Welcome to "4f for Future"

Welcome to the website of the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) 1573 "4f for Future". CRC 1573 is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and has officially been launched on January 1st, 2023, cf. press releases from DFG and KIT. It is coordinated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), its current partners are the University of Marburg (UMR), Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU, since 10/2023), the University of Tübingen (UTÜ) and Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU, since 08/2024). 

Materials based on rare-earth metals and their compounds are of crucial importance to our modern high-tech society. Surprisingly, the molecular chemistry of these elements is poorly developed. However, recent progress in this area has shown that this is going to change: In the past years, dynamic developments in the chemistry and physics of molecular rare earth compounds have shifted borders and paradigms that existed for decades.

The chemistry of molecular and nanoscaled rare-earth compounds and their physical properties are in the focus of our CRC “4f for Future”. Its researchers will study synthesis paths and physical properties of new molecular and nanoscaled rare-earth compounds in order to develop materials with unprecedented optical and magnetic properties. 

Find out more about the individual research projects here.

 

Latest CRC News 

 

Workshop jorichers.com, CRC 1573
"Explaining Science with Images"

In November 2024 a two-part scientific illustration hands-on workshop was held for the members of our "4f for Future" IRTG

Following the motto that science, art, and design have a profound connection, Dr. Johannes Richers, a scientist & freelance creative designer, was eager to share his vast knowledge in the field of visual science communication and to tutor our doctoral researchers on how to use images and illustrations to this end. All participants were finally encouraged to contribute their individual work which was analyzed and discussed on a digital mural whiteboard. 

portrait of Prof. Weigend Florian Weigend / U Marburg
Prof. Florian Weigend joined KIT

Our project leader Prof. Florian Weigend was appointed professor at KIT and moved from the University of Marburg (where he headed the research group on Theoretical Chemistry in the Dept. of Chemistry) to Karlsruhe in November 2024. He will be heading the division "Molecular Quantum Materials" at KIT's Institute for Quantum Materials and Technologies (IQMT)

 

We wish him and his staff a great start at KIT and continued high output in research and teaching! 

 

"Türen auf mit der Maus" Lena Daumann, HHU Düsseldorf, WDR
Public outreach of CRC: "Türen auf mit der Maus"

Our PI Prof. Lena Daumann and her enthusiastic team at HHU Düsseldorf presented lots of experiments, learnings about rare-earth elements and bacteria, gave lab tours and experimental kits to take home for the participants at the "Türen auf mit der Maus"-Tag organized by the renowned German broadcasting company WDR in early October 2024: "What an event!" was the unanimous praise. Here is a video (with already more than 15,000 views) summarising a very eventful day. The photos shown here give an impression of the lab tour and experimental lecture. 

 

You can also find more on the subject of Lena's current public outreach in this interesting video online: https://www.wdrmaus.de/filme/sachgeschichten/seltene_erden.php5 (all clips in German only). As WDR states to accompany the clip, "rare-earth elements are special metals that are found in many technical devices: for example, they are built into smart phones, tablets or computers. However, since these can only be extracted from rocks using complicated and environmentally harmful processes, a research laboratory at the University of Düsseldorf is looking at how bacteria can help to filter these rare earth metals out of old electronic waste." 

 

Symposium Flyer AOC, KIT
Innovative Minds and Inclusive Science: Annie Powell’s 65th Birthday – Celebrating Diversity in Science

A symposium dedicated to Prof. Annie K. Powell on the occasion of her 65th birthday aims to honour her scientific achievements through presentations by long-standing collaborators and friends.

 

It will be held on Monday, October 21, and Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at INT, KIT Campus North. For more information on the symposium, its programme and venue please visit the website: https://www.aoc.kit.edu/powell/symposium.html

 

(To make the event accessible to everyone it will, furthermore, be organised as a hybrid meeting, the link can be requested from the organisers.)  

 

portraits Y. Eggeler, B. Schacherl
New members to "4f for Future"

On the occasion of the recent General Assembly of CRC 1573 two KIT researchers newly joined our consortium: we warmly welcome TT-Prof. Dr. Yolita M. Eggeler (acting director of the Laboratory for Electron Microscopy, LEM; left photo) and Dr. Bianca Schacherl (Institute for Nuclear Waste Disposal, INE, currently staying at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory). 

...group photo of participants Julia Feye, CRC 1573
CRC Fall Workshop 2024

This year's "4f for Future" Fall Workshop was held at Rastatt (Oct. 7-9). Organized by project leaders Prof. Dr. Lena J. Daumann and Prof. Dr. Claus Feldmann, the first day was directed at our IRTG members (doctoral and post-doctoral researchers): it featured both a very informative interactive tutorial by Lena Daumann on challenges & pitfalls of supervising/teaching undergraduate students and an insightful overview of patent law for early-career researchers, presented by patent attorney Dr. Joachim Hock, partner at the renowned Munich law firm of Müller-Boré

The scientific program included status reports from all individual CRC project leaders, along with two poster sessions and a talk on research data management. A total of more than 60 CRC members and researchers participated, facilitating scientific exchange, various networking activities and, hence, ensuring a very successful event. 

Banner of conference "Terrae rarae 2025"
"Terrae Rarae" to be held at KIT in 2025

We proudly announce that next year's "Terrae Rarae" conference ("33. Tage der Seltenen Erden") will be hosted by our CRC 1573 "4f for Future" (funded by the German Research Foundation, DFG). It will take place at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) from October 7 to 10, 2025.

 

We are excited to welcome the rare-earth science community in Karlsruhe next fall. More information, a call for papers, a list of plenary speakers, as well as details pertaining to the registration process and travel information, will be made available in early 2025. 

Quantum Chemistry Workshop KIT
Quantum Chemistry Workshop

New Developments in Quantum Chemistry will be in the focus of an international workshop, organized together with the Research Training Group (RTG) 2450 at KIT, Campus South on Oct. 10 & 11, 2024. Quantum chemistry has experienced significant advancements over the past two decades, allowing researchers to explore complex chemical systems with unprecedented accuracy and detail, leading to a deeper understanding of molecular behavior and reactivity. Contact persons are Prof. Marcus Elstner (speaker of RTG 2450) and PI Prof. Willem M. Klopper.

 

Registration is free of cost and open to everybody via the workshop's website

 

 

more

 

Please find further news in our News Archive.  

 

Information on CRC 1573

 AOC, KIT

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Participating Institutions

Logos of participating institutions

Hinweis

Der Sonderforschungsbereich SFB 1573 "4f for Future" befasst sich mit der Chemie molekularer und nanoskaliger Verbindungen der Seltenen Erden sowie ihren physikalischen Eigenschaften. 

Diese Webseite ist nur in englischer Sprache verfügbar. Für deutschsprachige Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an webmaster∂sfb1573.kit.edu.