What are the cluster’s central research questions?

With The Martian Mindset, we are embarking on a mental journey to Mars. The question we are asking ourselves is: How can we survive in the long term in a hostile environment with extremely limited resources? This approach forces us to question fundamental assumptions and rethink everything:

• How can we obtain metals and plastics without fossil fuels – from low-grade raw materials?
• How can we produce functional components from locally sourced materials with minimal energy consumption?
• How can we design production facilities for extreme conditions – with limited human resources and the use of robots?
• And how can our research help make manufacturing processes on Earth more efficient and sustainable?

What do you see as the future of research in your field?

With the findings from our research, we are taking a completely new look at the Earth and laying the foundations for highly automated, energy and resource-efficient production. That is exactly what we need today more than ever. Our vision: The Martian Mindset should not be limited to science or space – it should also permeate society, industry, and politics.

What can your research contribute to society in the future?

One example: In the 1970s, solar panels were developed for the sole purpose of supplying satellites in space with energy. It was not until decades later that they became a central pillar of global energy supply. My point is this: We don’t know which of the technologies developed in our cluster will play a decisive role on Earth in the future, but we do know that humanity will continue to face unexpected challenges. Our research aims to help us be better prepared for such challenges.

Further Information

Cluster of Excellence The Martian Mindset: A Scarcity-Driven Engineering Paradigm

The Excellence Strategy at the University of Bremen