ECONOMIC PLANTSRenewable resources
The magic word that promises to facilitate energy transition is "renewable resources". They seem like the perfect solution: environmentally neutral, versatile, and constantly replenishing themselves. But are they really a panacea? Dr. Ralf Omlor, custodian of the Botanic Garden at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU), is using the occasion of the "Renewable Resources – Plants, Products, Perspectives" Week to put his case that we need to take a more critical approach to this complex aspect.
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012Meave Leakey encounters relatives in Mainz
The famous British paleoanthropologist Meave Leakey came to Mainz at the invitation of Professor Friedemann Schrenk, holder of the 2012 Gutenberg Endowed Professorship. She gave a lecture at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) in which she reviewed six million years of human history. But before that, she met with her ancestors in the Mainz Museum of Natural History.
MUSICOLOGYRight-wing extremism breaks into new music genres
The 'white power' rock bands that emerged in the 1980s are now a thing of the past. Neo-Nazi-inspired strains are moving on to conquer whole new swathes of different styles of music. And this is a development that Dr. Thorsten Hindrichs of the Institute of Musicology at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) finds extremely worrying. In his view, a broad-based collective approach is necessary to counteract this trend.
GERMAN ASSOCIATION FOR AMERICAN STUDIESSiri Hustvedt deplores categorization
She read from her books and tirelessly discussed and debated with experts from various disciplines. The famous US-American author Siri Hustvedt was the star guest of the 59th annual conference of the German Association for American Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). However, she was not the only one with something to say to the more than 300 guests from around the world. Seventy-six speakers gave presentations on the conference theme "American Lives."
NEW BUILDINGA new home for excellent research
The Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB) is a new center for life sciences on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation is providing EUR 100 million over 10 years in support for running the project, while the state of Rhineland-Palatinate is financing the institute's construction and building. In a special tour given for the JGU MAGAZINE, Dr. Bernhard Korn, Director of Scientific Core Facilities and Technology, highlights the work completed to date.
ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012And sometimes a ball hits the museum walls
African museums are no longer just repositories for dusty exhibits. Instead, they have become melting pots for society, where people discuss politics, continue their education, or play sports. Three experts discussed this development at the invitation of Gutenberg Endowed Professor Friedemann Schrenk.
ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONBronze head tells a tale of African culture and European plunderers
The Ethnographic Collection of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is tucked away in the basement of the Forum universitatis. The more than 3,200 objects not only tell the stories of foreign cultures but also reveal just as much about the culture of European collectors over the past century. Custodian Dr. Anna-Maria Brandstetter provides insight into this treasure trove.
A CAPPELLAEURO 2012 in their hearts, summer on their minds
Five students at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) are making a musical contribution to the European Football Championship 2012. As the a capella group So! ... und nicht anders, they sing about winning the championship and have made a quirky video that even professional footballers could learn from. In the interview, they talk about friendship, fans, and the art of making music simple.
INNOVATIVE TEACHING PROJECTFrom container ship to artwork
The light and sound installation "resonate" was a huge success at the Frankfurt Luminale. Approximately 2,000 visitors a day came to see the container ship transformed into a work of art. The project was made possible through a joint project of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Mainz University of Applied Sciences (MUAS). Students from the design faculty collaborated with Kaspar König of the School of Music.
POETRYOne poet, six translators
He is famed in Chile, yet rather unknown in Germany, although Raúl Zurita is one of the most important figures in Latin American literature. Six women – three students and three instructors – from the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies (FTSK) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now opened a gateway to his writing for German readers: They translated selected works by the poet.