2021 was not just about the coronavirus. While we at the University were required to keep our physical distance due to the pandemic, we also grew closer together: the flooding in July affected many of the University’s staff, students and members and cost a fair few of them all their worldly possessions. The University community stood up to be counted when it mattered, with helping hands on the ground, with donations of material and equipment, with special leave and with some €60,000 in funds raised. You can read more about the days of drama and the help that followed in their wake from page 4 of this issue.
Networking was not just confined to flood relief, however: cooperation has been right at the top of the agenda in research, teaching and healthcare too. We have put together a few examples: digital field trips, collaboration on the Maya language and an encounter between students and star journalist Dunja Hayali. Networking is also playing a role in sustainability at the University of Bonn, where the new “Team N” has brought together all the active campaigners from across the University in recent months. Finally, we congratulate Mieke Kröger, the University of Bonn student who rounded off a fantastic season with a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
This issue marks the start of a new, more digital and more sustainable era for forsch: you will be receiving the issue as a newsletter and can find additional content at uni-bonn.de/forsch, where staff can also subscribe to the printed version if they would still like it delivered to their office. In addition, you will continue to find hard copies at the many stands in and around the University.
We hope you very much enjoy reading this issue and wish you a peaceful Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year 2022.