Schwerpunkt Active Matter

The focus of research in this priority area is active matter and materials, whose importance has increased considerably in the natural sciences since the 1990s. They are now poised to radically redefine matter and material. We draw on this potential and are developing active matter as an interdisciplinary concept and research framework for the natural sciences, the humanities and the design disciplines. Our work will also benefit the engineering disciplines as they can make use of the active matter and intelligence in the materials. Epistemologically, the concept of active matter dismantles the historical contradiction between »dead« matter and its lifelike characteristics.

Priority Area Leaders:

Prof. Dr. Peter Fratzl, Materialforschung

Dr. Michael Friedman, Mathematik

Dr. Karin Krauthausen, Literaturwissenschaft

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schäffner, Kulturwissenschaft