the Strategy of theHelmholtz Association. Top-level research for society, science andthe economyMission ofthe Helmholtz Association. We contribute to solving grand challenges which. face society, science and industry by performing. top-level researchin strategic programmes inthe fields of Energy, Earth and Environment,Health, Key Technologies, Structure of Matter,and Aeronautics, Space and Transport.
We research systems of great complexity with our. large-scale facilities and scientific infrastructureandin cooperation with national and international. partners.
We contribute to shaping our future by combining. research and technology development with. perspectives for innovative applications and. services for tomorrow’s world.dear Readers,The Helmholtz Association’s 16 German research centres have aclear political objective:to concentrate their forces so that they can contribute to solving major challenges. facing society, science andthe economy. The 16 research centres have long-term goals. formulatedin cooperation with national policymakers, and their achievements are. measured against two criteria - scientific excellence and strategic relevance. In recent. years, Helmholtz staff members have discussedthe best way to achieve these goals.
A strategic paper was drawn upin coordinated dialogue involvingthe Helmholtz Centresandthe steering committees of research fields: this brochure presents its key points incondensed form. The first part introducesthe strategy ofthe Association as awhole andthe second outlines our six research fields.
would like to take this opportunity to thank all our staff members for their. extraordinary commitment, without whichthe outstanding quality of our scientific. work would be impossible. in conclusion,
hope this brochure will convince you thatthe Helmholtz Association. is onthe right course to maintaining and enhancing its contribution as amajor playerinthe German research community.
EDITORIAL
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mlynek. President ofthe Helmholtz Association.
06 Helmholtz Association Strategythe Helmholtz Association. 08 An affiliation of major research centres. 09 Our goals. Characteristics. 10 Researchin programmes. 11 Large-scale facilities and infrastructures. 12 Efficient systemsthe Way Forward. 13 High quality through competition. 14 Strategic alliances. 15 Cooperation with universitiesandthe European Research Area. 16 Transfer of results. 17 Promoting young scientists. 18 Positive working environment. 19the trust of society and politics. 20 Strategies ofthe individual. Research Fields. 22 Energy. 24 Earth and Environment. 26 Health. 28 Key Technologies. 30 Structure of Matter. 32 Aeronautics, Space and Transport. 34 Overview of Helmholtz Centresand Imprint07
Helmholtz Association. StrategyAn example:Membranes for clean power stations. Fossil fuel power stations will continue to contribute to meetingthe growing demand. for energyinthe future. The Helmholtz.
However,the scientists do not just develop. customised materials for usein thesemembranes; they also coordinate power. station and separation processes and. analyse ecological and economic factors to prepare forthe membranes’ widespread. implementation.
The participating Helmholtz Centres are. Forschungszentrum Jülich (leading theproject), DESY, GKSS Research Centre. Geesthacht and
für Materialien und
Energie.
Sixteen German research centres have joined forcesinthe Helmholtz Association to investigate complex social, scientific and technological issues. The research. centres concentrate their resourcesin cross-centre research activitiesin six major. research fields - Energy, Earth and Environment, Health, Key Technologies, Structure. of Matter, and Aeronautics, Space and Transport.
The Association providesthe necessary framework for this work: scope for longterm planning, ahigh concentration of scientific expertise and an outstanding. scientific infrastructure including anumber of large-scale projects thatare unique. world-wide.
08the Helmholtz Association An affiliation of major research centresAn example:Energy forthe future. Nuclear fusion reproducesthe process. occurringinthe sun. At very high. temperaturesthe atomic nuclei of hydrogen fuse to form helium, releasing. large amounts of energy. In order to harness this energy source, one of therequirements is to confinethe fuel heated to 100 million degrees Celsius - aplasma.composed of charged particles -ina. magnetic field. Helmholtz researchersare investigatingthe underlying physical. principles and developingthe necessary. technologies. For example,the Max Planck. Institute for Plasma Physics, an associate. member ofthe Helmholtz Association,operatesthe ASDEX Upgrade, an. experiment ofthe tokamak type. In this.device, currents producedinthe plasmaare used to create part ofthe magnetic. cage needed to confinethe plasma.
The next stepinthe international fusion. programme isthe ITER tokamak, which is. being builtin
Here,the concept involvesthe magnetic. field being generated solely by complexly. shaped, external magnet coils. Other. participating Helmholtz Centres:
The Helmholtz Association. Our goals. We aim. Æ to make substantial contributions to basic scientific issues and use our great. potential to take an internationally leading positionin all six research fields;. Æ to investigate complex scientific, social and economic issues with aholistic. approach and to offer appropriate solutions;. Æ to identify and realize solutions, working fromthe base up and translating. solutions into applications;. Æ to develop appropriate methods, technologies and services, and to advise. both policy-makers and society;. Æ to contribute significantly tothe effectiveness and standing ofthe entire. scientific systemin
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY
09Characteristics
Research inprogrammesthe scientists atthe research centres ofthe Helmholtz Association define their. research topicsin strategic programmes within their respective research fields.
The research policy requirementsare laid down bythe funding partners, having. previously been discussed bythe Helmholtz Centres,the Association’s senateand policy-makers.
The Helmholtz Association concentrates its energies within multidisciplinary teamsand has access tothe many diverse resources ofthe Helmholtz Centres. This puts. itinthe unique position of being able to take aholistic approach to providing. solutions to both individual issues and complex questions of relevance to science,society and industry. An example:The Helmholtz Cohortthe Helmholtz Association is conducting. a large population study,the HelmholtzKohorte (Helmholtz Cohort), to collect. data for avariety of epidemiological. studies. The study involves 200,000 healthy. volunteers who will undergo regular. examinations and questioning over aten to 20-year period. The study will take lifestyleand environmental factors into account. alongside clinical parameters and will thus. enable researchers to investigatethe longterm role of genetic, environmental and. lifestyle factorsin diseases and develop. ways of preventing them.
The cross-programme initiative will involve. several universities, Leibniz Association. institutes, German Cancer Research. Center, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental. Health, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular. Medicine (MDC) Berlin-Buch, Helmholtz. Centre for Infection Research,the German. Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseasesand Forschungszentrum Jülich. The whole. project is estimated to cost between. 150 and 200 million euros overthe next. ten years. 0An example:BESSY II: brilliant light gets to theheart of matter. Whether they want to learn more about. water molecules,the behaviour of dangerous pathogens orthe magnetic. materials that will be used for data storageinthe future, researchers need light that. goes far beyondthe visible spectrum to investigatethe processes that take place. withinthe building blocks of animate and. inanimate matter. Scientists can choosethe type of electromagnetic radiation they. need to investigate specific questions - from long-wave terahertz frequencies allthe way to short-wave X-ray radiation.
The BESSY II synchrotron radiation source atthe
Energiein
Characteristics
Large-scale facilities and. infrastructures. Research atthe Helmholtz Association generates such extraordinary results thanks tothe wide and complex range of scientific facilities and instrumentation at theAssociation’s disposal. These include unique national and international large-scale. facilities such as particle accelerators, reactors, supercomputers, research shipsand research aircraft. Large-scale facilitiesarethe driving force behind technological.development and can fosterthe emergence of new disciplines. They attract many ofthe world’s leading scientists as well asthe next generation of researchers.
The qualified staff who operate these facilities provide outstanding conditions for. research and afirst-class service forthe Helmholtz and visiting researchers,whoare selectedin acompetitive process. This combination of these specialised. resources and experiencein building and operating such large-scale facilities is to be found at only asmall number of scientific institutions aroundthe world.
The unique research environment offered bythe Helmholtz Centres contributes to their own international standing and also to
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY1
An example:Quick response:the tsunami. warning systemthe Sumatran earthquakein December. 2004 wasthe second most powerful. seismic shock ever recorded. Its shockwaves were felt aroundthe world - and. were automatically recorded and evaluatedin
Acharacteristic strength ofthe Helmholtz Association is that it takes an. interdisciplinary, cross-centre approach and is able to applythe various scientific. resources available throughout its Centres to find solutions to complex questions.
The Association is thus able to react swiftly even to emerging challenges.
To do this it can draw upon teams of scientists, engineers and technicians who are. used to working togetherin an efficient manner guaranteed to bring about results.
Management structures adapted tothe specific requirements supportthe projects.
Interdisciplinary research methods that take social science and systems science. aspects into account allow us to assessthe effects of our activities on societyandthe environment. This enables us to keep all facets of aproblemin mind when. searching for solutions.
Characteristics
Efficient systems. 12The high level of international research carried outinthe centres of theHelmholtz Association makes it one ofthe world’s leading research institutions.
Panels of external experts regularly evaluatethe research programmes and their. results. The panelsare staffed by distinguished representatives of scientific. institutions, universities and industry from
A further key instrument isthe President’s Initiative and Networking Fund which. allowsthe Helmholtz Association to react quickly and flexibly to boost those areas. where strategic goals need to be achieved rapidly. It is used to inject significant. amounts of money into new future-oriented topics, focusing on five key strategies:expanding networks with universities; promoting young scientists; ensuring equal. opportunity; creating frameworks that belong to top-flight research; and assuring. excellencein research.
The Way Forward
High quality. through competition.
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY
An example:German Centre for Neurodegenerative. Diseases.dementia and other neurodegenerative. diseasesare one ofthe greatest. challenges facing our aging population. in
The main centre is locatedin
Andthe Helmholtz Centresare attractive partners. Their research programmes and. working environments appeal to internationally acclaimed scientists and research. groups. Where this helps them to achieve their own programme objectives, theHelmholtz Centres also participatein research programmes run by other organisations. from all overthe world. inthe case of projects which havethe potential to function as best-practice modelsinthe future, cooperation goes astep further. Herethe Centres establish innovative. partnerships: long-term, strategic collaborations based on binding agreements, with. regulated funding strategies and clearly defined contributions from each partner. The Way Forward Strategic alliances.
An example:Together under one roofthe founding ofthe Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) forthe first time turnsa. unique strategic partnership of aHelmholtz Centre and auniversity into asingle. institution under one roof. KIT was set up. as apublic corporation according to thelaws ofthe State of
The merger allows for. joint structural and development planning. as well as acommon policy for appointing. scientific staff. KIT undertakesthe tasks. of boththe university andthe Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and will remaina. member ofthe Helmholtz Association. with its national commission. Its. research will continue to be evaluatedand supported withinthe Association’s. programme-oriented funding scheme.
The KIT management board is headed by. two presidents appointed jointly by theHelmholtz Centre andthe university. KIT. employs approximately 7,000 people and. its annual budget amounts to 700 million. euros. Within their strategic alliances,the Helmholtz Centres ofthe Helmholtz Association. place particular value on networking with universities. The universities havethe opportunity to participatein Helmholtz research programmes, using theAssociation’s infrastructur***
To strengthen their cooperation,the Helmholtz Centres and universities appoint. leading scientists to joint professorships. Helmholtz Centres also establish. collaborative institutes with universities, and scientists from Helmholtz Centres. participatein programmes to promote excellencein universities and also engagein teaching practice atthe universities.
The Helmholtz Association is apowerful player contributing tothe development ofthe European Research Area and is participatinginthe process of defining theEU framework programmes. By acquiring EU funding Helmholtz aims to strengthen. its own research programmes.
The Way Forward
Cooperation with universitiesandthe European Research Area An example:Mouse clinic helps scientific progress. As mice and humans share 95 per cent of their DNA, mutant mice provide ideal. subjects for modelling human diseases. like diabetes, osteoporosis, asthma,Alzheimer’s or depression. The German. Mouse Clinic atthe Helmholtz Zentrum. München has already analysed around***
different mouse strains for geneticists and. clinicians fromthe centre, for research. groupsinthe National Genome Research. Network (BMBF) and for international. research centres. Researchers at theclinic observethe changes that genetic. mutations producein mice. Crucial to their success is asystematic approach. that aims to test all vital organ systems. by means of eye examinations, blood. analyses, bone density measurements and. behavioural tests. This enables researchers to understandthe genetic causes of certain. diseases and establish basic premises for. new treatment methods. The mouse clinic. will be extended as part of the
INFRAFRONTIER
project (The European Infrastructure. for Phenotyping and Archiving of modelMammalian Genomes) and incorporated. into apan-European infrastructure. This. will make mouse models available to thebiomedical research communityinthe long. term. The Helmholtz Zentrum München is. responsible for managing and coordinating. this project.
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY5The Helmholtz Association handles research topics fromthe fundamental principles. through to application; long-term basic research and applied research form equal. parts of its mission. It not only pursues scientific goals, but also systematically opens. up new fields of research and technology. The resultsare transferred into practical. application at an early stage.
Applied research also involves providing expert and independent advice for thepublic and policy-makers. In this waythe Helmholtz Association is able to playa. partin ensuring ahigh standard of living and safeguarding Germany‘s technological.competitiveness.
Where possible,the Centres ofthe Helmholtz Association utilise their research. results through private enterprises and have arange of intellectual property. portfolios. The Association sets up transfer funds and supports spin-off projects atthe Centres by financingthe preseed phase -the initial stage before profits can beexpected to aris***
The Way Forward
Transfer of results An example:Nobel Prize for papilloma virus vaccine to protect women from cancerthe world’s first vaccine specifically.developed to provide protection againsta. type of cancer was launchedin ***
The vaccine prevents infection bythe two. most significant types of cancerous human. papilloma viruses (wart viruses), whichare responsible for around 70 per cent of all cases of cervical cancer.
Prof. Harald zur Hausen,the long-time. chairman ofthe German Cancer Research. Center, recognisedthe link between. papilloma viruses and cancer, and used. this knowledge to developthe vaccine.
He receivedthe Nobel Prize for Medicinein 2008 for his discovery. 6An example:Supporting future scientists together. Thereare around 100 Young Investigators. Groups funded bythe Initiative and Networking Fund atthe Helmholtz Centres.
The leaders of these groups have aunique. opportunity:the chance of gaininga. tenure-track position. If their performance. is judged positivelyin an interim evaluation. after three to four years, they may begin. working atthe centre permanently. This. offer is uniquein
Cooperation with universities is atop. priority -the heads of Young Investigators. Groups work closely with university. partners, hold lectures and seminars atthe universities and gain qualifications. that equip them for academic careers.
The Helmholtz Association aims to work. withthe universities to create junior. professorships for all heads of Young. Investigators Groups. The Way Forward Promoting. young scientists.
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY7the Helmholtz Association worksin close cooperation with universities to train thescientists ofthe future. The Association places particular value on pavingthe way to successful scientific careers. in order to achieve this it has adoptedthe following measures:Æ Postgraduate students receive structured, specialist training.
Æ Junior scientistsare allowed to work independently at an early stage.
Æ Leading positionsin Helmholtz-University Young Investigators Groups are. available with atenure option. That meansthe cream ofthe crop have thepossibility of gaining apermanent contract.
Æ Individual achievementsare rewarded, as is excellent performance. of research teams.
The Helmholtz Association’s support for future generations of scientists does not begin at universities, however. It is also developing learning and training opportunities. for young children and school pupils withthe goal of awakeningin them asustained. interestinthe natural sciences and technology. The Helmholtz Association givesthe men and women workingin its centres thefreedom to pursue creative research even withinthe set programmes. In addition,they have access to research funding that is not bound to specific programmes. in this waythe Helmholtz Association is able to guarantee scientific autonomy. alongside planning security.
And our excellent results would be impossible without personnel supporting theresearchers atthe centres. The Helmholtz Association therefore trains young. technical and administrative talent alongsidethe junior scientists. It enables them,like all other employees, to gain professional qualifications, and starts them off on. auspicious career paths. The potential of its female employees is an indispensable. resource forthe Helmholtz Association. It therefore intends to increasingly. incorporate women at all decision-making levels and initiate approaches to ensure. that many more women can take leading positionsinthe research centres.
The Helmholtz Association offers family-friendly working conditionsin allthe centres. including childcare tailored tothe needs ofthe employees, adual-career service,flexible hours and amodern management system. Foreign employees and temporary. guestsare very welcome atthe Helmholtz Association and we take care to ensure. that they feel at home.
The Way Forward
Positive working environment. 18 An example:A Nobel Prize forthe GMR effect. Being awarded aNobel Prize isthe moment. all scientists dream of, but scientific. breakthroughsare rarely achieved by. individuals working on their own. This. is something that Prof. Peter Grünberg. emphasised when he was awardedthe Nobel Prize for Physicsin ***
Forschungszentrum Jülich provided Prof.
Grünberg withthe ideal conditions to conduct his pioneering research onthe GMR effect. Today GMR (giant. magnetoresistance) is exploitedin theread headsin virtually all computers - these contain magnetic material that is. influenced bythe varying magnetism of bitsinthe hard drive.
Due tothe GMR effect, this results inwidely varying electrical resistance inthe read head which can be detected. easily and thus allows extremely dense. amounts of data to be read quickly and. accurately - providingthe foundation for. gigabyte hard drives and for an entirely. new field of electronics called spintronics. in 2007 Peter Grünberg becamethe first. scientist to be appointed to aHelmholtz. Professorship. The three-year Helmholtz. Professorships were created bythe Helmholtz Association so thatthe creativity and. experience of outstanding researchers is. not lost tothe world of science when they. reach retirement age. Science depends onthe trust and support of society and politics. The Helmholtz. Association therefore takes an active rolein debate onthe topics, results and. effects of modern research. It keepsthe public informed about its work and offers. expert, independent advice to decision-maker***
Research findings reveal options for damage prevention, andthe applied use of knowledge can help to resolve conflicts of interest. Scientists fromthe Helmholtz. Associationare perceived as independent and far-sighted experts, and are. regularly appointed to policy advisory committees. in order to live up to its reputation and to continue playing aleading rolein theresearch landscape ofthe future,the Helmholtz Association will constantly. evaluate its performance and set itself new challenges.
The Way Forward
the trust of society and politics An example:Researchinthe Antarcticthe Antarctic is of vital importance to theclimate of our entire planet. Scientists at Neumayer Station III conduct basic. research that gives them abetter understanding of climate change and puts themin aposition to informthe public and. advise policymakers. The Alfred Wegener. Institute for Polar and Marine Research. has maintained aresearch stationin theAntarctic year-round since 1981, with thethird generation - Neumayer Station III - being inauguratedin ***
Its predecessors. had already provided unique long-term. data series. For example, data collected atthe meteorological observatory have. contributed greatly to research onthe holeinthe ozone layer,the air chemistry observatory has been measuring concentrations. of harmful gases,the geophysical observatory focuses on seismic events all overthe world and on changesinthe earth’s. magnetic field, andthe Perennial Acoustic. Observatoryinthe Antarctic Ocean inves-. tigates natural soundsinthe ocean andthe behaviour of marine mammals. Since. 2002the infrasound station IS27 has been. monitoring compliance withthe nuclear. testing ban. These observatoriesare now. all incorporated intothe new station, which,with its cutting-edge technology, is playing An even more important roleinthe global. scientific observation network.
HELMHOLTZ ASSOCIATION STRATEGY9Strategies of theindividual Research Fields. 216 Research Centres have joined forcesinthe Helmholtz Association:Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research
Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY.
Forschungszentrum Jülich. GKSS Research Centre Geesthacht
GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research.
Energie
Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research. Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Helmholtz Zentrum München -
Helmholtz Centre
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics *and organise their activitiesin six Research Fields:Energy
Earth and Environment Health
Key Technologies. Structure of Matter
Aeronautics, Space and Transport
Associate MemberÆ
Mobility, adequate food supply, prosperity - scientists and engineersare working full throttle to providethe energy we need to ensure we still have. all these thingsin 50 years’ time. The Research Field. Energy is developing technologies which will allow us to use solar energy, geothermal power and biomass. more economically and to exploit nuclear fusion as an. additional source.
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