Press release: Centre of Simulation Technology officially opened

Nr. 7/2013 - 25.01.2013

Models help Göttingen University and TU Clausthal examine the "real world"

(pug) Computer simulations are an integral part of scientific work in the natural, engineering, economic and social sciences. Göttingen University and the Technical University of Clausthal are planning to work together more closely in the field of computer-assisted analysis techniques. In the attendance of Lower Saxony’s Minister of Science and Culture, Professor Johanna Wanka, the Joint Centre of Simulation Technology (SWZ) of the two universities was officially opened. The founding committee members are Prof. Dieter Hogrefe and Prof. Anita Schöbel from Göttingen and Prof. Thomas Hanschke and Prof. Gunther Brenner from Clausthal.

"The researchers are working on simulation questions at the nexus between mathematics and computer science – where their primary inspiration evolves from hypotheses in the natural and engineering sciences. Their mutual aim is to investigate the real world based on mathematical and physical models in order to obtain added value both scientifically and economically,” notes Prof. Hanschke, TU President and SWZ board member. For example, some of the questions to be addressed are: Which queue will go the fastest? How can the security of computer networks be improved? Should a train wait for a delayed connecting train or depart on schedule?

When exploring such questions concerning highly complex systems, simulation techniques help us better grasp and optimise these systems accordingly. “This puts the field of simulation right on the cutting edge of research that channels into a great many disciplines. Transdisciplinary work that bundles our capacities is the key aspect here,” adds Professor Ulrike Beisiegel, President of Göttingen University.

The projects currently being launched will particularly focus on subjects like the simulation and optimisation of networks and distributed simulation. Following a start-up phase, the SWZ will engage up to 20 professors and around 40 junior research fellows. The SWZ will be based in Clausthal-Zellerfeld and have a branch in Göttingen. The Federal State of Lower Saxony will initially support the interdisciplinary centre with 1.4 million Euros from the funding programme called "Niedersächsisches Vorab". Overall funds totalling 4.4 million Euros have been pegged for this project up to 2017.

Contact address:
Professor Anita Schöbel
Georg-August University Göttingen
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science
Institute for Numerical and Applied Mathematics
Lotzestrasse 16-18, 37083 Göttingen, phone +49 (0)551 39-12237
E-mail:schoebel@math.uni-goettingen.de
Website: http://optimierung.math.uni-goettingen.de/index.php?section=index&subsection=index&subsubsection=index&lang=en

Dr. Alexander Herzog
TU Clausthal
Department of Applied Stochastics and Operations Research
Erzstrasse 1, 38678 Clausthal-Zellerfeld, phone +49 (0)5323 72-2966
E-mail: : herzog@math.tu-clausthal.de
Website: www.iasor.tu-clausthal.de