Erdoberfläche ganz genau erkennen kann. In der kalten Arktis lässt sich so verfolgen, wie das Meereis schmilzt oder wie riesige Eisberge im Wasser treiben. Durch diese Beobachtungen aus dem All verstehen wir immer besser, wie sich unsere Erde erwärmt und was wir tun können, um unsere Natur zu schützen.
Speaker: Dr. Anja Frost (DLR-Institut für Methodik der Fernerkundung)
4 PM
MZH Room 1460
You can expect questions about various languages.
Speaker: SZHB-Team
MZH Room 1090
The lecture will provide an in-depth look at a project that has been underway at the university archive since 2019. As part of the project, eyewitnesses are interviewed about their experiences at the university. These individuals were previously employed at the university (as academic or service staff members) or studied here. The lecture will begin with a brief introduction about the university archive itself.
Speaker: Dr. Heiko Garrelts
MZH Room 1470
What do volcanic rocks, laundry detergent, and oil refineries have in common? Zeolites feature prominently in all three! Zeolites are fascinating materials with very small cavities that can accommodate a wide variety of molecules and ions. In this lecture, I will explain the special, structural characteristics of zeolites and discuss some of their most important applications, such as water softening and industrial catalysis. I will also discuss how zeolites can help combat the increasing incidence of air and water pollution.
Speaker: Michael Fischer
4:30 PM
MZH Room 1470
A flight to Mars takes at least six months – and a launch from Earth is only possible once every 26 months. If something has been forgotten or broken, the replacement does not come quickly. In addition, the conditions on Mars are extreme: The temperatures range from –150 to 30 degrees Celsius, the resources are scarce, and there are no fossil fuels. If people want to live there one day, they will need to be able to source materials locally, process them, and manufacture building components. In this lecture, we will introduce the university’s new Cluster of Excellence, “The Martian Mindset.” How might material extraction, processing, and production work on Mars? And what can we learn from this about sustainability on Earth?
Speaker: Daniel Meyer
Photography and Video Recordings
OPEN CAMPUS is a public event where photographers from the University will take pictures and videos. The University reserves the right to use these photos and videos both on its website as well as on its social media platforms. We document and illustrate our event by reporting online and in print.