The seafloor harbors rich mineral deposits. Within the project Mining Impact2 a scientific consortium independently monitored the environmental effects of the first industrial deep-sea polymetallic nodule mining-test. One part of the project included the investigation of the role of nodules for biodiversity, which is crucial for understanding the long-term impacts of mining. Our studies showed that animals live on but also inside nodules. Further, we initiated a unique restoration experiment where we study if animals that live on nodules, such as sponges or corals, can use artificial nodules as habitat.

How do proteins fold correctly as theyre being made in our cells? Scientists are using new tools to watch small helper molecules, called chaperones, guide this crucial process at the protein factory (ribosome). They have now shown how multiple chaperones work together to prevent protein folding errors. This research could change how we think about cell function and ultimately fight illnesses.

The partition function is an important tool in the investigation of interacting systems in statistical physics, with high impact in the field of network science, combinatorics, and probability theory. In this project, I will investigate properties of partition functions related to various combinatorial objects by using a novel technique for networks with large maximum degree. A better understanding of the zero distributions is expected to shed new lights on the number of proper colorings of graphs, and on the properties and evaluations of partition functions of some statistical physical models.

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The question ‘are we alone?’ is a central question in astronomy. It has become even more relevant due to the recent discovery of planets within the habitable zone of their star. Since life changes the composition of the planet’s atmosphere, its signatures can be measured in the spectrum of that atmosphere. However, an Earth-like planet around a Sun-like star is very faint. The solution is to use a coronagraph, which supresses the starlight, but not the planet. Still, the signal from the planet is less than 1 photon/pixel/second. A crucial technology is therefore a noiseless, photon-counting detector, which ideally resolves the energy of each photon. Established detectors based on photoconductor technology have too high noise, and energy information is lost due to the high bandgap. I propose the next generation camera in which every pixel resolves the energy of each incoming photon, using microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs). Each pixel is a superconducting resonator, in which a single photon creates thousands of excitations. The resonator response is a direct measure of the photon energy. The theoretical energy resolution of >70 (at 400 nm - 2.5 μm) allows to distinguish the main molecular lines associated with life without additional optics. On top of that these detectors are dark- and read noise free. The main challenge I will face is reaching the energy resolution of >70. Large MKID cameras have been demonstrated, but with an energy resolution <10. I will deepen the understanding of the device physics to increase the detector response, starting from my experience with the most sensitive terahertz MKIDs. As an intermediate step I will acquire practical experience through a 2000 pixel lab demonstrator with an energy resolution ≥20, which can right away function as a wavefront sensor or as a fringe sensor in optical interferometry.