Editorial Dear friends of »Matters of Activity«,

with today's issue, we would like to draw your attention to exciting events addressing a broader public, for example the Long Night of Sciences on July 2nd. Moreover, we are very happy to invite you to this year's tour at the weißensee school of art and design berlin on July 9th and 10th, where numerous student works related to Cluster topics will be exhibited.

Happy reading,
Antje Nestler, Carolin Ott & Franziska Wegener

Symbolic Material | Publications What role does mathematical formalization play in our understanding of knowledge and science, and how does it influence our conceptions of the unknown, of the unconscious as well as of the non-conscious? What is the relationship between the monopolization of calculable rationality and the increasing computerization of our Lebenswelt? And, last but not least, when reality is translated into symbols, what resistance does this process encounter? → more

Filtering | Cutting | Haptics | Science Communication Why is the topic of haptics important to us humans and what does this mean for the multitude of scientific disciplines represented in the Cluster? In three dense days of workshop, the participants explored the topic of haptics together through the lens of design practice, history of knowledge, cultural studies, philosophy and computer science. Through experiencing demos, creating rapid prototypes, and reflection experiments, a practice-based mode of exploration was collectively developed. Through this rather broad approach, the participants sought to unfold the layers that make up haptic experiences in order to develop a shared understanding and vocabulary of the term. This is the beginning of a critical exchange on haptics with the goal of establishing a dynamic platform for MoA researchers around the haptic sense(s). In the online documentation the group shares their abstracts, the workshop findings and questions, and invites to future collaborative formats and projects. → more

News | Exzellent erklärt The German science podcast ↗ Exzellent erklärt (»Excellent Explained«) on current science topics reflects the research diversity of Germany’s leading research institutions and Clusters of Excellence: from Africa Studies to Quantum Physics. In each episode, listeners can expect insights into the interdisciplinary work of one research network. The researchers of the Clusters of Excellence, funded by ↗ DFG talk to podcaster Larissa Vassilian about how they want to find scientifically sound answers to relevant topics of our time – for the society of tomorrow. In the last two episodes, the researchers discuss 3D printing, new materials and possibilities; smart batteries for energy transition and smart plants for securing our food supply. Plug in your headphones during your lunch break and have a listen! ↗ more

Open Design The Open Design students are moving forward on their Laboratory Project, with the common topic of »Growing Senses«. As the mid-term presentations are approaching, → Frank Bauer, → Bastian Beyer and → Maxime Le Calvé sat with them last week for a feedback round. Laboratory Project is the main studio teaching of the third semester. It is taught by these aforementioned Cluster researchers, as well as by → José Cojal Gonzalez and Rodrigo Martin Iglesia, with the support of José Ignacio Alvarez-Hamelin. A wide range of projects are emerging: feel free to join them to design shape shifting shading devices, protocoles of sensing emotional territories, outer heart fountain flows, plant ritual accessories for extra planetary life, mycelium spatial collaborations, or a garden-based divinatory system. A graphic report by Maxime Le Calvé. → more

Material Form Function | Tessellation | Publications Tessellations are structural motifs made up of repeating tiles, found in many forms and serving a variety of functions in nature. Perhaps partly inspired by natural examples, tessellations have also been a part of human history in art, design and culture, commonly in the form of mosaics, and more recently in the realm of bio-inspired design and engineering. This collection showcases the diversity of this motif, exploring commonalities in structure and function across environments and taxa, to inspire biological and biomaterials research, but also bioinspired design and architecture. Follow the link to explore the classification scheme and compare the similarities and differences between the tessellations. https://tessellated-materials.mpikg.mpg.de  → more

Object Space Agency | Stretching Materialities | XR Feeling limestone grow from the inside and seeing its dispersion as urban landscape; experiencing an amphitheater through vibrations of willow branches; reaching out to the hidden electrical energies of things around us; touch the surface of cellular tissues. The »stretching senses school festival« exhibits site-specific virtual reality artworks from ongoing research at the Cluster at TA T, in the continuation of the »Stretching Materialities« exhibition. → more

Event Together with partners, BR50 is organizing a network and career event for Ukrainian researchers that fled from Ukraine and came to Berlin. The Berlin4Ukraine-event aims to present basic information on the structures and key players of the German scientific system, on the major resources available for refugee researchers and scholars at risk in particular, as well as information on the German science funding system in general. In addition, the event provides networking opportunities for researchers from Ukraine and from Berlin. Therefore, the program contains informational talks and breakout sessions that allow networking. In addition, relevant scientific institutions, projects and organizations are present to give information and to answer questions. The event is organized by the Berlin Center for Global Engagement (BCGE) at Berlin University Alliance (BUA), the Berlin Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), Berlin Research 50 (BR50), the Clusters of Excellence SCRIPTS and NeuroCure. The workshop will be held in English and is an in-person event with the option to follow via online streaming (except for three parallel info sessions). The event is free of charge and childcare service will be organized. For participation (in-person or online), registration is necessary (deadline June 15th 2022): ↗ https://events.wzb.eu/ber4ukr/

Program: ↗ https://www.br50.org/en/br50/news/ukraine-event
Date: June 30th 2022, 1pm – 7pm
Location:
Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW)
Leibniz-Saal
Jägerstraße 22/23
10117 Berlin

CALL Please join to participate in the first »Digital Arts & Humanities« Lab for PhDs and Postdocs in London & Berlin: A unique collaboration between the London Arts and Humanities Partnership (LAHP), and Berlin’s affiliated Clusters of Excellence – EXC 2020 »Temporal Communities« (Freie Universität Berlin) and EXC »Matters of Activity« (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin). The day-long digital lab with workshops, lectures and case studies on the newest developments in the digital arts and humanities methods and practices is taking place on June 30th, a full program and further details about the application process can be found ↗ here.

Science Communication On the occasion of the Long Night of the Sciences, Berlin’s seven Clusters of Excellence presented themselves together at the Humboldt Laboratory on July 2nd. As part of the »Meet the Scientist« series, researchers presented their outstanding research projects – in dialog with the public. For »Matters of Activity« Regine Hengge and Wolfgang Schäffner talked about the »Active Curtain Project«, an ongoing experimental setup in the entrance area of the Humboldt Lab that interacts with the room climate. → more

Event | Exhibition This year, weißensee school of art and design berlin finally opens its studios for the traditional open house after two years of digital presentations only due to the pandemic. On July 9th and 10th, 12:00–20:00 pm, there will be the opportunity to learn more about the students’ projects and works developed during the last year, many of them in cooperation with or in classes led by members of the Cluster of Excellence »Matters of Activity«. → more

Material Form Function | Prototype / Model | Computational Design We were very happy to continue our »Talking Matters« lecture series with a summer edition on July 12th as on-site event in the Sophienstraße 22a in Berlin-Mitte. Our guest Achim Menges, architect and professor for architecture at the University of Stuttgart and director of the Cluster of Excellence »Integrative Computational Design and Construction for Architecture«, was giving inspiring insights into and discussions about »Computational Material Culture in Architecture«. → more

Material Form Function From July 12th-14th, 2022, the International Conference on Programmable Materials, organized by the Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence Programmable Materials took place as a hybrid event in Berlin at the Fraunhofer-Forum. MoA Director Peter Fratzl chaired the symposium »Design Ideas from Nature« together with Alexander Böker (Fraunhofer IAP). The symposium with talks by MoA members Christiane Sauer and Richard Weinkamer focused on various examples from nature, including the design principles and detailed understanding of their programmed functions as well as the mimicking of these natural functions by purely synthetic materials. → more