Hannover, March 2017 – Clamping material modelled after Gecko feet; Digitalisation in science: Questions, consequences and chances; and Molecular machines, evolutionary treatment methods and much more – from 24 to 28 April 2017, the Christian Albrechts University of Kiel (CAU) is showcasing itself for the first time at Hannover Messe’s Research & Technology sector. CAU’s diverse program features exhibits, a patent exchange and startup pitches as well as podium discussions about knowledge transfer, patents and entrepreneurial initiatives.

“With the federal government’s next funding period approaching, we chose the world’s leading industrial show to demonstrate CAU’s exceptional research and its value to economic and social development in the northern region of Germany,” says Professor Lutz Kipp, president of CAU.

“We are pleased to welcome Kiel University to Hannover Messe for the first time. It is a fantastic addition to our Research & Technology fair, presenting to visitors a broad range of CAU’s top level research,” adds Sonia Wedell-Castellano, Global Director Research & Technology at Deutsche Messe.

“Innovation Scouts”, CAU’s patent exchange, showcases patents and projects to potential investors and partners. Developments in this area include a clamping material that is modelled after gecko feet and functions without adhesives; industrial microalgae production at sea; and the innovation network “Energy Transformation and New Mobility Schleswig-Holstein”, which focuses on autonomous driving. Young entrepreneurs present their concepts at the “Startup Pitch”. In addition, brief lectures give insights into CAU’s research priorities.

The podium discussion on 25 April, “High-Level Research as Innovation Motor in Germany”, addresses the importance of science and STEM education for the further economic, industrial and innovative development of Germany. On 27 April, the session “Digitalisation in Science and Business” answers not only questions about technology and infrastructure, but also about sociological and social consequences and opportunities. Heike Schmoll, science editor of the daily newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, moderates both rounds.

CAU’s presentation at Hannover Messe covers four main areas. Societal, Environmental and Cultural Change (SECC) features two exhibits dedicated to the theme “Manipulated Landscapes – 10,000 Years of Change”. One looks at using old DNA to domesticate pigs – a combination of modern analytical methods and ancient science. The other, “Human Development in Landscapes”, presents cooperative German-Polish research from Bruszczewo in Poland, an archeological site that reflects various aspects of the interplay between man and landscape since the Neolithic Age.

Kiel Life Science (KLS) links together scientific research from agriculture, nutrition, nature and medicine. In Hannover, KLS presents such projects as transferring research results from the laboratory to the sick bed, investigating the human microbiome in good health and illness, and the influence of evolutionary processes on the emergence and treatment of illnesses. Kiel Marine Science (KMS) emphasizes better coordination between use and protection of the oceans. With the excellence cluster “Ocean of the Future”, KMS presents projects for coastal protection and innovations in ocean measurement and observation as well as digital solutions for knowledge and innovation sharing across industry, politics and research.

At Nanoscience and Surface Research (KiNSIS) visitors experience the interdisciplinary cooperation between physics, chemistry, engineering and life science. Highlights include molecular machines and materials that, thanks to nanostructures, have completely new properties; molecules that adjust their characteristics according to external stimuli such as light; and high-resolution thermal probes made using plasma physics that optimize industrial coating processes.