Please activate JavaScript!
Please install Adobe Flash Player, click here for download

uni'alumni 2012_ENG

The Freiburg Academic Society, one of the old- est associations for the promotion of ­research at a ­German univer­ sity, celebrated its 100th anniver- sary on 28 Octo- ber 2011 with a ceremony in the Audimax. The soci- ety’s history is asso- ciated closely with the construction of Collegiate Building I, which was dedicat- ed on 28 November 1911. Since this time, the Academic Society has fund- ed ­research projects in all academic ­disciplines. It promotes young research- ers primarily by awarding travel grants to international conferences. “This helps them make a name for them- selves and form networks with other scholars in their field,” says Prof. Dr. Karl-Reinhard Volz. “They are ­exposed to new research ideas and are freed from their regular routine.” The forest scientist has served as chairman of the Academic Society since early 2011. “Our board of trust- ees meets twice a year to evaluate the applications we have re- ceived. We often ap- prove funding for in- novative but risky research ideas or pilot projects with unknown out- comes,” explains Volz. Altogether, the society awards a total of around 80 research grants per year. Moreover, the society pitches in when something in a ­research project unexpectedly goes wrong or when an additional measurement device is needed. The members include dedicated individu- als as well as important companies. The majority are university employees. Volz is interested in attracting many more members – especially profes- sors of the university, but also more individuals and companies or munici- palities in the region. Eva Opitz PROFESSORS OF THE PAST Physicist, Blogger, Novice Composer Photo:Zahn “I discovered writing as a drug,” says Josef Honerkamp. In 2010 the emeritus professor of theoretical physics pub- lished the book The Discovery of the ­Inconceivable, in which he explains his discipline for a general audience. The 70-year-old has continued writing since then – several hours a day. “It helps me to see things more clearly myself and create order in my mind.” Honerkamp posts a new article on his blog roughly once every two weeks – on concepts from physics and philosophy like the big bang, time, and Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. The blog reaches several thousand readers. Honorary Post at the University Honerkamp serves in a voluntary ­capacity as representative of the rector for awards and honors, informing faculty members of research and teaching awards, nominating candidates, helping them to apply, and organizing juries for prizes awarded by the university. In addi- tion, he composes fugues and arranges music for songs in his free time. Some of his works, which he arranged with a ­music program on the computer, can be heard on the video portal YouTube. ­However, his blog is his main passion. The comments readers make on his ­articles lead him to ever new questions – and might even lead to another book, says Honerkamp: “Writing is the key to immortality.” Nicolas Scherger Josef Honerkamp’s blog: » www.scilogs.de/chrono/blog/­ die-natur-der-naturwissenschaft Chairman Karl-Reinhard Volz wants to ­attract more members. Photo: private Support for All Fields A LOOK BACK: ACADEMIC SOCIETY MARKS ANNIVERSARY BECOME A MEMBER The Academic Society currently has 180 members. Individual members pay membership dues of at least 55 euros per year, organizations and companies 110 euros. Anyone who is interested in promoting research and young scholars is welcome to join. For more information, please visit the society’s new homepage: » www.wissges.uni-freiburg.de Josef Honerkamp publishes his own works on the Internet. 24 University News uni'alumni 2012