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lecture hall with a lot of students © Jürgen Huhn​/​TU Dortmund
CLUSTER OF EXCELLENCE OF RUHR-UNIVERSITÄT BOCHUM (RUB) AND TU DORTMUND UNIVERSITY

RESOLV Looks Optimistically into the Future

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People stand together at the RESOLV New Year's reception. © Martina Hengesbach​/​TU Dortmund
At the New Year’s Reception of the RESOLV Cluster of Excellence, many of the researchers and students involved came together in the Rudolf Chaudoire Pavilion on the South Campus of TU Dortmund University.
At the New Year’s Reception of “RESOLV – RUHR EXPLORES SOLVATION”, the joint Cluster of Excellence of TU Dortmund University and Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), numerous scientists and students from both universities came together on 23 February to look back on the past year and forward to the one ahead.

In the collaborative project launched in 2012, around 200 members are currently working to decipher the role of solvents in chemical reactions and industrial or biological processes. “RESOLV is a flagship project with a focus on internationalization, diversity, digitalization and sustainability,” said Professor Martin Paul, RUB’s rector, in his welcoming address. “The Cluster of Excellence was also trailblazing for collaboration within the Research Alliance Ruhr.” Within this alliance established in 2022, TU Dortmund University and RUB, together with the University of Duisburg-Essen, are setting up four research centers and a college under the umbrella of the University Alliance Ruhr; the researchers of the Research Centre Chemical Sciences and Sustainability will enrich the RESOLV Cluster of Excellence with new topics and methods. 

In his speech, Professor Manfred Bayer, President of TU Dortmund University, highlighted RESOLV’s successes in the area of human resources. For example, in August 2022 TU Dortmund University was able to welcome Professor Edvardas Narevicius, holder of an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship and a pioneer in the field of ultra-low temperature chemistry. Recently, RESOLV members Professor Rasmus Linser (TU Dortmund University) and Professor Viktoria Däschlein-Gessner (RUB) were both selected for a coveted ERC Consolidator Grant of the European Research Council, for which they will each receive funding of around €2m. “This collaborative project has led to outstanding scientific initiatives, and I’m convinced that RESOLV will continue to produce excellent research results in the future,” said Professor Bayer.

A man stands at a lectern and gives a speech
TU-President Professor Manfred Bayer
A man with a beard holds up a certificate
Doctoral Award Winner Dr. Ilja Rodstein
A woman in a red blazer stands at a lectern
RESOLV-spokeperson Professor Martina Havenith

Professor Martina Havenith, spokesperson for the RESOLV project, led the discussion, which was dedicated to reviewing the past year and looking forward to the one ahead. She also described RESOLV’s commitment to researchers from abroad: For example, six researchers from Ukraine were able to continue their research within the Cluster of Excellence after the outbreak of the war, three of them will remain here permanently. RESOLV recently published an open letter in support of the demonstrators in Iran, which 152 researchers from the Ruhr region have meanwhile signed. The Cluster of Excellence is also taking care of the next generation of researchers. This year, for example, RESOLV will be a partner for the first time in “Jugend forscht”, the STEM competition for school students and young people.

Professor Havenith also introduced Dr. Christoph Müller, managing director of VDZ Technology gGmbH and this year’s guest speaker, who spoke about approaches for the low-carbon production of cement and concrete – at first glance a surprising topic for RESOLV, but as Professor Havenith highlighted: “Modern research thrives on thinking outside the box.” Dr. Müller pointed out that chemistry can contribute to decarbonizing concrete, which is the most used material after water and entails very carbon-intensive production.

This year’s Doctoral Award went to Dr. Ilja Rodstein, who received a certificate and prize money of €2,000 for his doctoral thesis on “Challenging Ligand Purification”.

 

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