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Artist's impression of the Advanced Training Centre on the EMBL Campus |
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The German Minister for Education and Research breaks ground for EMBL's new Advanced Training
Centre – Funding comes from the German Ministry for Education and Research, the Klaus Tschira
Foundation, the federal state of Baden-Württemberg and EMBL's member states – The building will
have the structure of a double helix
Press
Release 6 October 2006 [PDF]
Deutsch
Today, the German Minister for
Education and Research, Annette Schavan, breaks ground for the
new training and conference centre for the life sciences that will
be built on the EMBL campus in Heidelberg. The German
Ministry for Education and Research [BMBF], the Klaus Tschira
Foundation and the federal state of Baden-Württemberg contribute
to the 30 million Euro project. The Advanced Training
Centre [ATC] will be a unique European centre that combines
cutting-edge facilities for education of young scientists with the
infrastructure required to host international conferences.
"European research in the life sciences is no longer confined by
geographical or disciplinary borders," says Iain Mattaj, Director
General of EMBL. "Europe calls for a central platform where scientists
from different countries, disciplines and generations can
meet to exchange ideas and their best practices. Filling this gap,
the new ATC will not only strengthen EMBL's excellence and its
leading role in Europe, but will also promote Europe as a hotspot
for research and education."
Thanks to the financial support by the BMBF that contributes
13.1 million Euro to the project, the generous donation of ten
million Euro by the Klaus Tschira Foundation, the one million
Euro provided by the federal state of Baden-Württemberg and the
contribution of EMBL's member states, the ATC will open its
doors in spring 2009.
"The BMBF supports the construction of the ATC as a groundbreaking
project in the areas of scientific exchange, education and
training in the life sciences. Such a modern and high-quality centre
will allow us to host many of the most prestigious conferences
in Germany," says the German Minister for Education and
Research, Annette Schavan.
The new ATC will have an area of 16,000 m2 and it will feature an
auditorium for an audience of 450 people and a large display area
for the presentation of scientific posters. Inspired by the DNA,
the carrier of genetic information, the building will have the
structure of a double helix. In the planned teaching labs and seminar
rooms EMBL's International Centre for Advanced Training
[EICAT] will organise courses and practical workshops for scientists
at various levels of their careers. The building also contains
room for the training of teachers and other outreach activities.
"Scientists never really complete their education; there are always
new things to learn. This is why our foundation is especially concerned
with training projects and the promotion of young talents,"
says Klaus Tschira, whose foundation supports the natural
sciences, computer science and mathematics. "The transparent
architecture of the ATC, designed like a DNA molecule in the
shape of a double helix, does not only offer ideal functional conditions,
but also creates an inspiring atmosphere." Klaus Tschira
himself developed the design of the building and refined it
together with the architects Bernhardt + Partner in Darmstadt.
The extensive expertise of EMBL and its sister organisation
EMBO [European Molecular Biology Organization] in organising
regular conferences and interdisciplinary workshops forms an
ideal basis for the successful management of the ATC. The new
centre will also benefit from the excellent scientific infrastructure
and existing academic, institutional and industrial networks of
the Rhein-Neckar region.
Press Contact
Anna-Lynn Wegener
Press Officer
EMBL Heidelberg
Tel: +49 +6221 387-8452
Email: wegener@embl.de |
