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P-Campus Büro 2023:
Weiterführung des WissenschaftsCampus Phosphorforschung an der Universität Rostock 2023

Agriculture, food security and the entire (bio)economy depend on
phosphorus (P) availability, yet large amounts of P are still wasted
causing environmental problems such as eutrophication. The
objective of the 2nd P-Campus phase is to advance interdisciplinary
collaborative research focused on the mechanisms, impacts, novel
uses and sustainable management of P as an essential resource.
The P-Campus is a unique scientific center in the Rostock region
bridging fundamental research with industry, technology and
education. Four interconnected Clusters will use innovative scientific
concepts and/or methods to study (1) the environmental transport,
fate and impacts of P in soils and aquatic ecosystems; (2) sufficiency
and efficiency of P utilization and recycling; (3) novel uses of P in
chemical catalysis; and (4) the role of P as a signalling molecule in
essential biological processes from cells to ecosystems. The PCampus
builds on existing strong expertise in P-related research and applications, state-of-the-art infrastructure and an extensive network
of interdisciplinary collaborations between five Leibniz Institutes and
the University of Rostock created during the 1st P-Campus phase. All
Clusters involve international collaborations, have strong focus on
capacity building and serve as a platform for innovative
interdisciplinary education. High risk-high reward innovative research
will be fostered using competitive seed funding provided by the PCampus.
Building on the success of the Phosphorus Graduate
School, the 2nd phase will enhance the education concept by offering
interactive lectures, workshops and summer schools relevant to
interdisciplinary P research, as well as intensive soft skills courses.
The P-Campus will provide competitive scholarships for international
visiting fellows to participate in the research and teaching of the PCampus
integrating interdisciplinary research and education for the
new generation of P scientists.