Last Thursday, a delegation from Cornell University and SUNY College visited the TUM Campus Straubing (TUMCS). Prof. Dominik Grimm and Prof. Volker Sieber welcomed Dr. Jillian Goldfarb (Cornell University) and Dr. Tristan Brown (SUNY College of Environmental Science & Forestry) to the Campus for Biotechnology and Sustainability and explained TUMCS’ unique focus on the bioeconomy. They highlighted the interdisciplinary research areas and the research centers at TUMCS and went into more detail about the unique study programs at TUMCS in Germany and presented the SynBiofoundry as well as the internationalization strategy of the Straubing campus, especially with regard to the Global Bioeconomy Alliance (GBA).
Dr. Goldfarb and Dr. Brown informed themselves about the establishment of a bioeconomy center with TUMCS as a positive example. They are currently working with the U.S. National Science Foundation in the project “Upstate 2.0” on a concept for a sustainability transformation of agriculture and forestry in the region of Upstate New York. Key topics include new approaches to forestry, sustainable fuel production and teaching with a focus on bioeconomy. Dr. Goldfarb and Dr. Brown were impressed by the topics dealt with in both research and teaching at TUMCS and the interdisciplinary approach, the speed of development of the campus and the associated performance and commitment of all those involved. With TUMCS, they had found the ideal template for their planned project, as Dr. Goldfarb summarized.
Cornell University is one of the top 10 universities in the USA (Ivy League) and one of the most renowned universities in the world. Cornell University conducts comprehensive research in all areas of knowledge. Around 26,000 men and women are currently studying at Cornell University in fields such as architecture, medicine, veterinary medicine, engineering, law, economics, agriculture and life sciences. Cornell University educates 10 percent of all engineers in the US.