Salamander, Lightweight Concrete and Vertical Greens

How often can an axolotl regenerate its tiny limbs? Which materials make furniture float? How can books that are falling apart be made available online? And what is this “tactile internet”?

From 4^th July until 3^rd October 2016, the DRESDEN-concept (DDc) Science Exhibition addresses these and further questions. The exhibition will be located on the Neumarkt Square in Dresden and aims to inspire residents and visitors with scientific highlights.

On 7^th July at 10.30 am there will a guided tour with Prof. Hans Müller-Steinhagen, rector of Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden’s Lord Mayor Mr. Dirk Hilbert and numerous directors and scientists of the DDc partner institutions. A model wearing a dress made from carbon-concrete will also be present.

Four large-scale stand-up displays will convey twelve current research topics. Additionally, vertical greens, the so-called “CityTrees” installed by the award-winning start-up “Green City Solutions” provide information about the partner institutes of DRESDEN-concept. The CityTrees are a cooperation project between TU Dresden and the University of Applied Sciences Dresden (HTW Dresden). The CityTrees function as a biological filter. They create a pleasant climate and invite visitors to stay on the Neumarkt square and to relax on the integrated seating benches.

The institutes of DRESDEN-concept can be categorised into four large research priority areas: Bioengineering & Biomedicine; Information Technology & Microelectronics; Materials & Structures and Culture & Knowledge.

“Three excellent projects from each of these research areas will be presented on large-scale displays. Visitors can experience science first-hand through interactions such as the “touch-experiments” with carbon concrete or a camera visualisation of the 5G internet development”, explains Prof. Huttner, DDc board member and director of the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics.

Films, interactive play elements for all age groups together with texts in German and English inform about the latest research results of the DDc partners. Around the clock, in any weather and free of charge!

“We owe this diversity of top-class science which is displayed here to the outstanding achievements and the intense cooperation of our scientists. International researchers from around the world work at the DDc partner institutions, enriching not only our city but also our research institutions through their innovations.”, states Prof. Müller-Steinhagen, the research alliance’s chairman of the board and rector of Technische Universität Dresden.

The realisation of this exhibition has been made possible by a broad cooperation of the individual DDc institutions with the support of the state capital Dresden, the Mondsilber agency, and Green City Solutions.

Particularly noteworthy are alongside TU Dresden, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden, the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research, the Deutsche Hygiene-Museum, the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden as well as the Senckenberg Collections Dresden who have not only created the exhibits and texts but have also financially supported the project.

The key elements of the exhibition will also be displayed on the Neumarkt during the festivities for the anniversary of Germany reunification from 1^st to 3^rd October 2016.

What is DRESDEN-concept?
DRESDEN-concept is an alliance of 22 internationally renowned Dresden-based research institutions from the world of science and culture. Apart from TU Dresden, the partners in DRESDEN-concept are: five Fraunhofer Institutes, three Max Planck and four Leibniz Institutes, two Helmholtz Institutes, the University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, the Militärhistorische Museum der Bundeswehr, the Deutsche Hygiene-Museum, the Saxon State and University Library Dresden, the University of Applied Sciences Dresden and the State Office of Archaeology.  The cooperation within DRESDEN-concept aims at the exploration and use of synergies in research, teaching, infrastructure, administration and transfer, thus enabling the members to significantly increasing their level of performance. The partners coordinate their research strategies in order to identify areas, where Dresden is the worldwide leader. They work together to attract the world’s leading scientists to Dresden and to tie them to this research location.

Media Inquiries:
Sonja Piotrowski
Technische Universität Dresden
DRESDEN-concept Project Communication
Staff Unit Communication and Corporate Identity
Tel.: +49 (0) 351 463-40428