Complementary Research Strengths

At the heart of this focal area lies a new understanding of solvents as active drivers of reactivity rather than passive media. By redefining solvation as a molecular design parameter, this focal area builds on the internationally recognized Cluster of Excellence RESOLV, 15 ERC Grants, and research buildings such as ZEMOS (4,000 m²) and CALEDO (3,600 m²). The consortium has pioneered bottom-up approaches to local solvent effects, thermodynamics, and reactivity under extreme conditions. Close partnerships with the MPI for Sustainable Materials and MPI for Chemical Energy Conversion, as well as with the MPI für Kohlenforschung, further strengthen its position. Integrating advanced spectroscopy, simulation, automation, and AI-assisted modelling, the field translates molecular insight into predictive solvent and formulation design—accelerating greener catalysis, electrified synthesis and resource-efficient chemical processes.

This focal area integrates Germany’s only Cluster of Excellence in cybersecurity (EXC CASA: Securing the Digital Society), the MPI for Security and Privacy, and the Lamarr Institute for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence into a uniquely aligned ecosystem for resilient digital infrastructures. Combining provable security—from post-quantum cryptography to system-level assurance—with trustworthy, resource-efficient “Triangular AI,” the Bochum–Dortmund alliance addresses systemic risks emerging in 6G, IoT, and data-driven societies. Large-scale collaborations such as TRR 391, RTG 2624, 6GEM, and the Research Center Trust bridge cryptography, statistics, AI, and human-centered research on trust and usability. A dozen ERC grants, a Leibniz Prize in cryptography, and sustained leadership in international security and AI standardization underscore its global prominence. By coupling formal guarantees, statistical robustness, and societal embedding, the ecosystem sets European benchmarks for secure, trustworthy, and sovereign digital systems.

Understanding matter –from the quantum to the ensemble level– requires to integrate insights from two complementary laboratories: terrestrial accelerators and the cosmos itself. This focal area aims to bridge the gap between controlled lab measurements and high-energy cosmic observations, proposing an integrated view that yields novel conclusions and inferences.  Anchored in the Cluster of Excellence Color Meets Flavor, CRC 1491 Cosmic Interacting Matter, TRR 391 Spatio-temporal Statistics for the Transition of Energy and Transport, RTG 2624 Biostatistical Methods for High-Dimensional Data in Toxicology and the cross-campus Ruhr Astro, Particle, and Plasma Physics Center (RAPP), the Ruhr research constellation brings together particle, hadron, astro-, and plasma physics and contributes to leading collaborations such as ATLAS, Auger, CTAO, Einstein Telescope, IAXO, SKAO, LHCb and the IceCube project. By systematically connecting precision measurements, multi-messenger observations, and plasma physics theory, the consortium delivers robust insights into fundamental forces as well as the composition and evolution of luminous and dark matter in the universe.

A paradigm shift in materials science is underway: discovery is moving from intuition-driven exploration to data-guided design. By focusing on data-driven materials discovery, material synthesis and advanced spectroscopic techniques, this focal area is accelerating innovation. Leveraging the globally used Alexandria Materials Database (>6 million DFT calculations) and the benchmark-leading GRACE ML, it integrates multi-scale modelling (ICAMS) with atomic-scale microscopy and high-end spectroscopy at the research building ZGH and the interdisciplinary research center DAEDALUS. The focal area combines Ruhr University Bochum’s global-scale materials informatics with TU Dortmund University’s expertise in reliable, knowledge-integrated AI at the Lamarr Institute to drive innovation. By uniting databases, platforms, and tools, the Ruhr Innovation Lab accelerates the path from discovery to application and sets benchmarks for reproducible, sustainable materials innovation.

In times of digital disruption, polarization, and global interdependence, understanding how knowledge is produced, mediated, and contested is crucial for resilient societies. This area investigates complexity not only as a feature of the world, but as a result of epistemic practices, media infrastructures, and cultural frameworks that shape what counts as knowledge. Building on strong collaborative structures—such as CRC 1567 “Virtual Lifeworlds,” DFG-funded research groups, the College for Social Sciences & Humanities and KWI - Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities —researchers from TU Dortmund University and Ruhr University Bochum integrate humanities and social sciences with participatory research formats and decolonial perspectives. Their joint work advances reflexive, globally aware approaches that connect research, teaching, and societal engagement.

Rapid technological change, social inequality, mobility, and demographic shifts profoundly affect mental health across the lifespan and shape educational trajectories. This area addresses these challenges through an interdisciplinary alliance of philosophy, psychology, education, social sciences, and neuroscience. Building on internationally visible infrastructures—such as the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), the Research and Treatment Center for Clinical Psychology (FBZ), IGLU/PIRLS – Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies, and large-scale digital panels with up to 150,000 participants—the consortium links conceptual foundations with longitudinal data, clinical research, large-scale educational assessments, and real-world interventions. Planned measures include developing integrative theory-driven models, expanding digital cohort studies, advancing evidence-based educational and prevention programs, scaling participatory and citizen-science approaches, and strengthening translational pipelines from research to practice. Together, these efforts foster resilience, educational equity, and sustainable mental health promotion.

Nonlinear, emergent, and multiscale interactions are ubiquitous, yet in engineering they are often suppressed due to the perceived difficulty in controlling them. However, they offer transformative opportunities. The research area “Engineering Complexity” seeks to understand these interactions and harness their potential in order to enable adaptive materials, load-optimized freeform components, and resilient, resource-efficient production systems. Anchored in the Humboldt Professorship of F. Ömer Ilday and the Center for Complex Laser-Matter Interactions, the TRR 188 “Damage Controlled Forming Processes,” and the RU 5620 on Laser Metal Deposition, it unites Bochum’s and Dortmund’s strengths in production processes, materials, mechanics, and data-driven modeling into one strong research alliance. Combined with the Lamarr Institute’s expertise in AI, this forms the foundation of an internationally competitive consortium dedicated to improving the robustness, efficiency, and versatility of complex engineered systems. The impact is clear: new scientific standards, robust industrial technologies, and sustainable value creation for society.