Aktuell

• von Dr. Alexandra Nießen
• 12.06.2026

International exchange continues: Nine students from the USA are currently visiting universities in the Ruhr University Alliance as Ruhr Fellows. Three of the fellows are undertaking research placements at the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE). The students come from Lafayette College (Easton), the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Lehigh University (Bethlehem).

The nine US students are from the fields of engineering and environmental sciences. Since the beginning of June, they have been Ruhr Fellows at the universities of Bochum, Dortmund and Duisburg-Essen. The University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr) programme begins for them with a one-week induction, including a visit to the Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex and various cultural events. They will then undertake a nine-week research placement in various faculties at the UA Ruhr universities. It offers you a comprehensive insight into academic, cultural and professional life in the Ruhr region.

“Three of the Ruhr Fellows have secured their internship placements with us,” says Dr Tomasz Waliczko. The Aurora Project Manager at UDE is coordinating their stay on site. The students are supervised academically by Professor Hannes Rothe (Sustainability and Innovation in Digital Ecosystems), Dr Benjamin Mockenhaupt (Industrial Chemistry) and Dr Verena C. Schreiner (Ecotoxicology).

Petra Günther from the International Office is also delighted by the visit: “Welcoming international students is one of my favourite things to do. It really brings home what our work is all about: connecting students and researchers across borders.”

More information:

Ruhr Fellowship Program: https://uaruhrfellowships.org/home/ruhrfellowshipprogram/

Petra Günther, International Office, phone. +49 (0)201/18-32068, petra.guenther@uni-due.de

Dr. Tomasz Waliczko, AURORA, phone. +49 (0)201/18-34717, tomasz.waliczko@ris.uni-due.de

Editor: Dr. Alexandra Nießen, phone. +49 (0)203/37-91487, alexandra.niessen@uni-due.de