Friday, 28 September, 2018

Three new Clusters of Excellence with CeNS participation

 

 

 

The first funding decisions in the context of the Excellence Strategy have been announced. Four Clusters of Excellence submitted by LMU, which were all put forward in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich (TUM), were successful and will receive funding from 2019 on. “We are very pleased with this very good result in a demanding and highly competitive selection process,” said LMU President Bernd Huber. “It is a clear indication of LMU’s great strengths in research, and a testimony to the outstanding work and tireless commitment of our researchers. I want to thank all faculty and staff involved in the competition,” the President added.

Cluster of Excellence MCQST

The Huge Potential of the Minuscule

The purpose of the Munich Center for Quantum Science and Technology (MCQST) is to further explore the principles of quantum information with a view to the practical application of quantum effects. The new Cluster comprises seven research units, each covering the spectrum from basic research to applications. The applications envisaged include novel types of sensors, communications architectures and quantum simulators, as well as simple quantum computers. The Cluster also involves fields like cosmology and high-energy physics which are so far unconnected to quantum theory. “We wish to acquire a more detailed understanding of natural phenomena at all levels,” says Immanuel Bloch, one of the Cluster’s Coordinators. Six CeNS members will be part of MCQST. more

Cluster of Excellence Origins
Grand Narrative

The Cluster of Excellence Origins will study the evolution of the cosmos – "From the Origin of the Universe to the First Building Blocks of Life", to cite its subtitle. Its goal is to show that life is the product of a natural process, a logical outcome of the evolution of the Universe – which can be understood based on the laws of physics and chemistry and the initial conditions created by the Big Bang. Five CeNS mebers will contribute to the cluster with their biophysical expertise on the evolution of early life. more

Cluster of Excellence e-conversion
Interfaces and Interferences

In order to meet the rising global demand for energy, energy conversion processes must become more efficient and sustainable. To achieve this goal, “we need a new approach, which integrates important insights and strategies from diverse modes of energy conversion ranging from photovoltaic systems to catalysis and batteries,” says LMU chemist Thomas Bein, one of the Coordinators of the new Cluster of Excellence e-conversion. The efficiency of such systems is largely determined by processes that take place on the atomic scale at interfaces between different functional materials. The chemists and physicists involved in the research network, thereof 12 CeNS members, plan to analyze these processes in detail and optimize the molecular structures of these interfaces for maximum efficiency. more

Source: LMU Press release