Initial Spark
Next Lecture
On 01 October 2026, TU Dortmund University welcomes Nobel Laureate Richard R. Schrock in the Audimax as part of the InitialSpark lecture series.
Further information and the registration for the event will follow here.
As part of the "Initial Spark" series, renowned scientists from all over the world who have been awarded a Nobel Prize or Leibniz Prize, for example, are invited to TU Dortmund University.
In addition to the opportunity to listen to a lecture by an outstanding scientist, the subsequent reception offers the chance to speak to the top researchers in person.
Background
The Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite and founder of the Nobel Prize, experimented with explosives in mining in the 1860s, including in Dortmund-Dorstfeld at the Dorstfeld colliery. In order to be able to detonate nitroglycerine with greater safety, he developed the so-called initial ignition in 1863. In reference to this experimental phase of Nobel's work in Dortmund, the series is entitled "Initialzündung".
Impressions
„Wie man eine vermeintlich naturwissenschaftliche Grenze überwindet... und was man daraus machen kann”
Seventh lecture in the InitialSpark series on 11 November 2025 with Prof. Dr. Stefan W. Hell
On 11 November 2025, Professor Dr. Stefan W. Hell, Nobel laureate in Chemistry and director of the Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Natural Sciences in Göttingen and the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research in Heidelberg, was the seventh guest in the INITIALZÜNDUNG lecture series at the Audimax. In his lecture, he emphasized the importance of believing in one’s own ideas. You can find the report on the event here.
"From the Nobel Prize in Physics to the New Kilogram - The Quantum Revolution in Metrology”
Sixth lecture in the Initial Spark series on 21 January 2025 with Prof. Dr. Klaus von Klitzing
On 21 January 2025 physics Nobel Prize winner Professor Dr. Klaus von Klitzing was the sixth guest of the INITIAL SPARK lecture series in the Audimax and inspired the audience with his exciting lecture. You find the report on the event here.
"Memorial - 35 years of fighting for remembrance"
Fifth lecture in the Initial Spark series on 3 June 2024 with Dr. Irina Scherbakowa
On 3 June 2024, Dr. Irina Scherbakowa, co-founder of the Russian human rights organization Memorial, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022 together with the lawyer Ales Bjaljazki from Belarus and the Centre for Civil Liberties from Ukraine, was a guest at the Auditorium Maximum.
ll. You find the article on the event with Dr. Irina Scherbakowa here.
"Galaxies & Black Holes (A Forty Year Journey)"
Fourth lecture in the Initial Spark series on November 29, 2023 with Prof. Reinhard Genzel
On November 29, 2023, Prof. Reinhard Genzel, Nobel Laureate in Physics and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching near Munich, was a guest at the Auditorium Maximum. You can find the report on this event here.
"Catalysis for a better world"
Third lecture in the Initial Spark series on February 2, 2023 with Prof. Benjamin List
On February 2, 2023, Prof. Benjamin List, 2021 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry and Director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, was a guest at the Auditorium Maximum as part of the Initialzündung lecture series. You can find the report on this event here.
"Ion channels: Their discovery and role in biomedicine and pharmacology"
Second lecture in the Initial Spark series on April 26, 2022 with Prof. Erwin Neher
After a long corona break, the Initialzündung lecture series was finally able to continue on April 26, 2022. The second lecture in this series was given by Professor Erwin Neher, Nobel Laureate in Medicine and Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Göttingen. You can find the report on this event here and the video here.
„Innovation by Evolution: Expanding the Protein Universe“
Kick-off of the Initial Spark event series on May 24, 2019 with Prof. Frances Arnold as part of the "Jubilee Lectures."
The first lecture in the Initialzündung lecture series at TU Dortmund University was given by Professor Frances Arnold, Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, on May 24, 2019. More than 950 interested listeners followed her presentation. Further information can be found in the follow-up report.
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