@misc{MangelsdorfHornConradBagdahnetal.2011, author = {Mangelsdorf, Birgit and Horn-Conrad, Antje and Bagdahn, Christian and Schmidt, Bernd and Eckardt, Barbara and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Peter, Andreas and P{\"o}sl, Thomas and Nestler, Ralf and Zimmermann, Matthias}, title = {Portal = Wenn die Chemie stimmt: L{\"o}sungen f{\"u}r heute und morgen}, series = {Das Potsdamer Universit{\"a}tsmagazin}, journal = {Das Potsdamer Universit{\"a}tsmagazin}, number = {03/2011}, organization = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam, Referat f{\"u}r Presse- und {\"O}ffentlichkeitsarbeit}, issn = {1618-6893}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-45981}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-459810}, pages = {43}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Aus dem Inhalt: - Wenn die Chemie stimmt: L{\"o}sungen f{\"u}r heute und morgen - Das Kreuz mit dem Kreuz - „Das verr{\"u}ckteste Jahr unseres Lebens"}, language = {de} } @misc{CornelTrilckeWinkleretal.2019, author = {Cornel, Hajo and Trilcke, Peer and Winkler, Kurt and Zimmermann, Matthias and Horn-Conrad, Antje and Engel, Silke and Szameitat, Ulrike and Krafzik, Carolin and Kampe, Heike and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Eckardt, Barbara and Eccard, Jana}, title = {Portal = Theodor Fontane: Zum 200. Geburtstag}, number = {01/2019}, organization = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam, Referat f{\"u}r Presse- und {\"O}ffentlichkeitsarbeit}, issn = {1618-6893}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44352}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-443528}, pages = {42}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Aus dem Inhalt: - Theodor Fontane: Zum 200. Geburtstag - Licht an! - Durch Nacht und Eis}, language = {de} } @misc{SchmidtEckardtMarszałeketal.2014, author = {Schmidt, Anna and Eckardt, Barbara and Marszałek, Magdalena and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Bieber, Sabine and Kampe, Heike and J{\"a}ger, Sophie and Horn-Conrad, Antje and G{\"u}nther, Oliver and Seckler, Robert and Sepp{\"a}, Silvana and Guske, Katja and Szameitat, Ulrike and Bezzenberger, Tilman and S{\"u}tterlin, Sabine and Weller, Nina and Klauke, Lars}, title = {Portal = Sommer an der Uni: Leere H{\"o}rs{\"a}le? Volle Terminkalender!}, number = {03/2014}, organization = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam, Referat f{\"u}r Presse- und {\"O}ffentlichkeitsarbeit}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44302}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-443021}, pages = {42}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Aus dem Inhalt: - Sommer an der Uni: Leere H{\"o}rs{\"a}le? Volle Terminkalender! - St{\"a}rken st{\"a}rken - Unter Stress}, language = {de} } @misc{KampeHornConradZimmermannetal.2019, author = {Kampe, Heike and Horn-Conrad, Antje and Zimmermann, Matthias and Scholz, Jana and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Eckardt, Barbara and Krafzik, Carolin}, title = {Portal Wissen = Data}, number = {02/2019}, editor = {Engel, Silke and Zimmermann, Matthias}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44257}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-442574}, pages = {54}, year = {2019}, abstract = {Data assimilation? Stop! Don't be afraid, please, come closer! No tongue twister, no rocket science. Or is it? Let's see. It is a matter of fact, however, that data assimilation has been around for a long time and (almost) everywhere. But only in the age of supercomputers has it assumed amazing proportions. Everyone knows data. Assimilation, however, is a difficult term for something that happens around us all the time: adaptation. Nature in particular has demonstrated to us for millions of years how evolutionary adaptation works. From unicellular organisms to primates, from algae to sequoias, from dinosaurs ... Anyone who cannot adapt will quickly not fit in anymore. We of course have also learned to adapt in new situations and act accordingly. When we want to cross the street, we have a plan of how to do this: go to the curb, look left and right, and only cross the street if there's no car (coming). If we do all this and adapt our plan to the traffic we see, we will not just safely cross the street, but we will also have successfully practiced data assimilation. Of course, that sounds different when researchers try to explain how data assimilation helps them. Meteorologists, for example, have been working with data assimilation for years. The German Weather Service writes, "In numerical weather prediction, data assimilation is the approximation of a model run to the actual development of the atmosphere as described by existing observations." What it means is that a weather forecast is only accurate if the model which is used for its calculation is repeatedly updated, i.e. assimilated, with new measurement data. In 2017 an entire Collaborative Research Center was established at the University of Potsdam, CRC 1294, to deal with the mathematical basics of data assimilation. For Portal Wissen, we asked the mathematicians and speakers of the CRC Prof. Sebastian Reich and Prof. Wilhelm Huisinga how exactly data assimilation works and in which areas of research they can be used profitably in the future. We have looked at two projects at the CRC itself: the analysis of eye movements and the research on space weather. In addition, the current issue is full of research projects that revolve around data in very different ways. Atmospheric physicist Markus Rex throws a glance at the spectacular MOSAiC expedition. Starting in September 2019, the German research icebreaker "Polarstern" will drift through the Arctic Ocean for a year and collect numerous data on ice, ocean, biosphere, and atmosphere. In the project "TraceAge", nutritionists will use the data from thousands of subjects who participated in a long-term study to find out more about the function of trace elements in our body. Computer scientists have developed a method to filter relevant information from the flood of data on the worldwide web so as to enable visually impaired to surf the Internet more easily. And a geophysicist is working on developing an early warning system for volcanic eruptions from seemingly inconspicuous seismic data. Not least, this issue deals with the fascination of fire and ice, the possibilities that digitization offers for administration, and the question of how to inspire children for sports and exercise. We hope you enjoy reading - and if you send us some of your reading experience, we will assimilate it into our next issue. Promised!}, language = {en} } @misc{ZimmermannHornConradGoerlichetal.2019, author = {Zimmermann, Matthias and Horn-Conrad, Antje and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Schlegel, Karoline and Kampe, Heike}, title = {Portal Wissen = Artificial intelligence}, number = {01/2019}, editor = {Engel, Silke and Zimmermann, Matthias}, address = {54}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44246}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-442469}, year = {2019}, abstract = {For a long time, there were things on this planet that only humans could do, but this time might be coming to an end. By using the universal tool that makes us unique - our intelligence - we have worked to eliminate our uniqueness, at least when it comes to solving cognitive tasks. Artificial intelligence is now able to play chess, understand language, and drive a car - and often better than we. How did we get here? The philosopher Aristotle formulated the first "laws of thought" in his syllogisms, and the mathematicians Blaise Pascal and Wilhelm Leibniz built some of the earliest calculating machines. The mathematician George Boole was the first to introduce a formal language to represent logic. The natural scientist Alan Turing created his deciphering machine "Colossus," the first programmable computer. Philosophers, mathematicians, psychologists, and linguists - for centuries, scientists have been developing formulas, machines, and theories that were supposed to enable us to reproduce and possibly even enhance our most valuable ability. But what exactly is "artificial intelligence"? Even the name calls for comparison. Is artificial intelligence like human intelligence? Alan Turing came up with a test in 1950 to provide a satisfying operational definition of intelligence: According to him, a machine is intelligent if its thinking abilities equal those of humans. It has to reach human levels for any cognitive task. The machine has to prove this by convincing a human interrogator that it is human. Not an easy task: After all, it has to process natural language, store knowledge, draw conclusions, and learn something new. In fact, over the past ten years, a number of AI systems have emerged that have passed the test one way or another in chat conversations with automatically generated texts or images. Nowadays, the discussion usually centers on other questions: Does AI still need its creators? Will it not only outperform humans but someday replace them - be it in the world of work or even beyond? Will AI solve our problems in the age of all-encompassing digital networking - or will it become a part of the problem? Artificial intelligence, its nature, its limitations, its potential, and its relationship to humans were being discussed even before it existed. Literature and film have created scenarios with very different endings. But what is the view of the scientists who are actually researching with or about artificial intelligence? For the current issue of our research magazine, a cognitive scientist, an education researcher, and a computer scientist shared their views. We also searched the University for projects whose professional environment reveals the numerous opportunities that AI offers for various disciplines. We cover the geosciences and computer science as well as economics, health, and literature studies. At the same time, we have not lost sight of the broad research spectrum at the University: a legal expert introduces us to the not-so-distant sphere of space law while astrophysicists work on ensuring that state-of-the-art telescopes observe those regions in space where something "is happening" at the right time. A chemist explains why the battery of the future will come from a printer, and molecular biologists explain how they will breed stress-resistant plants. You will read about all this in this issue as well as about current studies on restless legs syndrome in children and the situation of Muslims in Brandenburg. Last but not least, we will introduce you to the sheep currently grazing in Sanssouci Park - all on behalf of science. Quite clever! Enjoy your read! THE EDITORS}, language = {en} } @misc{GoerlichHornConradKampeetal.2018, author = {G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Horn-Conrad, Antje and Kampe, Heike and Zimmermann, Matthias and Scholz, Jana and Engel, Silke and Schneider, Simon}, title = {Portal Wissen = Cosmos}, number = {02/2018}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44167}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-441674}, pages = {53}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Speaking of the cosmos means speaking about nothing less than everything, about the entirety of space filled with matter and energy. We only see a tiny fraction of it from Earth: planets like Venus or stars like the Sun. There are at least 100 billion stars in our home galaxy alone. Bound by gravity, these luminescent celestial bodies of very hot gas form a system visible from Earth as a whitish ribbon, which we call the Milky Way. The observable cosmos contains at least 100 billion such galaxies with stars, cosmic dust, gas, and probably dark matter as well. The universe is 13.8 billion years old; crossing it once would probably take 78 billion light-years. Given these dimensions, it is hardly surprising that for us humans, the mystery of the properties of the cosmos is connected with questions of being. Where do we come from? Where are we going? Are we alone in the universe? Such questions are in the wheelhouse of astrophysicists, who explore the vastness of the cosmos through physical means, even though they, of course, deal with physical laws, mathematical formulas, and complicated measuring methods. In this issue of Portal Wissen, we talked with astrophysicists at the University of Potsdam about their research and everyday work. Lutz Wisotzki showed us a 3D spectrograph, which he has developed in collaboration with colleagues from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics (AIP) and six other European institutes. This technical masterpiece enables scientists to look deeply into space and to "journey" through time to galaxies shortly after the Big Bang. Philipp Richter introduced us to the astrophysics research initiative and demonstrated how the University of Potsdam is working together with the AIP, the Albert Einstein Institute (AEI) and the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) to train junior researchers. The newly appointed Professor of Stellar Astrophysics, Stephan Geier, presented us with stars so close together to each other that they appear to be one to the naked eye. The physicist, who is also a historian, researches their turbulent relationships. We have not confined ourselves to cosmic themes, though, but also questioned rather earthly matters such as modern consumption. We have thought about potential love relationships with robots and testimonials in literature and art. We learned why the rainforest in Central Africa disappeared 2,600 years ago, how to produce knee prostheses on a production line, and how animals in the field benefit from big data. But back to the cosmos. The writing of late astrophysicist Stephen Hawking fundamentally shaped our concepts and knowledge of the universe. And that is because he was both an important physicist and a literary genius. Hardly anyone has been able to capture difficult facts in such a clear, understandable, and beautiful language. With this exemplary understanding of science in mind, we hope to offer you a stimulating read. The Editors}, language = {en} } @misc{ZimmermannScholzEckardtetal.2018, author = {Zimmermann, Matthias and Scholz, Jana and Eckardt, Barbara and Kampe, Heike and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Horn-Conrad, Antje}, title = {Portal Wissen = Language}, number = {01/2018}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44166}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-441666}, pages = {53}, year = {2018}, abstract = {Language is perhaps the most universal tool of human beings. It enables us to express ourselves, to communicate and understand, to help and get help, to create and share togetherness. However, that does not completely capture the value of language. "Language belongs to the character of man," said the English philosopher Sir Francis Bacon. If you believe the poet Johann Gottfried von Herder, a human is "only a human through language". Ultimately, this means that we live in our world not with, but in, language. We not only describe our reality by means of language, but language is the device through which we open up the world in the first place. It is always there and shapes and influences us and the way we perceive, analyze, describe and ultimately determine everything around us. Since it is so deeply connected with human nature, it is hardly surprising that our language has always been in the center of academic research - and not only in those fields that bear the name linguistics. Philosophy and media studies, neurology and psychology, computer science and semiotics - all of them are based on linguistic structures and their premises and possibilities. Since July 2017, a scientific network at the University of Potsdam has been working on exactly this interface: the Collaborative Research Center "Limits of Variability in Language" (SFB 1287), funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Linguists, computer scientists, psychologists, and neurologists examine where language is or is not flexible. They hope to find out more about individual languages and their connections. In this issue of Portal Wissen, we asked SFB spokeswoman Isabell Wartenburger and deputy spokesman Malte Zimmermann to talk about language, its variability and limits, and how they investigate these aspects. We also look over the shoulders of two researchers who are working on sub-projects: Germanist Heike Wiese and her team examine whether the pandemonium of the many different languages spoken at a weekly market in Berlin is creating a new language with its own rules. Linguist Doreen Georgi embarks on a typological journey around the world comparing about 30 languages to find out if they have common limits. We also want to introduce other research projects at the University of Potsdam and the people behind them. We talk to biologists about biodiversity and ecological dynamics, and the founders of the startup "visionYOU" explain how entrepreneurship can be combined with social responsibility. Other discussions center round the effective production of antibodies and the question of whether the continued use of smartphones will eventually make us speechless. But do not worry: we did not run out of words - the magazine is full of them! Enjoy your reading! The Editors}, language = {en} } @misc{KampeZimmermannScholzetal.2017, author = {Kampe, Heike and Zimmermann, Matthias and Scholz, Jana and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Eckardt, Barbara}, title = {Portal Wissen = rich}, number = {01/2017}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44164}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-441642}, pages = {58}, year = {2017}, abstract = {The current Issue of Portal Wissen is entitled "reich", a German word with several meanings. Both an adjective and a noun, it can be translated as rich, wealthy, and abundant, or realm, empire, and kingdom. It is also part of words like Reichtum (wealth, fortune), Reichweite (reach, scope), lehrreich (informative, instructive) and ruhmreich (glorious, renowned*). Realms - a complex subject. While the worldly empires of mankind come and go, even if they often claim the opposite, and the eternal existence of the kingdom of heaven has not been credibly proven, another and much older realm has an almost inexhaustible wealth - the animal and plant kingdom. Speaking of wealth: Some people are rich and want to stay rich at any price. Others still want to become rich and are looking for a path to wealth - some for the fastest, some for the easiest, and some for the perfect path. There are even people who want to leave nothing to chance and use a scientific approach, for example the American author Wallace D. Wattles, who published the book The Science of Getting Rich in 1903. His essay was intended for "for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward." He was so convinced of his work that he even offered a guarantee of success. Anyone who followed his manual would "undoubtedly become rich because the science that is used here is an exact science, and failure is impossible." Wattles has been almost forgotten, but the secret of wealth - at least financial wealth - seems anything but deciphered. Some have got it, others want it. There are worlds in between - as well as envy, prejudices and ignorance. More than enough reason for us to look again at Wallace D. Wattles and his self-confidently presented alleged relationship between wealth and science, and to say: Yes! Of course, science makes us rich, but primarily rich in perception, experience and - in knowledge. Science in itself is not glorious but instructive. The great thing is: All can equally benefit from the wealth created by science at the same time. Nobody has to get rich at the expense of others, on the contrary: You can often achieve much more together with others. Everything else comes (almost) by itself. "Those who acquire knowledge are richly rewarded by God," is the religiously informed praise of sciences by the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The current issue of the Portal Wissen, however, focuses on facts, which is admittedly not in style at the moment. We therefore invite you to a tour of the University of Potsdam and its partners. It is about studies on the rich biodiversity of porpoises and lab mice. We present a historian who studies rich church treasures and talk with an education researcher about the secret of financial wealth. German philologists explain the rich language of literary criticism in the era of Enlightenment, and we follow a geo-scientist into the mountains where he moved large boulders to find the right stones. It is also about the cities of tomorrow, which have many high-rise buildings but are still (rich in) green, abundant water from once-in-acentury flash floods, and insects as an alternative to a rich diet of tomorrow. We take you to the border area of two disciplines where law and philosophy work hand in hand, talk with two literary scholars who are studying the astounding reach of the Schlager phenomenon of traditional German-language pop music, and learn from a sustainability researcher how to work together to achieve long-term solutions for pressing global problems. We wish you a pleasant read! The Editors}, language = {en} } @misc{KampeZimmermannScholzetal.2016, author = {Kampe, Heike and Zimmermann, Matthias and Scholz, Jana and G{\"o}rlich, Petra and Engel, Silke}, title = {Portal Wissen = Point}, number = {01/2016}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44156}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-441569}, pages = {54}, year = {2016}, abstract = {A point is more than meets the eye. In geometry, a point is an object with zero dimensions - it is there but takes up little space. You may assume that something so small is easily overlooked. A closer look reveals that points are everywhere and play a significant role in many areas. In physics, for example, a mass point is the highest possible idealization of a body, which is the theoretical notion that the entire mass of a body is concentrated in a point, its "center of mass". Points are at the beginning (starting points), at intersections (pivot points), and at the end (final points). A point symbolizes great precision. There is a reason we "get to the point". In writing, a point abbreviates, structures, and finalizes what is said. Physicians puncture, and athletes collect points on playing fields, courses, and on tables. It's no wonder that researchers are "surrounded" by points and work with them every day: Points bring order to chaos, structure the unexplained, and name the nameless. A point is often the beginning, an entry to worlds, findings, or problems. Points are for everyone, though. German mathematician Oskar Perron wrote, "A point is exactly what the intelligent yet innocent, uncorrupted reader imagines it to be." We want to follow up on this quotation: The latest edition of Portal Wissen offers exciting starting points, analyzes points of view, and gets right to the point. We follow a physicist to the sun - the center point of our solar system - to ponder the origin of solar eruptions. We talked to a marketing professor about turning contentious points into successful deals during negotiation. Business information experts present leverage points that prepare both humans and machines for factories in the age of Industry 4.0. Enthusiastic entrepreneurs show us how their research became the starting point of a successful business idea - and also make the world a bit better. Geoscientists explain why the weather phenomenon El Ni{\~n}o causes - wet and dry - flashpoints. Just to name a few of many points … We hope our magazine scores points with you and wish you an inspiring read! The Editorial}, language = {en} } @misc{StreckerKampeSuetterlinetal.2013, author = {Strecker, Manfred and Kampe, Heike and S{\"u}tterlin, Sabine and Horn-Conrad, Antje and Zimmermann, Matthias and Eckardt, Barbara and G{\"o}rlich, Petra}, title = {Portal Wissen = Layers}, number = {01/2013}, organization = {University of Potsdam, Press and Public Relations Department}, issn = {2198-9974}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-44140}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-441404}, pages = {53}, year = {2013}, abstract = {The latest edition of our Potsdam Research Magazine "Portal Wissen" addresses the topic "Layers" in many different ways. Geoscientists often deal with layers: layers of soil, sediment, or rock are the evidence of repeated and long-lasting processes of erosion and sedimentation that took place in the early history of the earth. For instance, mountains are eroded by water, ice and wind. The sand that results from that erosion might eventually form a new layer on the ocean floor known as a sediment horizon. After tens of millions of years, tectonic plate movements can deform the ocean floor, pushing it upwards as mountains are created, bringing the layers of sand from former mountain chains together with fossilized sea dwellers into the realm of climbers and mountaineers - a fundamental cycle within the Earth system that was succinctly described by Ibn Sina nearly 1000 years ago, and later by Charles Darwin when he was crossing the Andes. The landscape around us overlays the products of recent processes with those from the past. Slow processes or extreme events that happen very rarely - like floods, earthquakes or rockslides - wipe out certain characteristics, while others remain on the surface. In this sense, the landscape is like a palimpsest - a piece of parchment that monks in the Middle Ages scraped clean again and again to write something new. Analysing rock layers and soil is similar to the work of a detective. Geophysical deep sounding with sound and radar waves, precise measurements of motions related to earthquakes, and deep boreholes each provide a glimpse of the characteristics of what lies beneath us, giving us a better understanding of spatial distribution of the various layers. Fossils can tell us the age of a layer of sediment, while radiometric isotopes in minerals reveal how quickly a rock moved from deep within the Earth up to the surface, perhaps during the process of mountain building. Thin layers of ash tell us when there was a devastating volcanic eruption that influenced environmental conditions. The shape, gradation, and surface conditions of sand grains reflect whether wind or water was responsible for their transport. We know, for instance, that northern Germany was a desert landscape more than 260 million years ago. At that time, the wind made huge dunes migrate across the region. Over time, climate and vegetation slowly alter the physical and chemical characteristics of sand and rock at the surface, turning them into soil, the epidermis of our planet. Mineralogical analyses of layers of the soil layer tell us whether the climate was dry or wet. These kinds of observations allow us to reconstruct links between our climate system and processes that have taken place on the Earth's surface, as well as those processes that originate at much deeper levels. The clues we use might be hidden under the surface of the earth or clearly visible on the surface, like in the mountains, or even in freshly cut rock alongside roads. On the following pages, we invite you to accompany scientists from Potsdam into their world of research. They track hidden traces of longgone earthquakes in the Tien Shan Mountains; they discover ancient forms of life in deep-sea sediments. They even examine layers in outer space that can tell us something about the formation of planets. "Portal Wissen" not only presents scientists of the University of Potsdam who deal with the sequence of layers formed by solid rock, but also those scientists who deal with levels of education or social strata. Research scientists explain how to implement the social mission of inclusion in teaching, and how pupils from the Berlin district Kreuzberg examine language in urban neighbourhoods together with students from the University of Potsdam. Although these types of "layers" are very different, they all have something in common. Their structure and profile are evidence of continuously changing conditions. The present will leave traces and layers that future geoscientists will measure and examine. We already speak of the Anthropocene, a geological era dominated by humans, which is characterized by far-reaching changes in erosion and sedimentation rates, and the displacement of natural habitats. I hope that you will discover exciting and inspiring stories in this edition. And remember - it is always worth having a look beneath the surface. Prof. Manfred Strecker, PHD Professor of Geology}, language = {en} }