A vibrant partnership Visits from UNAM to TU Braunschweig
The cooperation between Technische Universität Braunschweig and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) goes back more than fifteen years. Last year, TU President Professor Angela Ittel and UNAM Rector Leonardo Lomelí Vanegas signed an agreement on a strategic partnership between the two universities. A series of visits currently taking place at TU Braunschweig demonstrate just how vibrant this partnership is.
The National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) is one of the largest and most renowned public research universities in Latin America. Similar to TU Braunschweig, UNAM places a strong emphasis on sustainability and is known for its interdisciplinary approach and social commitment
Der Hauptcampus der UNAM wurde 2007 zum Weltkulturerbe erklärt. Foto: Eika Auschner
The cooperation between the two universities extends across various institutes and disciplines. Since 2008, there has been a regular exchange between master’s students and doctoral candidates, primarily in the fields of biotechnology and geophysics. In addition, there are long-standing research collaborations in mathematical physics, geoscience projects in Mexico and sustainable water management. A joint seed funding call last year promoted the exchange and enabled personal contacts to be established and joint projects to be carried out.
TU President Angela Ittel emphasises: “The lively exchange and bilateral visits between our researchers, students and administrative staff demonstrate how close and productive the partnership between TU Braunschweig and UNAM is. Through joint projects, we are excellently positioned to work together at an international level to advance global and geopolitical challenges as well as the topic of sustainability, which is strategically anchored at both universities.”
From left to right: Prof. Volker Bach (TU Braunschweig/IAA), Dr. Dominik Baumgarten (TU Braunschweig Research Service), TU President Prof. Angela Ittel, Prof. Miguel Ballesteros (UNAM), Merten Mlinarzik (TU Braunschweig/IAA), Fedro Guillen and Diego Terrazas (both UNAM). Picture credit: Anika Stegeman/TU Braunschweig
Professor Volker Bach from the Institute of Analysis and Algebra has been working closely with Professor Miguel Ballesteros from the Institute of Applied Mathematics at UNAM for more than 15 years in the field of mathematical physics. As part of the double degree programme, which has been in place since 2023, they jointly supervise doctoral students in mathematics who spend at least one year of their doctoral studies and research at TU Braunschweig and UNAM.
Professor Miguel Ballesteros is visiting Braunschweig until the end of July, together with Fedro Guillen, who will begin his one-year stay at TU Braunschweig in October, and future doctoral student Diego Terrazas. At the beginning of August, they will fly back to Mexico with Professor Volker Bach to attend two international conferences on mathematical physics in Merida and Mexico City.
As part of the ‘VIP MEXICO’ project, hurricane researcher Dr. Sinuhé Alejandro Sánchez Martínez from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) visited the Department of Hydrology and River Basin Management at the Leichtweiß Institute for Hydraulic Engineering (LWI) at the end of June. In this project, researchers from the LWI are working with researchers from the Institute of Engineering Sciences at UNAM to comprehensively validate precipitation reanalysis data by comparing it with observed precipitation characteristics and simulated runoff. The aim is to assess the suitability of the data for runoff models, with a particular focus on hurricanes. A delegation from the LWI visited UNAM in Mexico City in January. The current return visit by Dr. Sinuhé Alejandro Sánchez Martínez included laboratory tours and a specialist lecture on the influence of climate change on hurricanes.
In addition to these two visits at the research level, Dr. David Ruiz Guzman, Head of Management at UNAM Alemania, is currently visiting TU Braunschweig as a participant in the International Summer School for German Language and Culture. Dr. Guzman also used his visit to TU Braunschweig to meet with Dr. Dominik Baumgarten, Officer for Recruitment & Strategic Partnerships at the Research Service, to forge plans for future cooperation.