The University of Heidelberg, founded in 1386, is Germany’s oldest and most renowned institution of higher education which is constantly ranked among the top 3 universities of the country. In the frame of the Excellence initiative run by Germany’s national reserach fund, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, two of the excellence clusters of Heidelberg have been recently founded. One of these clusters, called “Structures” aims at a unifying approach to emergent phenomena in the physical world, mathematics and complex data. The governing body of the cluster decided to introduce the individual Gömböc 1386, carrying the year of foundation of the University, as a visible sign and symbol of this broadly interdisciplinary project. At the opening ceremony in the aula of the Neue Universität, rector Bernhard Eitel received the individual Gömböc from one of the inventors (in the photo above from left to right: speakers of the cluster “Structures” Manfred Salmhofer (Institut für Theoretische Physik), Ralf S. Klessen (Zentrum für Astronomie), Anna Wienhard (Mathematisches Institut), Gömböc co-inventor Gábor Domokos and rector Bernhard Eitel.)
At this time Gömböc 1386 is currently on display in the building hosting the Theoretical Physics Institute on the Philosphenweg.
Shortly, both Gömböc 1386 and the Cluster will move into the highest floor (nicknamed “Oberstübchen”) of a brand-new building at the campus in Neuenheimer Feld of the University.
The production of the 180mm tall Gömböc 1386, made from clear plexiglass, has been sponsored by Mr Ottó Albrecht.
Further details on the ceremony at the university’s website: