diss:kurs 2020
At our online event on November 19, 2020, seven (post)doctoral students gave an insight into their research. The exciting talks and presentations reflect the diversity of research at the University of Basel very well.
All videos of the presentations are available here:
Tamara Aderneuer, PhD Candidate, Physics
Many applications such as e.g. foils to reduce glare in for lighting in offices use complex surface shapes to redirect light. Developments for innovative optical solutions result in many challenges for design, fabrication and characterization. To improve quality control processes, Tamara Aderneuer looks into ways of characterizing surface shapes, to create virtual 3D, and analyze them with optical simulations.
Lena Siewert, Postdoc, Biomedicine
Bartonella is a bacterial pathogen infecting different mammals including humans. Lena Siewert shows us how the immune system, in particular so called neutralizing antibodies, can fight this infection.
Maria Douneva, Postdoc, Psychology
Folk wisdom says that when you can't decide between two options, you should flip a coin and you’ll then realize what you really want. Maria Douneva shows to which extent this folk wisdom holds true by presenting psychological studies that examine what coin flips can and can’t do in the context of decision making.
Andrea Martani, PhD Candidate, Biomedical Ethics
In our increasingly digitalised healthcare, several patients’ data are collected and processed to provide better care and to conduct biomedical research. But what are the “rules of the game”? Andrea Martani discusses some important legal and ethical aspects of the use of health data in Switzerland.
Martynas Jablonskis, PhD Candidate, Law
Collusion in oligopolies is the central problem in cartel laws. Cartels cause serious harm to consumers by increased prices, reduced choice, and foreclosed competition. Despite extensive legal scholarship, collusion remains notoriously difficult to find, prove, and punish. Martynas Jablonskis addresses how the interdisciplinary – game theory – approach can shed new light on potential legal solutions.
Rodrigo Antunes, Postdoc, Physics
Ammonia has been essential to provide sufficient food to sustain the growth of our planet. At a great cost however: the production of ammonia worldwide amounts to roughly 2% of the global CO2 emissions. Rodrigo Antunes shows us how the combination of plasmas and special surfaces opens up ways of making ammonia more sustainably.
Reto Odermatt, Postdoc, Economics
Reto Odermatt shows that people tend to make systematic mistakes when they predict their subjective well-being around major life changes. This finding runs contrary to the central assumption of economic theory that people can predict what will benefit them. This presentation provides insights from behavioral economics and the economics of well-being, two exciting new fields within economics.
