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The University of Münster is currently in the hot phase of the Excellence Strategy. To put it more precisely, the University is on the home straight towards submitting its two Clusters of Excellence applications. Kathrin Kottke and Linus Peikenkamp spoke to Prof. Monika Stoll, Vice-Rector for Research, about the competition and what the term “excellence” means for the University of Münster.

Since 2007 the “Religion and Politics” Cluster of Excellence has been carrying out research into the changing relationship between religion and politics right across the ages and across cultures – from ancient Egypt up to the present day. In this guest commentary, spokesperson Prof. Michael Seewald explains what focus the researchers have in their work, and plan to have in the future.

In order to cope with the complex challenges facing our world, we need high-powered mathematical methods which cross over the boundaries between traditional areas of mathematics. This is where the Cluster of Excellence “Mathematics Münster: Dynamics – Geometry – Structure” comes into play. In a guest commentary, spokespersons Prof. Thomas Nikolaus and Prof. Mario Ohlberger provide some examples.

A team from the University of Münster, ETH Zürich and Leibniz-Universität Hannover has investigated a key component of the so-called GM1 cholera toxin complex for the first time using a fluorinated GM1 analogue. The findings on the molecular mechanisms of the strong interaction may help to enable the development of inhibitors that prevent life-threatening cholera infections.

Prof Kai Schmitz's field of work lies at the interface between particle physics and cosmology. In this interview, the physicist talks about the state of cosmological research and still unresolved questions.

The University of Münster is the new research home for three female researchers: On the basis of a fellowship from the Philipp Schwartz Initiative, the Russian Prof. Dr. Elena Marasinova and the Ukrainians Dr. Anna Kornyushchenko and Dr. Larysa Kovbasyuk will be working at different institutes for two years.

A mouse which disappears in a hole, a bee heading for a blossom, a blackbird in full-throated song – animals interact with their environment in certain ways, they display behaviour. This is based on certain evolutionary mechanisms, as biologists Dr. Niklas Kästner and Dr. Tobias Zimmermann explain in their guest article. They run the online magazine “ETHOlogisch – Verhalten verstehen”.

In collaboration with several Fraunhofer institutes and industrial partners, the three-year research project “MANTIS” aims to prevent hacker attacks on gas pipeline networks and other vital infrastructure with the help of quantum encryption. Prof Carsten Schuck, a physicist at the University of Münster, is overseeing one of the sub-projects in the alliance.

Around 3.750 athletes started at this year's Leonardo Campus Run. Despite the heat, the atmosphere was fantastic and all the runners were highly motivated. With 419 participants, the University of Münster was once again the largest group at the popular running event.

A team headed by business chemist Prof. Stephan von Delft has been looking at what effects different strategies for achieving a circular economy with lithium, cobalt and nickel for electric vehicles will have on the demand for materials in Europe. Their conclusion: eleven mines and 57 recycling plants fewer could be needed.

Many dynamic processes can be described mathematically with the aid of stochastic partial differential equations. Working together with other researchers, Dr. Markus Tempelmayr, Postdoc at the Cluster of Excellence Mathematics Münster, has found a new method which helps to solve a certain class of such equations.

In her doctoral thesis at the Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity at the University of Münster, Dr Berta Canal investigated the effects of heat stress on the reproductive capacity of fruit flies. The biologist gave an insight into her work.