Insight Issue 1/2013

Insight

Issue 01/2013

} Market maturity: } Outlook: On the further developments Geotechmarket with new technologies at the TerraTec in georesearch funding

} Resources: Geoscience as a key to securing raw materials

} Illustrative: The new GEOTECHNOLOGIEN exhibition »Precious Earth«

Geological research – outlook

In the remaining two years of the R & D program, a further focal point will again be tackled. The topic "development of methods for early detection of natural hazards in Germany through innovative sensor and information technology" was the first common initiative by the two funding organizations on a research topic within GEOTECHNOLOGIEN. The evaluation of the submitted project proposals, ending on the last of February 2013 also takes place in close cooperation with the BMBF and DFG. If this procedure proves itself, this example should be followed by further invitations to tender.

Based on the internationally renowned research results and innovative practices and methods that were developed in the R & D program, a continuation of this successful concept for research funding is foreseen in January 2015, again supported by the two main German research councils. First conceptual discussions on such a follow-up program are to be carried out in the next 2 years and will aim at ensuring a smooth transition into a new research and development program. ¢

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN

As part of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG) will jointly fund various Earth science issues until the end of 2014. The program has tremendously encouraged interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthened, not only the links between research institutions and universities, but also the increased collaboration with the industry in the geosciences. The interaction of this somewhat alternating funding between the basic and applied research in science has provided extremely valuable input. About 45 universities, 30 research institutions outside of universities and more than 60 research partners in the industry have worked together over the last 13 years on topics of GEOTECHNOLOGIEN.

The good cooperation between the two funding organisations in the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program is reflected for the first time in a jointly announced funding inititiative by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the German Research Foundation. Both groups that operate more application-oriented and those dealing with basic research are addressed to apply on the subject of »further development of methods for early detection of natural hazards in Germany through innovative sensor and information technologies«.

Both funding organisations wish to promote interdisciplinary collaboration within this topic and urgently insist that at least two of the three issues outlined be addressed. The draft proposals, which will be examined by a joint committee of experts, will be submitted according to the research and development priorities compiled in consultation between the BMBF and the DFG after the deadline.

I wish all applicants every success and look forward to your interesting, innovative ideas and sketches.

Your Ute Münch

Imprint: Coordination Office GEOTECHNOLOGIEN, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany, Tel.: +49 (0)331 288 1071, www.geotechnologien.de, Dr. Ute Münch (VisdP) GEOTECHNOLOGIEN is a geoscientific research and development programme, supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG).

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GEOTECHNOLOGIEN project for the decontamination of mine waters at the TerraTec 2013

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN

Dear GEOTECHNOLOGIEN Program Partners,

Information booth GEOTECHNOLOGIEN

The innovative water treatment process developed in the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN project SURFTRAP was introduced at this year's TerraTec in Leipzig.

The joint project for the removal of arsenic from water by adsorbents from iron hydroxy sulfate »Schwertmannite« was funded from July 2008 to March 2012 under the project leadership of Prof. Dr. Stefan Peiffer of the University of Bayreuth.

From 29th to 31st January, the TU Dresden jointly presented this method with GEOS Freiberg Ingenieurgesellschaft mbH and the transfer initiative Geotechmarket at the biannual international trade fair for environmental technology and services TerraTec. The method, which is already in an EU patent-pending process, for the reduction of arsenate and oxyanions such as chromate, vanadate, antimonate, selenate, molybdate and phosphate as contaminants in drinking water and ground water was successfully presented to interested industrial partners and users. The product pattern of the new adsorbents and SHM SHM sorpX sorpP have already been widely tested in arsenic contaminated water, however, the project consortium would like to conduct further field testing. The initiation of cooperative agreements with other test partners or new customers was therefore an essential objective of the trade show.

Whether the contacts made in Leipzig lead to an economic implementation of the method, must be verified with further discussions in the coming months.

More details at: www.geotechmarket.de/angebot/ ueberblick-wasseraufbereitung/61-surftrap ¢

New round of the mentoring program – for geoscientists Career-Building: is a buzzword that has become increasingly important in recent years in the German research landscape. Implied is, that young researchers at the start of their careers should acquire additional qualifications needed later in their academic management. To offer young scientists support in this area, GEOTECHNOLOGIEN operates together with the Professional Association of German geoscientists (BDG) under the initiative Geotechmarket.

One measure the BDG provides is the promotion of geoscientific talent with personal mentoring. Professionals with expertise instruct graduates and those starting or switching careers and give them advice and target-oriented support for 12 months.

The content of the program includes: - Feedback in the application phase - Assistance with career planning - Introduction to networks and sharing of contacts - Sharing the mentors own experiences - Shadowing; this means participating in the everyday work of the mentor

The commitment of mentors is voluntary and provided free of charge. But they also draw benefits from the program: the survey results of the last season show that the vast majority simply enjoy sharing their own experiences, so as to help the young. Also the curiosity of the next generation of researchers, and the loyalty to their own profession play a significant role in deciding to become a mentor.

The next round of this program which has been successfully running for 10 years will start in autumn 2013. To benefit from the BDG program, those interested can apply to the BDG until 29th April.

Information on current deadlines, application requirements as a mentee or mentor can be found on the website under the BDG www.geoberuf.de.

Your contact person is Ms. Tamara Fahry-Seelig: fahry-seelig@geoberuf.de. ¢

Resources - a geo-topic with a future for the future – The earth sciences play a key role in the commodity policy

The long-term supply of most raw materials is ensured according to the German Mineral Resources Agency DERA. In their annual report 2011, they also predict, however, for oil and a few rare earth metals, that a further increase in demand for the foreseeable future can no longer be covered.

However the rapid development in terms of the optimization of methods for prospecting and processing of raw materials is cause for hope. New sensor technologies, innovative methods of analysis and the effective combination of various geoscientific applications have already demonstrated in recent years that even today new mineral deposits can be found. Another factor is the on-going development of mining and treatment technologies. They bring deposits that were previously considered uneconomic, back into the focus of the industry. While mining such resources was seen a few years ago as too complex, the newly developed technologies and methods can now make the use of such resources. Here, the earth sciences are also looking to the future; scientists and engineers have developed new methods for prospecting and extraction of raw materials and are working on their implementation. This know-how often comes from Germany. Research institutions such

as the Mining Academy in Freiberg, the Mining Engineering at RWTH Aachen University and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources in Hanover export new approaches to exploration and exploitation all over the world. GEOTECHNOLOGIEN also provides its contribution. As part of the research topic »Tomography of the Earth's crust» work is being carried out intensively on the development and optimization of methods that can be used for, amongst other things, the mineral exploration. www.ufz.de/dgg-2013/index.php?de=30576 For more information on raw material situation in Germany in: DERA commodity information - for raw materials in Germany, 2011, ISBN: 978-3-943566-03-1, available at www.deutsche-rohstoffagentur.de. ¢

GoldCorp

More than 18 billion U.S. dollars were invested in 2011 in prospection, the search for raw materials. An all time high, which shows the particular relevance of the topic. It also illustrates that Geosciences will become one of the key studies in the coming years.

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN talks to … mit Prof. Dr. Rafig Azzam Azzam: Naturally businesses also benefit from the knowledge gained, by creating products and using them commercially. We as a higher education institution are interested in the scientific knowledge as we publicize and educate the students - that's a perfect symbiosis.

Prof. Dr. Rafig Azzam from the Department of Engineering Geology and Hydrogeology of the RWTH Aachen on its successful partnerships in industry and abroad.

GEOTECH: Developments in recent years have shown that the cooperation between science and research will be intensified. How intense is the contact between research and industry really?

Azzam: In recent years, the intensity of cooperation between research and industry has grown. Not just because it searches for future staff at the universities, but many companies, no longer afford to finance their large scale research departments and therefore strengthen the cooperation with the universities. As an example, I would mention the RWTH Aachen.

About 3 years ago third-party funding was approximately € 210 million, now the mark of € 300 million has been exceeded.

GEOTECH: Prof. Azzam, you have led a variety of collaborative projects with partners from the earth sciences, social sciences, chemistry and archaeology, as well as research and industry. In which project/s was cooperation particularly fruitful?

Azzam: Cooperations should always be fertile, this way all partnerships in research can be successful. For cooperation it is particularly important that the partners complement each other with a view to the joint project. Industry collaborations thrive on success and all parties trying to give their best. Particularly fruitful, are cooperation with scientists from different disciplines to throw light on issues from different perspectives.

GEOTECH: Projects such as the landslide early warning system SLEWS have a large market potential for other applications. Recently you were able to win a new industrial partner for the further development of the technology. How does the cooperation with your industry partners work in this particular case?

Azzam: The industrial partners agreed to cooperate with us on a project level, aiming at mutual assistance for the development of the product. We look after the planning of the problem solution and our partner the technical implementation.

GEOTECH: For science, the knowledge gained stands in the foreground. In your research, numerous industries are involved. How do you manage that both sides benefit from the collaboration?

GEOTECH: You are involved in a cooperation with the Chinese Academy of Sciences for the preservation of the UNESCO world cultural heritage site Zhoukoudian, in which the Homo pekinensis was found. In Jordan, you

also look after a UNESCO world cultural heritage site in the ancient city of Petra. How do such collaborations come about?

Azzam: Science needs international networks. Many international PhD students graduate in my department with whom we maintain a great network. Scientific networking is the basis for cooperation. Also through the organization of joint workshops ideas for research projects are generated.

GEOTECH: The GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program runs out late 2014. Which features of the program, have you benefited from the most?

Azzam: The GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program deserves great praise. Interdisciplinary topics that have not undergone any specific assignment to a particular subject were handled in this framework. The program gave us scientists the opportunity of working in close interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists and engineers with business involvement. This resulted in many synergies with excellent results.

Personally, I have managed many projects and have worked with many partners. The most I've benefited from so far was the tender for CO2 sequestration with three projects. One of these projects was even awarded the »Germany Land of Ideas« in 2009.

Prof. Rafig Azzam, thank you for this interview. ¢

PRECIOUS EARTH – The treasure underground GEOTECHNOLOGIEN traveling exhibition On the topic of »Geological resources« now on view in Dresden SENCKENBERG Naturhistorische Sammlungen Dresden im Japanischen Palais Palaisplatz 11 01097 Dresden From 17th July to 10th November 2013, the exhibition will be viewing in the Museum of Man and Nature in Munich. Other locations include the German Mining Museum in Bochum and the Technoseum in Mannheim are in planning.

For more information on the exhibition and its locations the coordinating office GEOTECHNOLOGIEN has set up an exhibition website at www.wertvolle-erde.de. Here you can learn more in a virtual tour of the contents of the exhibition and view interesting animations. With the online version of the word puzzle on geological resources you can test your knowledge on the subject or download a make-and-do paper model for kids.

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN

In order for earth sciences to assume their key role in resource politics, the communication of this complex issue is of great value.

Of central importance here is that the development of new exploration and production techniques, should at the same time always deal with the issue of sustainable use of natural resources.

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN designed the traveling exhibition »PRECIOUS EARTH« to show how exploration works, what technologies are used for production and processing of raw materials and how to realise a responsible use of resources. The exhibition is now open at the Senckenberg Natural History Collections Dresden, until the 20th May 2013 situated in the Japanese Palace in Dresden. The Natural History Collection has opened their treasures for this new exhibition GEOTECHNOLOGIEN and contributed numerous impressive minerals, ores and crystals. In this way topics such as »Rare Earths« or domestic raw materials are diversely presented and even made tangible, in the truest sense of the word. As part of the museum's educational program, the Senckenberg Natural History Collections also offer guided tours for groups. A special date, for example, is the 17th March where the Senckenberg Natural History Collections will celebrate with special events and hands-on activities at the Family Day.

NEW Job market for geoscientists

Public relations in GEOTECHNOLOGIEN – Information for the Study of the Earth System on all channels Bringing geoscientific research closer to the widest possible audience whilst demonstrating its everyday relevance for life - this is the objective of public relations in the context of the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program. The coordinating office uses the traditional communication channels such as press and radio amongst others. Through these channels, in recent months, articles on GEOTECHNOLOGIEN projects have been published in Spiegel Online, die Welt, the VDI news and many regional newspapers. Moreover, the team of the coordinating office uses very successful exhibitions to communicate geoscientific content. Currently »The earth in view« (until May 26 in Peenemunde) and »Precious Earth.« (Until May 20 in Dresden) are both on tour.

The R & D program moves with the times of course: GEOTECHNOLOGIEN is now on various social media channels. At our Facebook profile the latest news, events and photos from research can be found. Through RSS users can subscribe via the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN feed to automatically receive the latest news and developments from the program.

5th March Status Seminar of the focal item entitled »Imaging the Earth's crust« as part of the DGG Annual Conference in Leipzig

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10th June Opening of the exhibition »The Earth in Sight« at the focusTerra in Zurich

The job offers from industry are especially geared towards studied geoscientists and other scientists from the GEOTECHNOLOGIEN program.

The advertisements are of course free our primary interest being to promote the link between science and industry.

Perhaps there is also an interesting job for you here: kontakt@geotechmarket.de www.geotechmarket.de/ stellenmarkt.

Calender }

GEOTECHNOLOGIEN

The main focus of our communication still remains the direct contact with our target audience. So the R & D program will continue to be present at public events, conferences and trade shows and offers itself as a point of contact. For information about events where we will be presenting the program, see the calendar on our website: www.geotechnologien.de and of course Facebook and in the RSS feed.

We have just added a geoscience job market to the websites of technology transfer Geotechmarket. As the personnel transfer is often difficult in this area, small and medium sized companies, but also large industrial companies are provided with forum to meet scientists from the geosciences environment.

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17th July Opening of the exhibition »PRECIOUS EARTH« in the Museum of Man and Nature in Munich

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27th and 28th August Status Seminar on the program topic »CO2 storage underground« at the GFZ in Potsdam

If you are looking for staff in the geoscientific-scientific area, please send us your vacancy announcement by e-mail: kontakt@geotechmarket.de. ¢