The United Nations (UN) have defined 17 sustainability goals. Researchers at the University of Konstanz contribute to reaching these goals through their research as well as their teaching and transfer activities. They provide impetus for sustainable action, give support for addressing crises and develop cutting-edge technologies. Our research projects with a focus on sustainability showcase the diversity of how research in different disciplines can contribute to sustainability as well as the many different scientific approaches used.
No poverty
Research on inequality
The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality", funded in the context of the Excellence Strategy, links a wide range of disciplines (political science, sociology, economics, linguistics, psychology and empirical educational research) and strives to open up new perspectives on the connections between inequality and different political processes. The researchers involved approach the goal of reducing inequalities across its entire bandwidth.
Current projects:
- Inequality Barometer: A Repeated Representative Opinion Survey on Inequality and Social Mobility, Junior Professor Luna Bellani, Professor Marius Busemeyer, Professor Guido Schwerdt
- Mobilizing Inequalities: From Grievances to Conflict, Professor Nils Weidmann, Professor Miriam Butt, Junior Professor Christina Zuber
Zero hunger
1) The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
Current projects:
- Can we predict where locust plagues will go?
- Multiscale analysis of locust swarms
- Patterns of collective behaviour in locusts
2) Professor Britta Renner, Department of Psychology
Current project:
- MiLife, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), part of the project RISKDYNAMICS, a study analyzing the interplay between physical activity and psychological factors
Good health and well-being
1) The Cluster of Excellence "Collective Behaviour"
Current projects:
- Individual and collective appetite: How the social environment influences group eating
- Probing collective misperceptions: health and economic inequality in comparative perspective
- Stress transmission in groups
2) Professor Markus Gruber/ Human Performance Research Centre (HPRC), sport science
Current projects:
- The Human Performance Research Centre (HPRC) enables detailed research into the athletic performance of humans and works closely with regional collaboration partners (sports clubs and associations).
3) Professor Britta Renner, Department of Psychology
Current projects:
- Konstanz Life study: a long-term interdisciplinary study on the health of Konstanz residents
- EUCLID study on the public’s perception of the coronavirus situation
- SMARTACT The interdisciplinary research project SMARTACT aims to use mobile technologies (e.g. smartphones) to improve health-related behaviour over the long term.
- Individual and collective appetite – how is eating shaped by social influence?. This project’s objective is to identify the influence of social contexts on eating in human and animal collectives.
4) SFB-TRR 353 Regulation of cell death decisions, Department of Biology
SFB-TRR 353 is dedicated to the study of biological processes that regulate the phenomenon of "cell death" at the molecular level.
5) Professor Alexander Bürkle, Department of Biology
The Molecular Toxicology research group seeks to understand how cells react to genotoxic (DNA-damaging) stress at the molecular, cellular and organismic level and how these mechanisms contribute to (patho-)physiological conditions such as ageing and cancer development. In a second step, the team is interested in the development of translational applications for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
The team's projects focus on:
- Genetic toxicology
- DNA damage and repair
- Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation
- Biomarkers of ageing
6) Immunology, Department of Biology
Current project:
- Steinbeis Transfer Center: Immunoproteasome Drug Targeting, FAT10, research on biological immune response mechanisms
7) Chemical Biology research takes place at the interface between biology, chemistry and computer science. The macromolecular basic building blocks of the cell can be characterized in terms of their functional and structural interaction. The research focuses lie in the fields of synthetic chemistry, cellular biochemistry, biophysics, biomedicine and bio- and chemoinformatics.
8) Professor Daniel Keim, Department of Computer Science, data analysis and visualization
Current project:
- "Coronavis" visualization tool for the nation-wide display of intensive care capacities. The tool enables physicians to gain an overview of intensive care capacities at German hospitals.
Quality education
1) The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
Current projects:
- Understanding and facilitating positive group dynamics in education
- A study on school students' perceptions of inequality and fairness and the effects these perceptions have on participation in education and politics (in German)
- Practical field course: Behavioral ecology and animal communication
2) Professor Guido Schwerdt, Department of Economics
The Public Economics research group focuses on policy evaluations, applied economic research, educational economics, labour market economics and public economics.
3) Professor Johannes Huwer, Department of Chemistry
Current projects:
- GeNIUS (a study on the conditions for successfully teaching science and technology at school, in German) (doctoral project of Julia Albicker)
- SDGs interaktiv (an interactive, collaborative platform for learning about the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda based on the idea of protecting the environment, in German)(doctoral project of Sandra Wilfinger)
- ARtiste - Augmented Reality Teaching in Science Technology Education (part of a doctoral project of Manuel Krug)
- ZuKon 2030: a workshop on the 17 global sustainability goals
4) Professor Axinja Hachfeld, empirical educational research
Research by the Educational Research group focuses on professionalization as well as questions involving education and training in heterogeneous contexts. How can education processes be successful in heterogeneous contexts – not only in the classroom but also in connection with learning contexts outside the school?<br/> What shared attitudes and convictions about heterogeneity do teaching professionals have, and how do these ideas impact how they teach?
5) The Binational School of Education (BiSE) is a central university institution that manages, coordinates and develops all areas of teacher education at the University of Konstanz. As a cross-university teaching and research network, it connects university facilities with external partners.
At the heart of the discussion is the question of how the respective education systems make it possible for children with different pre-requisites – social, linguistic, health, etc. – to have equal access to the important resource of education.
Gender equality
1) The Cluster of Excellence The Politics of Inequality
- Agents of Social Change? The Intangible Benefits of Female Social Entrepreneurs, Dr Viola Asri, Dr Ankush Asri, Professor Anke Hoeffler
2) Professor Susanne Strauß, sociology
Current project:
- COVID-19 Policies for Gender Equality (CoPE)
- Perceptions of Gender and Seniority: Wage Inequality and Individual Behavioral Reactions in the Organizational Context
3) Professor Dorothea Debus, Department of Philosophy, as Vice Rector for International Affairs, Equal Opportunity and Diversity responsible for all topics and projects related to international affairs, equal opportunity and diversity at the University of Konstanz
4) Diversity and leadership is one focus of the Organizational Behaviour research team led by Professor Sabine Boerner in the Department of Politics and Public Administration. Projects
Clean water and sanitization
1) Professor Frank Peeters, Limnological Institute, Department of Biology
Current projects:
- Investigation of the surface wave field and particle resuspension in Lake Constance (in German)
- Modelling the influence of physical changes in the environment (in German)
2) Professor Lutz Becks, Limnological Institute, Department of Biology
Current project:
Affordable and clean energy
1) Professor Stefan Volkwein, Department of Mathematics
Current project:
2) Professor Giso Hahn, Department of Physics
Current projects:
- Several publicly funded projects for example on the following topics: Developing new solar cell concepts for the cost-efficient use of regenerative energies, investigating the long-term stability of solar cells, improving the physical understanding of processes in the solar cell, technology transfer of laboratory results into mass production
3) Professor Lukas Schmidt-Mende, Department of Physics
The research team "Hybrid Nanostructures" investigates new materials for solar cells by studying perovskite semiconductors that are significantly cheaper and need less energy than silicon solar cells, for example.
Current projects:
- Point-Defect Design and Facet-Selective Optoelectronic Properties in Doped Perovskite Microcrystals (SPP 2196 "Perovskite semiconductors")
- Control over grain size and crystallinity: Role of trap states in perovskites (SPP 2196 "Perovskite semiconductors")
4) Professor Peter Baum, Department of Physics
Current project:
- Observations of moving atoms and electrons with an attosecond electron microscope: a project to develop a novel approach to making the smallest and fastest processes in matter visible – the motion of atoms and electrons
Decent work and economic growth
1) The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
Current project:
- Digitalization, Automation and the Future of Work in Post-Industrial Welfare States. The project's aim is to understand the interplay between politics, society and the economy in the context of responding to the social, economic and political challenges posed by digitalization and automation. Technological change is currently driving fundamentally changes to the world of work – with significant consequences for social inequality.
2) Professor Florian Kunze, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current projects:
3) Professor Ines Mergel, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
- Open Public Administration Scholarship (OPAS), an open access platform for research-based teaching results focusing on digital transformation
4) Professor Sabine Boerner, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
- Leadership and resilience in the healthcare sector, a study with the aim of identifying factors that strengthen the psychological resilience of healthcare professionals. The expected results can lay the groundwork for developing practical recommendations and interventions that support healthcare teams in their everyday work.
5) Professor Nick Zubanov (PhD), Department of Economics
Current project:
- Skill complementarity in production technology a study on the correlation between the dispersion of skills within companies and productivity in business sectors with higher average skill dispersion
Industry, innovation and infrastructure
1) Dr Cristina Ruiz-Agudo, Department of Chemistry, specializes in construction materials science. Her research focuses on fundamental nano- and microscale aspects of cementitious materials, aiming to improve sustainability by developing alternative binder materials with a lower CO2 footprint.
Current project:
- "Controlling the Crystallization of Alternative Cementitious Materials for Building a Green Future". The research group concentrates on studying the characteristics of the primary Mg-binding phases of magnesium silicate cements (M-S-H) and their crystallization pathways, aiming to promote the formation of a competitive material that could potentially replace, at least partially, Portland cement, thereby decreasing CO2 emissions in the construction sector.
2) Professor Stefan Mecking, Department of Chemistry, researches in the field of nano and materials science (one of the university’s research priorities). His work focuses on sustainable catalysis mechanisms and processes in addition to eco-friendly plastics.
Current project:
- Polyethylene-like Polymers from Plant Oils, focuses on the manufacturing of materials from renewable building blocks
3) Research Group of Helmut Cölfen, Department of Chemistry. The research group researches in the field of nano and materials science. The work focuses on the processes of crystalization and biomineralization.
Current project:
- From biominerals to novel bio-inspired materials, one research aim is to use controlled crystal growth to make fracture-resistant concrete, another aim is to establish mineral plastics as a sustainable, biodegradable plastic with exceptional characteristics.
Reduced inequalities
1) The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
Current projects:
- "Ethnic Policies" – Remedy for Between-Group Inequalities?, Professor Katharina Holzinger, Professor Tanja Kupisch
- "From Bad to Worse? Financial Crises, Polarization, and Inequality", Professor Gerald Schneider, Professor Almuth Scholl
- Inequality Barometer: A Repeated Representative Opinion Survey on Inequality and Social Mobility, Junior Professor Luna Bellani, Professor Marius Busemeyer, Professor Guido Schwerdt
- Mobilizing Inequalities: From Grievances to Conflict, Professor Miriam Butt, Professor Nils Weidmann, Junior Professor Christina Zuber
- Climate Inequalities in the Global South: from Perceptions to Protest, Professor Gabriele Spilker
- Probing collective misperceptions: health and economic inequality in comparative perspective
2) Professor Marius Busemeyer, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
- The Future of European Social Citizenship (EUSOCIALCIT), an EU-funded project that examines alternative political measures to strengthen civil society in Europe
3) Professor Jeanine Grütter, empirical educational research
Current projects:
Sustainable cities and communities
1) Professor Thomas Hinz, Dr Thomas Wöhler, sociology
Current project:
- A survey study of Konstanz residents (long-term study measuring changes in the quality of life and social change in Konstanz, in German)
2) Professor Christian Meyer, sociology
Current project:
3) Professor Martina Kanning, sport science
Current project:
Joint research in the areas of history and computer science (Dr Jan Behnstedt-Renn, Professor Stefan Hauser, Professor Harald Reiterer, Professor Falk Schreiber) in collaboration with Kulturamt Konstanz, the HTWG Konstanz - University of Applied Sciences and the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Trossingen
Current project:
Responsible consumption and production
1) Professor Helmut Cölfen, Department of Chemistry, researches in the field of nano and materials science. His work focuses on the processes of crystalization and biomineralization.
Current project:
- From biominerals to novel bio-inspired materials: one research aim is to to establish mineral plastics as a sustainable, biodegradable plastic with exceptional characteristics
2) Professor Tanja Gaich, Department of Chemistry
Current project:
- "Natural Product Synthesis and Synthetic Methodology": research with the goal of linking biogenetically completely unrelated natural substances through a shared synthesis pathway
Professor Johannes Huwer, Department of Chemistry
Current project:
- Sustainable Entrepreneurship Education (doctoral project of Charlotte Diepolder)
3) Professor Marcel Leist, Department of Biology, researches, together with is his team, rapid high-throughput test methods that make green chemistry and the development of less toxic chemicals possible. Another research focus is on developing replacement methods for animal experiments to avoid batch testing. He is also active in the Steinbeis Transfer Center CAAT-Europe.
Research topics:
- Neurotoxicity: this research aims to develop new cell models and endpoints in order to obtain information relevant for human health and safety without animal experiments
- New cells and tools: this research focuses on producing known cells from other known cells
4) Professor Stefan Mecking, Department of Chemistry, researches in the field of nano and materials science (one of the university’s research priorities). His work focuses on sustainable catalysis mechanisms and processes in addition to eco-friendly plastics.
Current project:
- Polyethylene-like Polymers from Plant Oils, focuses on the manufacturing of materials from renewable building blocks
5) Professor Giso Hahn, Department of Physics
Current projects:
- Thin silicon and new solar cell concepts (junior research group)
- Industrial solar cells
- Process technology and safety
Climate action
1) Scientists for Future at the University of Konstanz
Contact: Professor Christine Peter, Department of Chemistry
2) Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
- Climate inequalities in the Global South: from perceptions to protest, Junior Professor Sebastian Koos, Professor Gabriele Spilker
3) Professor Laura Epp, Limnological Institute
Current project:
4) Junior Professor Sebastian Kloos, Department of Politics and and Public Administration,
Current project:
5) Professor Mark van Kleunen, Department of Biology
Current project:
6) Professor Christian Voolstra, Department of Biology
Current project:
7) Professor Martina Kanning, sport science
Current project:
Life below water
1) Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour
The Cluster of Excellence "Collective Behaviour" focuses its research on collective behaviour while including a wide variety of categories. The aim of the interdisciplinary research network (involving biology, physics, psychology, sociology, economics, computer science and mathematics) is to uncover the basic principles behind collective behaviour in a range of organisms and at different organizational levels in order to use this knowledge to implement real-world solutions with a positive global impact.
Contacts: Professor Oliver Deussen, Professor Urs Fischbacher, Professor Iain Couzin, speakers of the Cluster of Excellence
2) Professor Christian Voolstra, Department of Biology
Current projects:
- SymbiOmics – Decoding Structure and Function of the coral metorganism
- Bioprospecting of Marine Organisms
3) Professor Peter Kroth, Department of Biology
Current projects:
- Glycolytic pathways in Diatoms
- "Light in the Dark(reaction) - Calvin Cycle and its regulation by light", deepening understanding of diatoms' ability to absorb and store carbon dioxide
Saving coral reefs is a touchstone for dealing with climate change. If we succeed in saving the coral reefs, I am confident that we will also be able to save other ecosystems on our planet.
Life on land
1)The Cluster of Excellence "Collective Behaviour"
Research topics:
- "Aggregation in the collective", studying the effects of collective decisions
- Ecological and social triggers of human (predator) and animal (prey) movement patterns in Central DRC
- Individuals in the collective, examining the effects of individual behaviour on social organization
2) Professor Martin Wikelski, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Department of Biology
Current projects:
Peace, justice and strong institutions
1) The Cluster of Excellence "The Politics of Inequality"
Current projects:
- Conditions of International Solidarity, Junior Professor Sharon Baute, Professor Dirk Leuffen
- Climate Inequalities in the Global South: from Perceptions to Protest, Professor Gabriele Spilker
- Framing Inequalities
2) Research Institute Social Cohesion (RISC)
Contacts: Professor Daniel Thym, Christopher Möllmann
3) Professor Judith Beyer, sociology
Current project:
4) Professor Anke Hoeffler, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
5) Professor Gerald Schneider, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
6) Professor Nils Weidmann, Department of Politics and and Public Administration
Current project:
7) Professor Daniel Thym, Department of Law
Main research areas:
8) Professors Aleida and Jan Assmann lead the research project funded by the 2020 Dr Karl Helmut Eberle Prize "Civic strength. Political challenges and cultural practices". Individual projects investigate questions of civic society at the national, municipal and school levels. An associated project "Gemeinsinn im Sport" (civic society in sport) focuses especially on sport organizations.
Current project:
- Civic strength. Political challenges and cultural practices, awarded the 2020 Dr Karl Helmut Eberle Prize