Robert Schuster (Hannover), Alfred Saupe (Halle), Jo ¨rg Kressler (Halle), Walter
Richtering (Aachen), Kai Saalwa ¨chter (Halle), Claudia Schmidt (Paderborn), Bernd
Tieke (Bonn), Jo ¨rg Tiller (Dortmund), Holger Frey (Mainz), Stefan Mecking
(Konstanz), Rainer Haag (Berlin), and Sabine Ludwigs (Stuttgart).
In Staudinger’s time, Freiburg was isolated in the outmost southwestern corner
of Germany, close to the borders of France and Switzerland, which were impermeable during war times. Today, Freiburg is located in the heart of Europe, without
any restrictions by frontiers between the adjacent countries. The upper Rhine valley
is the trinational region of the neighboring cities of Basel in Switzerland, Freiburg
in Germany, and Strasbourg in France, forming an European high-tech triangle in
academia and industry with one the highest densities of top-notch research in
chemistry, polymer sciences, and life sciences. There are many very close interactions between Swiss, French, and German polymer research groups, owing to the
highly complementary expertise in polymer sciences and the very close proximity
of Basel, Strasbourg, and Freiburg, which enables an exchange of students and staff
even on a daily base. In 2010, the International Research Training Group “Soft
Matter Science – Concepts for the Design of Functional Materials,” funded by the
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, was established to promote international graduate training and research on advanced macromolecular materials and systems.
In 2013, the universities of Strasbourg and Freiburg started a joint master degree
training program in polymer sciences, paralleled by the new national master degree
program in Freiburg, entitled “Sustainable materials – polymer sciences,” as well as
the master degree in chemistry with specialization in macromolecular chemistry. At
the University of Freiburg, the unique training and research environment in polymer sciences is built upon the chain of knowledge in polymer sciences and
engineering. Interdisciplinary research combined with multicultural training is the
prerequisite for creating innovations and for achieving significant progress in the
emerging field of macromolecular (bio-, micro-) systems engineering. This is
essential for the sustainable development of advanced functional materials with
high energy- and resource-efficiency and of modern technologies to meet the urgent
needs of the growing world population.
References
1. American Chemical Society International Historic Chemical Landmarks (2013) Foundations,
foundations of polymer science: Hermann Staudinger and macromolecules. http:/portal.acs.
org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/staudingerpolymerscience/
index.htm. Accessed 7 July 2013
2. Staudinger H, Fritschi J (1922) U ¨ ber die hydrierung des kautschuks und u ¨ber seine seine
Konstiution. Helv Chim Acta 5:785
3. Jostkleigrewe E (ed) (1987) Makromolekulare chemie – das werk Hermann Staudingers in
seiner heutigen Bedeutung, Katholische Akademie Freiburg. Schnell & Steiner, Munich and
Zu ¨rich
36
H.-J. Cantow and R. Mu ¨lhaupt
Richtering (Aachen), Kai Saalwa ¨chter (Halle), Claudia Schmidt (Paderborn), Bernd
Tieke (Bonn), Jo ¨rg Tiller (Dortmund), Holger Frey (Mainz), Stefan Mecking
(Konstanz), Rainer Haag (Berlin), and Sabine Ludwigs (Stuttgart).
In Staudinger’s time, Freiburg was isolated in the outmost southwestern corner
of Germany, close to the borders of France and Switzerland, which were impermeable during war times. Today, Freiburg is located in the heart of Europe, without
any restrictions by frontiers between the adjacent countries. The upper Rhine valley
is the trinational region of the neighboring cities of Basel in Switzerland, Freiburg
in Germany, and Strasbourg in France, forming an European high-tech triangle in
academia and industry with one the highest densities of top-notch research in
chemistry, polymer sciences, and life sciences. There are many very close interactions between Swiss, French, and German polymer research groups, owing to the
highly complementary expertise in polymer sciences and the very close proximity
of Basel, Strasbourg, and Freiburg, which enables an exchange of students and staff
even on a daily base. In 2010, the International Research Training Group “Soft
Matter Science – Concepts for the Design of Functional Materials,” funded by the
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, was established to promote international graduate training and research on advanced macromolecular materials and systems.
In 2013, the universities of Strasbourg and Freiburg started a joint master degree
training program in polymer sciences, paralleled by the new national master degree
program in Freiburg, entitled “Sustainable materials – polymer sciences,” as well as
the master degree in chemistry with specialization in macromolecular chemistry. At
the University of Freiburg, the unique training and research environment in polymer sciences is built upon the chain of knowledge in polymer sciences and
engineering. Interdisciplinary research combined with multicultural training is the
prerequisite for creating innovations and for achieving significant progress in the
emerging field of macromolecular (bio-, micro-) systems engineering. This is
essential for the sustainable development of advanced functional materials with
high energy- and resource-efficiency and of modern technologies to meet the urgent
needs of the growing world population.
References
1. American Chemical Society International Historic Chemical Landmarks (2013) Foundations,
foundations of polymer science: Hermann Staudinger and macromolecules. http:/portal.acs.
org/portal/PublicWebSite/education/whatischemistry/landmarks/staudingerpolymerscience/
index.htm. Accessed 7 July 2013
2. Staudinger H, Fritschi J (1922) U ¨ ber die hydrierung des kautschuks und u ¨ber seine seine
Konstiution. Helv Chim Acta 5:785
3. Jostkleigrewe E (ed) (1987) Makromolekulare chemie – das werk Hermann Staudingers in
seiner heutigen Bedeutung, Katholische Akademie Freiburg. Schnell & Steiner, Munich and
Zu ¨rich
36
H.-J. Cantow and R. Mu ¨lhaupt