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Living and Working at FRIAS

FRIAS is located at Albertstraße 19 in the peaceful surroundings of the university’s natural sciences campus (Institutsviertel) and in close proximity to the natural sciences institutes. The building is home to the majority of FRIAS’s fellows and its administrative department.

It was constructed in 1952 on the foundation walls of the former Department of Anatomy, a building that was all but destroyed during World War II. The surviving old anatomical theatre in the north wing serves as a reminder of times gone by. It was here that the pathologist Ludwig Aschoff held his lectures. A pioneer in the research of atherosclerosis, he was also renowned as someone who promoted cooperation between medical researchers from around the world. Today, the theatre serves as a small lecture hall.

Reminiscent of Bauhaus architecture, FRIAS’s main building catches the eye thanks to its bold, clear-cut exterior design, enhanced by its interior’s matching modern flair. In addition to the old anatomical theatre, the building features a spacious lounge, which was opened in November 2008, and a conference room fully equipped with the latest technology. The lounge with its multi-purpose facilities not only provides inviting surroundings in which fellows can enjoy lunch together, but also acts as a meeting place for discussions over tea and for hosting small events, or a quiet spot in which to browse the newspapers and magazines on offer. Two doors down the corridor, the central conference room provides the ideal setting for colloquia, small conferences and presentations. Meanwhile, larger events can be staged in the Faculty of Medicine’s large anatomy lecture hall, which is located right next door and was completely refurbished and extended in 2012.

Fellows are assisted in their search for accommodation in Freiburg in cooperation with the university’s International Office. A number of options are possible, catering to different needs, e.g. apartments for families, rooms or studio apartments. The guesthouse of the university, the “Liefmannhaus”, is a spacious villa with garden dating back to 1895. The International Office manages reservations for the seven two-room and eight studio apartments, primarily for short-term visitors from abroad.  https://www.housing.uni-freiburg.de/liefmannhaus-en

The support provided to FRIAS fellows is based on the notion of offering distinguished scholars an equally distinguished environment for conducting their research. Besides accommodation and attractive areas in which to work, this includes assistance from academic staff, administrative help in organising conferences or trips, competent technical support with solving any hardware and software problems, and the provision of materials. Labs and technical staff are provided for experimental research in collaboration with several of the university’s institutions, such as the Center for Biological Systems Analysis (ZBSA) and the Freiburg Materials Research Center (FMF). Overall, this ensures that all fellows are offered an ideal research environment.

“Social interactions promoted by FRIAS and events organized by fellows outside the academic context helped to maximize this experience abroad and find a “little bit of home away from home”. The FRIAS events helped to build a sense of community among fellows, which welcomed free flowing conversations about science, academics, and personal experiences abroad.

Patricia dos Santos, FRIAS Fellow 2018/2019