UNIVERSITY SPORTSTeachings of the cleaving sword
Roughly 50 German athletes are training in the use of the Japanese pole sword, the naginata. Some of them meet regularly in the gymnasiums of the University Sports Center at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Several times a week they don their armor and test their skill in combat.
GLOBAL WESTERNThe cowboy travels the world
Through his pioneering project "Global Western – Intercultural Transformations of the American Genre par Excellence", Dr. Thomas Klein of the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is scouting uncharted vistas. Many aspects of the Western still remain unexplored. With the project now reaching its conclusion, the cultural studies expert convened a conference, including a preview on future research topics.
FORENSIC OUTPATIENT CLINIC"This child’s death could have been prevented"
Fifteen years ago, a young physician started thinking about how she could better help abused and mistreated children. Now that physician, Dr. Bianca Navarro-Crummenauer, is in charge of the Forensic Outpatient Clinic for Victims of Domestic Violence at the Institute of Legal Medicine at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Some 500 cases a year keep her busy.
COIN COLLECTIONRoman small change was rather big
Although the coin collection of the Department of History's Ancient History division at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) fits into a single vault, it still holds quite a few surprises – at least for the layperson. Huge Roman coins sit beside ranks of imperial representations. Alexander the Great and Cleopatra can be admired here in silver, gold, and bronze.
HERBARIUMThe collection is growing and growing
The herbarium at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is hardly known – although it includes a number of rare plants and fungi, some of which are still awaiting proper classification. In addition to the extensive array of fungi and plants native to the Rhineland-Palatinate region and gathered from the Mainz Sand Dunes nature reserve, there are also exotic specimens from Costa Rica and Rwanda. Dr. Gudrun Kadereit shows what the herbarium has in store.
MORAL THEOLOGYThe Catholic Church under fire
The Catholic Church seems to be constantly in the headlines, but for all the wrong reasons. The controversies surrounding the morning-after pill, child abuse, and the employment rights of those working for the church are making waves. The atmosphere has become so charged that the situation is becoming increasingly radicalized. Professor Dr. Stephan Goertz, holder of the Chair of Moral Theology at the Faculty of Catholic Theology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), has taken a stand.
MAINZ SCREENING CENTERDiscovering nature
Robots search for new drugs to fight cancer and Alzheimer's and analyze the effects of nanoparticles in humans: at the Mainz Screening Center, Professor Dr. Roland Stauber and his colleagues work in a whole range of fields. The Mainz Screening Center is at the hub of a widely distributed network consisting of a group of highly varied institutions.
METEOROLOGYHunting down clouds in a spy jet
Two of the most important factors influencing climate events are still a mystery: The clouds and the aerosols in the Earth's upper atmosphere. Professor Dr. Stephan Borrmann is tracking them both down. A new, large-scale project is ready to start in the skies above India. The European Union is providing EUR 2.75 million in financial support.
ART AUCTIONA Warhol under the hammer
A group of 56 students staged a major auction at the Institute of Art History of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). Their fictitious auction houses, Phoenix and Galla, offered works ranging from Otto Dix and Salvador Dali to Andy Warhol and George Grosz – bringing in nearly EUR 6 million in bids from the public. A tremendous success, even if no real money changed hands.
GEOSCIENTIFIC COLLECTIONSMollusks chronicle the climate
Mammoths and mussels, dragonflies and corals: the Paleontology Collection at the Institute of Geosciences at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is incredibly diverse. What's missing is a proper curator. Because the million or so s pecimens in the collection are too much for anyone to manage on a part-time basis.