New joint research center for the MIN and WiSo Faculties: “Earth and Society Research Hub” (ESRAH)New think-tank for climate and sustainability research

12 July 2024, by Ute Kreis

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

Paving the way for tomorrow (from l. to r.): Chancellor of the University of Hamburg Dr. Martin Hecht, Prof. Dr. Frank Adloff, Head of Administration of the WiSo Faculty Dr. Stephan Michel, Spokesperson of the Cluster of Excellence CLICCS Prof. Dr. Johanna Baehr, MIN Dean Prof. Dr. Norbert Ritter, Prof. Dr. Grischa Perino and University President Prof. Dr. Hauke Heekeren

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

MIN Dean Prof. Norbert Ritter signing the founding certificate

Photo: UHH/Feuerböther

CSS Executive Director Prof. Frank Adloff (left) and Prof. Grischa Perino, CEN Director

How the climate, environment and global resources develop doesn’t depend on physical factors alone – how we live, work and do business in the future is equally important. Accordingly, researchers from the University’s Earth system and social sciences disciplines have long-since collaborated intensively. Now the two corresponding Faculties have founded a joint research center.

“The new Earth and Society Research Hub, or ESRAH for short, will bring together what belongs together,” says Prof. Frank Adloff, Executive Director of the Center for Sustainable Society Research (CSS). Especially in the Cluster of Excellence for climate research, but also in various other projects that involve natural sciences and social sciences aspects, the CSS and the CEN (Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability) are already cooperating very successfully. In addition, many experts have been active at both Centers for years.

According to Adloff: “From now on, we will collaborate even more closely. Our goal is to establish an interdisciplinary think-tank, one that allows us to use shared resources and learn from one another.” At the two partners’ summer party, which also served as the Hub’s founding celebration, he claimed the new Hub would make many things much easier – and was a veritable match made in heaven, as he added with a grin.

At the event, representatives of the two Faculties also signed the official founding certificate. In the words of Prof. Norbert Ritter, Dean of the MIN Faculty: “What we have here is an example of intensive collaboration among equals, which makes it all the more productive. As such, for the future I expect to see no less than outstanding interdisciplinary research into THE central problem of our time.”

 It will take a bit of time before the new research center becomes part of Hamburg’s day-to-day reality, as CEN Director Prof. Grischa Perino explained. “Nevertheless, I’d like to invite everyone to join in shaping it and sharing your diverse perspectives. To that end, ESRAH also welcomes members of other Faculties who are pursuing research on our topics and can help find suitable solutions.”

In the medium term, the CSS and CEN will transfer to the new Research Hub – tentatively in 2025, when many of those involved will collectively move into the new “House of the Earth” in the Bundesstraße.