It was a great pleasure for us to welcome a group of researchers from the Montana State University (Bozeman, USA) at the Department of Hydromechanics and Modelling of Hydrosystems of the University of Suttgart. SFB 1313 external partner and Mercator Fellow Al Cunningham and his team visited us from 30 May to 2 June 2023 in the framework of our joint "International Student Exchange Program". We can look back to a fantastic week full of interesting lectures, discussions, social activities and most important: fun!
History
Researchers from the MSU Center for Biofilm Engineering have collaborated with the University of Stuttgart over a period of over ten years, resulting in multiple joint publications and visits. The Center for Biofilm Engineering is an official “External Partner” of SFB 1313. Al Cunningham and assistant professor Dr. Stephan Warnat (MEMS, Advanced Packaging, Sensors and Actuators) organized the student participation and logistics of the visit on the MSU side. In total, a group of seven participants of different academic levels (professors, PhD students, Masters' students) travelled to Stuttgart to meet the German group, consiting of seven participants as well.
Workshop Week Program
On Day 1 and 2, the groups presented their research work vice versa and visited the Hydraulic Laboratory and VEGAS - the Research Facility for Subsurface Remediation in the Institute for Modelling Hydraulic and Environmental Systems oft the University of Stuttgart. >>> To the presentation program
The days ended with a joint dinner and a visit to the Campus Beach on the university's campus.
In the morning of Day 3, the group toured the Wastewater Treatment Plant (ISWA) with Technical Operations Manager Dipl.-Ing Peter Maurer, showing the multi-stage treatment facility and research projects. Stuttgart is the only university in Germany with their own wastewater treatment plant, which handles two inlets – one from the University, and one from an adjacent section of Stuttgart. The goal of the facility is to remove nitrogen and phosphorus compounds, particular waste, and organic matter. In the aftermoon, the groups visited the Porous Media Lab (PML), which includes microfabrication equipment to design small porous media reactors. Microscopy, X-ray tomography, and other analytical tools are used to describe the porous media experiments. In the evening, the student Fachschaft of Environemntal Engineering organised a barbecue in the forest near the university's campus.
On Day 4, the group hiked to the "Bärenschlössle" near the university's campus to have lunch there. After lunch, the group visisted the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design (ILEK) of the University of Stuttgart and their demonstrator D1244. A 32 metre high, moving skyscraper. Afterwards, the group went to the Mechanical Lab of the university. In the afternoon, the groups met again at LH2 to the closing meeting and to recap the whole week.
The Stuttgart group was pleased to host the Bozeman group and is very much looking forward to the exchange visit to Bozeman in October 2023!
