Physicists at the university carried out laser optical analyses on fragments of approximately 2000-year-old Chinese clay warrior figurines. The figurines, which date back to the beginning of the first century BC, are burial objects for the first Chinese emperor. The find, known as the "Terracotta Army", has been the greatest archaeological sensation of this century since its discovery in 1974: the clay warrior army of the first emperor consists of more than 7000 life-size clay soldiers, 600 horses and, formerly, 100 wooden chariots.

However, the excavation is accompanied by dramatic developments. The generously painted figures, which have been stored in damp loess soil for 2000 years, dry out as soon as they are uncovered, the unique and irretrievable historical layers of colour roll up and often peel away from the ground within minutes.

In a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Technology (BMBF), scientists from the university's Applied Optics working group are researching ways of preserving this archaeological feature in co-operation with the Museum of the Terracotta Army in Lintong (China). The project is headed by Oldenburg physicist Dr Gerd Gülker. The aim of the joint efforts is to preserve the endangered layers of colour and protect them from drying out.

The investigations are largely carried out under artificial, very humid weathering conditions. The laser-supported holographic measuring method registers the smallest changes and movements in the paint layers of less than a thousandth of a millimetre, long before visible and permanent damage occurs. Innovative and specially developed preservatives and technologies, which are designed to prevent the colours from rolling up and peeling off, can thus be tested very quickly for their effectiveness and durability.

Computer scientist Dr Michael Sampels has developed a method that could revolutionise the current construction methods of high-performance computers by improving the networking of individual processors in his doctoral thesis at the Department of Computing Science at the University of Oldenburg. In his work with the title "Algebraic construction of connection networks", which he admits is rather daunting at first glance, the 29-year-old scientist describes computer architectures that are far superior to those used to date. The practical significance of Sampels' findings is based on the fact that the performance of a modern high-performance computer is heavily dependent on the way in which its processors are networked, i.e. the interconnection network.

Parallel computers, such as those used for weather forecasting, do not work like PCs with one processor, but with up to 30,000 processors in parallel, which share the computing work and therefore have to communicate with each other. To ensure that every processor can communicate with every other processor, they are connected via a network.

Sampels has succeeded in developing a new approach for the construction of such processor networks. He combines a mathematical representation method of graph theory for the networks used, so-called Cayley graphs, with an optimisation method based on the theory of evolution, the "genetic algorithms". According to Darwin, the principle of "survival of the fittest" means that a species adapts better and better to its environmental conditions over the course of generations. Sampels uses this principle to optimise his Cayley graphs and thus his networks: he begins with a random starting "population" of graphs, combines these graphs with each other so that a new graph "generation" is created, and selects the best of these. He uses these as the new starting population and repeats the process until no further improvements are made. It also uses "mutations", random changes, to create new graphs. The quality criteria for the selection of the best graphs are improved communication properties of the corresponding networks.

A working group in Los Alamos (USA) has already taken up Sampels' ideas and is currently trialling them in a hardware experiment. However, results are still pending. Sampels is also continuing to work on the topic, although since completing his doctorate he has no longer been at the University of Oldenburg, but at the University of Essen, where he works as an assistant in the Department of Computing Science. Sampels studied mathematics and Computing Science at the Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule Aachen and then completed his doctorate with honours in Oldenburg in the Department of Programming Languages and Systems at the Faculty of Computing Science under Prof. Dr Michael Sonnenschein. Samples sees his academic appointment in the scientific field. In November 1999, he was honoured with the Gerhard Wachsmann Prize of the Oldenburg University Society.

The water in the Mediterranean was not always as oxygenated as it is today. In the past, it was even poisoned by hydrogen sulphide (H2S) at times. Geoscientists from Utrecht University (Netherlands), the Netherlands Institute for Oceanography on Texel (NIOZ) and the Institute of Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg report on this in the international scientific journal "Nature". They found evidence of the poisoning by means of geochemical analyses of two to three million year old sediments from the Pliocene. The German side was represented by geochemist Dr Michael E. Böttcher (Biogeochemistry working group headed by Prof Dr Hans-Jürgen Brumsack).

Due to extreme climate changes, very dark sediment layers have been formed in the eastern Mediterranean about every 20,000 years over the past millions of years. These layers ("sapropels"; Greek for sludge) contain a lot of dead organic material. Sapropels formed during humid climatic periods, which were associated with a significant increase in freshwater and nutrient inflows into the Mediterranean. This allows algae to grow faster. At the same time, water circulation decreased. After the organisms died, the organic material was subject to decomposition, so that oxygen was consumed and hydrogen sulphide was formed.

The geoscientists have now discovered that hydrogen sulphide probably reached the surface of the two to three kilometre deep sea. They found chemical fossils of green sulphur bacteria in the Pliocene sapropels. As these bacteria need both light and H2S to live, they indicate the presence of hydrogen sulphide near the sea surface. Levels of iron disulphide (pyrite) and trace elements were also found, showing that the entire water column was poisoned by H2S. Model calculations show that in the eastern Mediterranean the oxygen could be consumed by eutrophication of the sea without any change in the current patterns. These conclusions open up completely new perspectives for the interpretation of the palaeoenvironment, as it was previously assumed that sapropels could only be formed under stagnant conditions.

And they’re coming after all! After years of back-and-forth, the state government’s Ministry of Science has approved the appointment of professors of measurement and control engineering. The necessary funding has also been secured. Around one million marks is earmarked annually for the two professorships. They will be based at the KISUM Institute (Complex Integrated Systems and Microsensors), a facility run by the Departments of Physics and Computing Science.

The decision to establish these two professorships is of extraordinary importance not only for the university’s development, but also for the region, which hopes this will provide fresh impetus for the economy in general and for start-ups in particular.

Physicist Prof. Dr Volker Mellert (pictured) believes that not only is the establishment of the KISUM Institute assured, but also the already planned Master’s degree programme in ‘Technical Physics’, which, with its application-oriented focus, promises excellent career prospects for its graduates. In addition, the new professorships are also expected to contribute to the English-language Master’s degree programme in “Physics Engineering”, which was launched in the winter semester of 98/99 and is run jointly by the University and the East Frisia University of Applied Sciences.

The Bertelsmann Foundation, the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation and the Ludwig Erhard Foundation, in co-operation with the Ministry of Education of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, have commissioned the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Oldenburg to develop and implement the "Economics in Schools" pilot project. The aim is to develop a target and content concept for economics in the subject of social sciences for the upper secondary level of six experimental schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, which will then be trialled at these schools over the next few years. Components include teaching modules, a media concept and qualification measures for the teachers at the participating schools. The project is headed by Prof Dr Hans Kaminski from the Institute for Economics Education. It is currently the most comprehensive educational project in the field of Economics Education in the general school system in Germany.

In the 1998/99 winter semester, the university significantly expanded its range of subjects and broke new ground in the process. The “Product Technology” degree programme in Chemistry is run in partnership with the University of Groningen and is designed to enable graduates to develop their products with a focus on the market. The “Master of Science in Engineering Physics” degree programme is also application-oriented; it was developed in collaboration with the East Frisia University of Applied Sciences and is aimed at both international and German students. The degree programme leads to Bachelor’s and Master of Science degrees. Following the foundation stage, specialisations are offered in Laser Technology, Biomedical Technology and Sound & Vibration. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) regards it as a particularly exemplary project for making Germany attractive to international students.

Another new development is the interdisciplinary ‘Dutch Studies’ Master’s programme, which brings together not only linguistics and literature but also economics, Law, history, politics and sociology. At least two semesters must be completed in Groningen, along with a work placement in the business sector.

Two new specialisations, “Economics with an Ecological Focus” and “Computing Science”, are being offered within the Faculty of Economics. Conversely, the Department of Computing Science offers its students a course in “Business Informatics”. A prerequisite for this was the establishment of an endowed professorship, funded by EWE, the Oldenburgische Landesbank and the Wirtschaftliche Vereinigung/Kleiner Kreis.

The decline in student numbers over the last four years came to a halt in the winter semester of 98/99. As in the previous year, the total number stands at just under 12,200 students. This decline was in line with a nationwide trend, which is attributed partly to demographic changes and partly to the fact that an increasing number of A-level graduates are opting for vocational training rather than a degree course. Furthermore, thousands of applicants have to be turned away every year, as limited resources mean that the number of places available is restricted.

A reduction in the number of academic departments has been under discussion at the university for two years now. The Presidential Board has now presented an initial concrete proposal. According to this, there will in future be only five departments instead of eleven, incorporating some central units: Department 1: Education and Health; Department 2: Cultural Studies; Department 3: Economic and Social Sciences; Department 4: Computing Science, Mathematics, Physics and Engineering; Department 5: Biological, Geosciences and Environmental Sciences.

The Presidential Board regards its proposal as a concept that is open to discussion and suggestions for amendment. However, it sees no possibility of retaining the current structure. Larger faculties are considered essential for the university’s future in order to enable it to work more effectively and flexibly. The structural changes are to take place as soon as possible. President Prof. Dr Siegfried Grubitzsch hopes to secure a resolution from the University Senate on the matter before the end of the summer semester. He expects the new structure to bring significant benefits: a reduction in the number of governing bodies (fewer departmental councils, doctoral and habilitation committees), better conditions for interdisciplinary research and teaching, and more professional administration of the larger units.

The plans of Lower Saxony's Science Minister Thomas Oppermann (SPD) to transfer teacher training to universities of applied sciences, with the exception of the grammar school branch, have been met with complete incomprehension at the University of Oldenburg. In the past, it was the SPD that had propagated scientific teacher training, said University President Prof Dr Siegfried Grubitzsch in a statement. On their initiative, scientifically based models of linking theory and practice had been successfully trialled, for example in single-phase teacher training. Grubitzsch: "It makes no sense if the capacities in the field of teacher training created at universities at considerable scientific, financial and political expense are relocated elsewhere, again at considerable expense and effort." Grubitzsch agrees with the German Rectors' Conference, which has clearly spoken out in favour of retaining teacher training at universities.

"arte" visits the Physics Department

For four days, a television crew from the Franco-German channel arte visited the History of Science research group at the University’s Department of Physics. Footage was filmed for a five-part series, each episode comprising six-minute segments, on the history of the development of physical experiments.

Praise for sports facilities

Members of the Sports Facilities Working Group of the Conference of Sports Representatives from all Federal States were impressed by the university’s exemplary sports facilities. Hermann Brinkmann, Senior Ministerial Adviser at the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Interior, explained that the university’s sports facilities remain, in many respects, forward-looking even today, almost 20 years after their construction. A research report by the Federal Environment Agency emphasises that, with these sports facilities, “forward-looking ideas have been put into practice in an exemplary manner in many respects”.

Honorary Doctorate for Peter von Oertzen

Political scientist Prof. Dr Peter von Oertzen (right) has been awarded an honorary doctorate by Faculty 3 (Social Sciences) at the University of Oldenburg. The Dean of the Faculty, Prof. Dr Rüdiger Meyenberg (left), explained that the Faculty was particularly keen to honour his great commitment to upholding democratic principles in the field of education and to expanding civic participation in the Federal Republic of Germany.

Extension for the Physics Research Group

In Wechloy, work began in December 1998 on the construction of a three-storey extension, which will be made available to the Energy and Semiconductor Research Group headed by Prof. Dr Jürgen Parisi. In addition to 12 offices for various researchers, the extension will house two specialist laboratories for semiconductor research.

Doctoral Centre

To support early-career researchers, Department 1 (Education) has established a Doctoral Centre (DOZ). The Institute for Special Education, Prevention and Rehabilitation is responsible for the DOZ. The centre was initiated by Prof. Dr Walter Thimm, who was elected Chair of the Executive Board.

Oldest doctoral candidate

As the university’s oldest doctoral candidate to date, 79-year-old Herbert Sievers has successfully completed his doctoral thesis in the Department of Social Sciences. In his dissertation, Sievers examined the “‘Globalhaushalt’ pilot project in Lower Saxony – opportunities and risks”.

News from the University Society

Technology Centre?

The University Society continues to press for the establishment of a technology centre and hopes that plans for its realisation can finally be considered this year. The Society’s chairman, Peter Waskönig, cites the Bremen model as a benchmark. There, the centre has created 1,000 jobs within 10 years. The successful Bremen model represents a challenge for the north-west region too. In this respect, he sees a good chance that the discussions with the university, the city and the state will lead to a positive outcome.

1,000 by the year 2000?

President Prof. Dr Siegfried Grubitzsch hopes to see the number of members of the University Society rise to 1,000 by the end of 2000. The University Society is the most important bridge between the university and the region, said Grubitzsch. The university needs the region’s support just as urgently as the region relies on the university for its own economic and cultural development.

University Ball on 3 July

For the second time, a University Ball is to be held at the Weser-Ems-Halle with the support of the University Society. Date: 3 July 1999, 8.00 pm. It is being organised by a team of students from Faculty 4 (Law and Economics), who had already organised this ball with great success last year. Advance ticket bookings by telephone on 0441/8852893 or by email: Johannes.Falck@uol.de

Medal for Günter König

Dr Günter König, former Deputy Chief Executive of the Oldenburg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and long-standing Secretary of the University Society’s Executive Board, has been awarded the University Medal in recognition of his services to the University of Oldenburg. The medal was presented to him by the University President, Prof. Dr Siegfried Grubitzsch, on the occasion of his departure from the Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Visit to Carl Müller GmbH

As part of the University Society’s “University and Business” series of events, a tour of the Carl Müller GmbH & Co. KG (Rügenwalder Sausage Factory) in Bad Zwischenahn will take place on 15 September. Contact: Oldenburg University Society e.V., PO Box 4901, 26039 Oldenburg, telephone: 0441/798-2463 or 0441/882085 (Renate Koopmann).

Appointments, Winter Semester 98/99

Prof. Dr Rüdiger Beckhaus has been appointed to a professorship in Inorganic Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry. After completing his studies and obtaining his doctorate at the Leuna-Merseburg University of Technology, Beckhaus completed his habilitation in 1991 with a thesis entitled “On the Chemistry of Vinyl Compounds of Electron-Deficient Transition Metals”. As a Humboldt and Heisenberg scholarship holder, Beckhaus conducted research at various universities in the Federal Republic of Germany as well as at the California Institute of Technology (USA). In 1998, he received the Carl Duisberg Memorial Prize from the German Chemical Society and the Karl Ziegler Foundation’s Encouragement Award. His research interests lie particularly in the organometallic chemistry of early transition metals. Research in this field contributes to the development of new methods and environmentally friendly technologies in the area of new materials.

Prof. Dr Annegret Habel has accepted a professorship in Theoretical Computing Science in Department 10 (Computing Science). Habel studied mathematics, with Computing Science and physics as minor subjects, at the Universities of Göttingen and Berlin. She subsequently worked as a research assistant at the Technical University of Berlin and at the University of Bremen, where she was awarded her PhD in 1989 for her thesis “Hyperedge Replacement: Grammars and Languages”. Her doctoral thesis was honoured with the Bremen Study Prize as a “particularly outstanding academic achievement”. Before accepting a post at the University of Hildesheim in 1995, she had previously served as acting holder of a professorship in Theoretical Computing Science at the University of Oldenburg during the winter semester of 1992/93. Habel’s current research interests lie in the fields of formal languages, programming theory – particularly graph substitution systems – and specification and programming based on graph substitution.

Prof. Dr Hanna Kiper has accepted a professorship for Theory and Practice of Lower Secondary Education in the Department of Education at the University of Oldenburg. Since 1994, she has been a lecturer in school pedagogy and general didactics at the Technical University of Braunschweig. Kiper studied to become a primary and secondary school teacher in Hanover and subsequently worked as a language and primary school teacher. In 1987, she obtained her doctorate at the University of Lüneburg with a thesis on everyday theories and interpretative patterns among Turkish children. From 1988 to 1994, she held posts at the University of Bielefeld – where she completed her habilitation in 1993 – the University of Frankfurt am Main and the University of Essen.

Prof. Dr Stephanie Teufel has been appointed to a chair in Business Computing Science in the Department of Computer Science. Teufel studied Computing Science at the Technical University of Berlin and subsequently worked as a research assistant at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich and the University of Zurich. From 1989 to 1990, she was at the University of Wollongong in Australia on a teaching and research stay. Following her PhD at the University of Zurich in 1991 and teaching posts in Zurich and Konstanz, the Computing Science expert completed her habilitation last year at the University of Zurich with a thesis on the topic of “Secure Corporate Communication”.

Prof. Dr Astrid Kaiser, a university lecturer specialising in the didactics of general studies at the Institute of Educational Sciences 1 (Department of Pedagogy), has been appointed to the C4 professorship in Educational Sciences with a specialisation in primary-level pedagogy at the University of Münster. Kaiser, who was appointed to Oldenburg in 1983, heads the Lower Saxony pilot project “Social Integration in a Primary School Suitable for Boys and Girls” at the University of Oldenburg.

Prof. Dr Udo Kamps, a university lecturer specialising in the ‘Mathematisation of Economic Sciences’ in the Department of Mathematics, has declined an offer of a C4 professorship in Statistics at Philipps University of Marburg. Kamps’ research interests include stochastic modelling and mathematical statistics, particularly in the fields of quality control and actuarial science. His specific research focus is on models of ordered random variables.

Prof. Dr Reto Weiler, a neurobiologist in Department 7 (Biology), has declined an offer of a professorship in animal physiology at the University of Kaiserslautern. Weiler’s research focuses primarily on neural interactions in the retina and he plays a key role in the German Research Foundation’s (DFG) Collaborative Research Centre “Neurocognition”, established in 1996 in collaboration with the University of Bremen.

Dr Klaus Struve, a specialist in special needs and vocational education with a focus on “vocational rehabilitation of disabled and disadvantaged young people and adults” in Department 1 of Education, has accepted an appointment to a professorship in vocational education at the University of Hamburg. There, he will head the research area “Didactics of Construction Technology, Wood and Plastics Technology, Colour Technology and Interior Design”.

Doctorates 1998

Department 1: Education

Ralf Streicher, thesis title: “The Education System in Ghana (1974–1984). A systemic approach to its possibilities and limitations”

Rüdiger Klane, thesis title: “The Irrational Cry of the Body in Science” (1997)

Ulrich Voigt, topic: “Empirical studies on the success of remedial education for pupils with behavioural disorders”

Hans-Joachim Emmann, topic: “The principle of ‘open teaching’, applied to school field trips in biology lessons. A case study on field trip pedagogy”

Christel Balli, topic: “Quality in vocational further education – analyses and tools”

Mark Rothensee, topic: “AIDS and the Unknown. The social construction of AIDS between exoticism and integrity. A study of educational materials in Germany, Thailand and the Philippines”

Peer Pasternak, topic: ‘“Democratic Renewal”. A historical study of the restructuring of higher education in East Germany, 1989–1995’

Faculty 3: Social Sciences

Joachim Tautz, topic: “On Militaristic Youth Policy in the Weimar Republic”

Berndt Schlüter, topic: “The State, Food Supply and War: The Municipal Wartime Food Economy in Bremen 1914–1918”

Anna Schmitz, topic: “The child’s relationship with a father who does not have custody”

Ingrid Jütting, topic: “Opportunities and limitations of extracurricular, ecological child and youth work, incorporating a project-based approach by the environmental organisation Greenpeace”

Heiko Walkenhorst, topic: “The European integration process and European identity: the political significance of a socio-psychological concept”

Cheng-Dar Yue, topic: “Taiwan’s Foundations and Action Strategies for Addressing Global Warming”

Jost Lübben, topic: “The Nordwestdeutsche Zeitung 1895–1933/45. A contribution to the development and political orientation of the general-interest press in Germany”

Herbert Sievers, topic: “The ‘Globalhaushalt’ pilot scheme – in Lower Saxony – opportunities and risks”

Peer Hempel, topic: “German-speaking physicists in old St Petersburg. Georg Parrot, Emil Lenz and Moritz Jakobi in the context of science and politics”

Sabine Barnowski-Fecht, topic: “The craft trades in the city of Oldenburg between shaping the future and freedom of trade (1731–1861)”

Birgit Menzel, topic: “Male violence against women. Defining a social problem”

Faculty 4: Economics and Law

Claudia Kemfert, topic: “Macroeconomic Effects of Environmental Economic Instruments – An Analysis of Substitution Effects Using Selected Economic Models for Germany”

Markus Fiebig, topic: “Franchising in the public sector – An alternative organisational model for increasing productivity in the public sector”

Michael G. Bolotow, topic: “The energy industry and energy policy of the Russian Federation under a planned economy and during the phase of economic transformation, with a focus on the electricity sector”

Frank Wyputta, topic: “Funding options for efficient energy use and renewable energies”

Claus Diekel, topic: “Press subsidies and media concentration”

Klaus Fichter, topic: “Environmental Communication and Competitiveness – Competition Theories in the Light of Empirical Findings on Corporate Environmental Reporting”

Thomas Grundmann, topic: “Economically Consistent Energy Scenarios for CO₂ Reduction”

Thorsten Jöhnk, topic: “Financial innovations in interest rate management”

Dietmar Frommberger, topic: “Linking further education to the tertiary sector of the national education system. A contribution to further education research from a German-Dutch perspective”

Herbert Holzer, topic: “PPS systems as a prerequisite for effective operational controlling”

Department 5: Philosophy, Psychology, Sports Science

Udo Merkel, topic: “Sport development in an intercultural German–British comparison”

Nakeung Lee, topic: “The temporal capacity of verbal short-term memory: An empirical study exploring the phonological loop by means of the irrelevant speech effect”

Karin Eilers, topic: “On the reliability and validity of heart rate and heart rate variability measures as indicators of psychological strain during sustained attention tasks”

Faculty 6: Mathematics

Heidrun Ortleb, topic: “Modelling problem-related statistical data using the example of spatio-temporal patterns of organism communities”

Department 7: Biology

Ali Askin, topic: “Myotropic regulation in crustaceans. Isolation and characterisation of para-tyramine as an aminergic modulator from the intestinal tissue and nervous system of the shore crab Carcinus cmaenas”

Petra Lindenlaub, topic: “Denitrifying bacteria from uncontaminated and organically contaminated Wadden Sea sediment”

Gholamhossein Ebrahimipour, topic: “Denitrification potential and characterisation of denitrifying bacterial communities in mudflat sediments”

Anette Siese, topic: “Regulation of the cellular immune response by interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor-β in the murine thymoma cell line EL4.NOB-1”

Peter Kilian Hennes, topic: “Ecological significance of aquatic phage-host interactions”

Bernhard Schweitzer, topic: “Structural and functional relationships within bacterial communities on Lake Snow”

Susanne Lehmann, topic: “Investigations into the seasonality of basal metabolic rate and food choice, and their interaction, in Sylviidae species with different migratory behaviours”

Manfred Jekel, topic: “Characterisation of endonuclease I from Escherichia coli K-12 and application of the enzyme in a bacterial suicide system”

Volker Salewski, topic: “Investigations into the wintering ecology of Palearctic songbirds in West Africa, with particular regard to interactions with resident species”

Department 8: Physics

Frank Terjung, topic: “Spectroscopic analysis of the mechanisms by which leaves adapt to increased light intensities”

Andreas Weichert, topic: “Time-series analysis of natural systems using neural networks and methods from statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics”

Martin Hansen, topic: “Assessment and prediction of speech transmission quality using an auditory processing model”

Abha Sood, topic: “Non-Abelian Theories in Gravitational Fields”

Jesko Lars Verhey, topic: “Psychoacoustics of spectro-temporal effects in masking and loudness perception”

Department 9: Chemistry

Peter Will, topic: “Reactions of silylenes and a disilene with electron-deficient 1,3-dienes: formation of silyl heterocycles and degradation of CF³ groups” (1997)

Hartmut Helms, topic: “Electrochemical investigations into sulphur corrosion and sulphide oxidation”

Dagmar Röhm, topic: “Selenium in sediments and marine organisms”

Ingo Hahn, topic: “Systematic investigations into the reactivity of tetrakis-[bis(trimethylsilyl)methyl]digallane(4)”

Ralph Joh, topic : “Extension of the scope of application of the Modified UNIFAC group contribution method (Dortmund)”

Artur Stilter, topic: “Low-coordination tin compounds: stannylene transition-metal complexes and attempts to form a tetrasilyldistannane”

Arnd Böning, Topic: "Development of a new method for the rapid gas-chromatographic determination of the sum parameter 'hydrocarbons' in soil and other matrices"

Volker Brandl, topic: “The electrosynthesis of conductive plastics: synthesis conditions and properties, and an alternative to the bipolaron model” (1997)

Harald Waden, topic: “New nickel(II) complexes with nitrogen and sulphur ligands”

Kay Buchholz, topic: “Investigations into the use of liquid–liquid counter-current chromatography to solve process engineering problems”

Artur Stilter, topic: “Low-coordinated tin compounds: stannylene transition complexes and attempts to form a tetrasilyldistannane”

Stefan Willms, topic: “Hexaarylte-trasilabuta-1,3-diene: synthesis, properties, initial reactions”

Detlev Walter, topic: "Experiments on the recycling of high-quality pulp fibres from the solid waste generated during wastewater treatment at a large paper mill"

Shuangqing Wang, topic: “Polar lipids in Green River oil shale as facies indicators”

Katy Portheine, topic: “Synthesis and characterisation of new heterometallic iron-sulphur clusters”

Viola Peper, topic: "Synthesis of new phosphorus-containing chiral compounds from α-amino acids and pharmaceutical active ingredients, and their application in stereoselective synthesis"

Tanja Becker, topic: “Chitosan-based ion exchangers”

Sabine Schwaiger, topic: “Investigations into electrochemically initiated disaccharide syntheses”

Jens Manikowski, topic: “Contribution to the chemistry of imines: synthesis and reactivity of N, X-heterocycles (X=N, S)”

Lars Kirmaier, topic: “Reactions of silylenes and disilylenes with certain 1,3-dienes and 1,3-diines”

Department 10: Computing Science

Michael Sampels, topic: “Algebraic construction of efficient connection networks”

Olaf Zukunft, topic: “Integration of mobile and active database mechanisms as a basis for location-independent transaction processing”

Ronald Herrmann, topic: “Efficient symbolic model checking of real-time aspects for VHDL”

Lutz Köhler, topic: “Fuzzy geometry and applications in medical image processing”

Helmut Lorek, topic: “Computer tools to support the development and deployment of individual-oriented ecological models”

Michael Stadler, topic: "Abstract computer network models as the basis for comprehensive automation of network management"

Juliane Vorndamme, topic: “The impact of legal obligations on software development”

Clemens Otte, topic: “Fuzzy prototype classifiers and their application to automatic feature selection”

Department 11: Literature and Linguistics

Alexej Baskakov, topic: “From Realism to Modernism: The Depiction of the Ancient Orient in Flaubert’s *Salammbô* and Thomas Mann’s Joseph Tetralogy”

Habilitation theses 1998

Department 1: Education

Dr Irene Pütter, specialism: “Educational Science”

Department 3: Social Sciences

Dr Dietmar von Reeken, specialism: “Modern History and the Didactics of History”

Dr Michael Garleff, specialism: ‘Modern History’

Dr Andrea Schulte, specialising in ‘Protestant Religious Education’

Dr Waltraud Cornelißen, Department of ‘Sociology with a focus on Media Studies’

Faculty 5: Philosophy, Psychology, Sports Science

Dr Gunter Herzog, Department of “Psychology with a specialisation in Health Psychology”

Faculty 6: Mathematics

Dr Elke Wilkeit, specialising in ‘Mathematics’

Faculty 7: Biology

Dr Wolfgang Schmidt, specialism: ‘Botany’

Dr Peter Paul Jaros, specialising in ‘Zoophysiology’

Department 8: Physics

Dr Uwe Ritschel, Specialism: ‘Theoretical Physics’

Department 9: Chemistry

Dr Alfred Flint, specialising in ‘Chemistry Education’

Faculty 10: Computing Science

Dr Hardi Hungar, Specialism: ‘Technical Computing Science’

Faculty 11: Literature and Linguistics

Dr Harro Zimmermann, specialising in ‘Modern German Literature’

Dr Günther Thomé, specialising in ‘German Language Teaching and Linguistics’