Visit from the Czech Republic regarding Apprenticeship
Our guests from the Czech Republic visited the apprentices' workshop at HZB thanks to a tour by Christian Remus. © HZB / F. Krawatzek
Thanks to Karel Prokes, a Czech researcher, our guests could learn more about research at HZB in their mother tounge. © HZB / F. Krawatzek
Group picture arount the statue of Lise Meitner at HZB in Wannsee. © HZB / F. Krawatzek
End of March, a delegation from the Czech Republic visited HZB at the Wannsee campus. The programme included a visit to the apprentices’ workshop and exchanges regarding opportunities for apprenticeships and upskilling at HZB.
On 30 March, the conference room in Wannsee was well attended; with guests from the Czech Republic and many colleagues from HZB who joined as contact persons.
It was a great pleasure to welcome the delegation of 30 people from apprenticeship schools and training institutes from the Czech Republic during their stay in Berlin and Dresden. This two-day information trip was organised by the German-Czech Chamber of Industry and Commerce on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and professionally accompanied by iMoVE (international Marketing of Vocational Education), a working area of the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB).
Getting to know the HZB: research, institution and exchange
The programme in Wannsee included an introduction to the major research topics at HZB and its profile as an employer. Beyond the facts and figures, the focus here was on HZB's commitment to diversity, sustainability, and the comprehensive support of its employees. In another part, Christina Herold, responsible for apprenticeships at HZB, presented the various training opportunities at the centre (more on this below).
In the second part of the programme, the guests either experienced a guided tour of the apprentice workshop for fine-precision mechanics, organized by Christian Remus or gained impressions of the research area Quantum Phenomena in New Materials, thanks to a guided tour by Karel Prokes in Czech. The guests enjoyed these concrete presentations, asked questions and got many inputs. Special thanks go to the trainers Manuela Eckert, Christian Remus, Katja Wiggert and Nicholas Coon, the trainees Matthias Skubida and Felix Ludwig as well as the Czech colleague Karel Prokes, who ensured a lively and informative exchange.
The HZB - a place of education
The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin offers apprenticeships in ten professions. Seven chamber professions (office management assistants, precision mechanics, IT specialists...) and three dual study programmes. The international environment and the proximity to excellent science at the research centre are something very special. The instructors and training specialists impart sound knowledge and skills in the individual specialist areas.
In addition to HZB's social responsibility, engaging in apprenticeship enables one to find the best-fitting talents at an early stage and to bind new specialists to HZB already during their educational phase.
More details about apprenticeships and training at HZB can be found here.
- Protein crystallography at BESSY II: faster, better and more and more automaticMany diseases are linked to malfunctions of proteins in the organism. The three-dimensional architecture of these molecules is often highly complex, but it can provide valuable insights into biological processes and the development of drugs. X-ray diffraction at the MX beamlines of BESSY II can be used to decipher the 3D structure of proteins. To date, more than 5000 structures have been solved at the three MX beamlines. Here, we present a review and an outlook with Manfred Weiss, head of the research group for macromolecular crystallography.
- Humboldt-Fellow at HZB-Institute for Solar Fuels: Alexander R. UhlAlexander R. Uhl, UBC Okanagan School of Engineering in Kelowna, Canada, aims to develop with Roel van de Krol from the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels an efficient and inexpensive photoelectrolyser for producing hydrogen using sunlight. His stay is being funded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
- What Zinc concentration in teeth revealsTeeth are composites of mineral and protein, with a bulk of bony dentin that is highly porous. This structure is allows teeth to be both strong and sensitive. Besides calcium and phosphate, teeth contain trace elements such as zinc. Using complementary microscopy imaging techniques, a team from Charité Berlin, TU Berlin and HZB has quantified the distribution of natural zinc along and across teeth in 3 dimensions. The team found that, as porosity in dentine increases towards the pulp, zinc concentration increases 5~10 fold. These results help to understand the influence of widely-used zinc-containing biomaterials (e.g. filling) and could inspire improvements in dental medicine.