In 2015 the GSS Autumn Workshop took place at the Fraunhofer institute UMSICHT in Oberhausen. This was the perfect opportunities for the GSS members to learn about the research carried out at Fraunhofer UMSICHT – one of RESOLV’s participating institutes. The Workshop started with welcoming words by Prof. Deerberg, deputy director of Fraunhofer UMSICHT, who briefly presented the activities of the institute. The main part of the Workshop was an extended poster discussion, where 30 GSS members presented and discussed their work. All together nearly 60 participants took part in the Workshop.

The afternoon of the Workshop started with the presentation of three Science Slams where GSS members presented their scientific results in a funny and entertaining way. During the Annual General Assembly of the Early Career Researchers the prizes for the Science Slams and the Poster Prize were awarded. Stefan Schünemann from the MPI for coal research won the prize for the best poster.

Finally, all participants of the Workshop spread out to different labs of the Fraunhofer institute where guided tours were waiting for them. In the catalysis laboratory the participants got to know how methanol can be synthesized efficiently. The tour through the energy storage laboratories showed a redox flow battery and lithium-battery test apparatus. During the high pressure tanning tour the participants learned how leather can be tanned using CO2, reducing the amount of CrIII needed for the tanning process significantly. Last but not least the pilot plant for the production of Particles from Gas Saturated Solutions (PGSS) was presented that can be used to encapsulate chemicals e.g. for the use in foodstuff.

Please see below for some impressions of the workshop (images courtesy of Dr. Nina Winter).