Research organisation

Based on the realization that innovations and new approaches to solutions often emerge at the boundary between disciplines, the research structure of the TUHH is intended to promote interdisciplinary cooperation among scientists. For this reason, the research at TUHH  is not organized through faculties or departments, but is structured into five overarching research fields.

TUHH Research Fields

Within the research fields, the substructures outlined below support a lively and differentiated research environment at TUHH.

Research at institutes and schools

Research and teaching takes place in individual subject disciplines in the institutes and schools of studies of the TUHH. The division of the TUHH into school of studies results in a direct and clear assignment of individual professors or staff members to the respective school of study and thus a clear organisational subdivision into individual areas. The members of the schools of studies  work actively on the current research topics in their fields.

Research clusters: Bundling of research topics between the schools

Many research topics of the schools of studies or the individual institutes are interdisciplinary, so that cooperation beyond the school boundaries makes sense. For such interdisciplinary work, the research clusters offer a suitable exchange platform. Research clusters are formed and regularly updated by researchers themselves, taking into account the current research topics of the schools (see above). Professors and other academically active members of the TUHH can be members of one or more research cluster. The FSP members actively participate in the development of larger interdisciplinary research projects. The research clusters report annually on their work to the Strategic Research Planning Committee (AsPF). The work of the research clusters is regulated in the research cluster statutes.

In 2021, the following research clusters were proposed as part of an update of the research structure:

Research fields: Interdisciplinary bundling of topics from the main research areas

The analysis of the current main research areas has resulted in five research fields of the TUHH, which represent the decisive trends of research at the TUHH internally and externally in a bundled form. Professors can be members of one or more research fields. The research fields each have a spokesperson or a deputy from the ranks of the professors, who are elected by the AsPF. They are the first point of contact for relevant enquiries from business and society and actively contribute to the visibility of TUHH research. An opportunity to join a research field arises within the framework of a regular survey by the Presidium on the research organisation, which is conducted on an annual basis, or through direct contact with the spokesperson of the research field. Each research field regularly holds junior researcher workshops to promote exchange between doctoral students and organises "Future Lectures" with the aim of picking up on new research approaches and developing visions for future research at TUHH. This results in a process of constant updating and joint discourse on the TUHH's research orientation.

Current research fields at TUHH are:

  1. Advanced Materials & (Bio-)Processes
  2. Aviation & Maritime Technologies
  3. Cyber Physical & Medical Systems
  4. Environmental & Energy Systems
  5. Logistics, Mobility & Infrastructure
Methods of research in science and engineering @ TUHH

In addition to the application-related research fields, the development of scientific methods is a priority in many areas of the TUHH. The methods are generally divided into three areas: experimental methods, modelling and simulation, and data science. In mathematics in particular, method development is the core of research and is used in many research fields.  Professors who see the core of their research in method development can assign themselves to the area "Methods of Research in Science and Engineering @ TUHH" in addition to or instead of the research fields. The assignment of professors to this area takes place within the framework of the annual presidium survey or through direct contact with the spokesperson of this area.

Societal and economic impact

The results and processes of university research are also measured by their impact on the economy and society. The "Societal and Economic Impact" section presents research topics, fields of activity, events and projects of the TUHH that are particularly relevant to society. Furthermore, the area serves as a general presentation of the cooperation with industrial partners, including relevant key figures.

A separate description of the research structure of the TU Hamburg can be found here