How collaboration works
Utilising potential to the full: Port-Hamiltonian Institute founded
The new Port-Hamiltonian Institute enables mathematicians at the University of Wuppertal led by Professor Birgit Jacob (pictured) to share their research activities and jointly promote young researchers. // Photo Peter Gwiazda
Port Hamiltonian systems are currently emerging as an extremely powerful modelling tool for abstract dynamical systems, leading to unprecedented advances in their mathematical analysis, simulation and optimisation. "To fully exploit the mathematical potential of Port Hamiltonian systems, contributions from different mathematical disciplines are required. The Port-Hamiltonian Institute takes up this interdisciplinary challenge," explains Prof Dr Birgit Jacob, Chair of the Institute.
In this way, the researchers are also getting the best out of the Collaborative Research Centre, which was launched in April and in which they are cooperating with other universities, non-university research institutions and industrial partners at a national and international level. "As an applicant university, we aim to consolidate and further strengthen the prominent position we have achieved over the years in the research environment of Port Hamilton systems. The structures of the IZ enable us to coordinate our research and actively shape it in close dialogue," says Prof. Jacob.
Lively exchange - not only in specialist circles
The exchange of knowledge from the institute beyond the university borders leads, for example, to various network formats, one of which aims to establish a European platform for the numerous ongoing activities on Port-Hamilton systems. Regular seminars and symposia for young researchers are also organised under the umbrella of the IZ. "In the course of this commitment, online courses for independent further training have already been created in a short space of time," says Birgit Jacob.
Providing the next generation with input on the topic is one thing; Prof Jacob reveals that the members of the IZ are currently devoting themselves to a completely different and challenging task: "Basic mathematical research is not easy food, we know that; but we want to give as many people as possible an idea of what we do and why it is important. That's why we at the IZ, in collaboration with Professor Katja Pfeiffer from the Department of Art, are contributing our part to an exhibition on art and mathematics at the University of Wuppertal. It will be on display in the Kunsthalle Barmen from mid-January 2026." The anticipation of being able to draw attention to their research beyond the usual specialist circles is a great incentive for the mathematicians involved and broadens their own horizons in a special way when it comes to science communication. Further information on the exhibition will follow.
More background: Port-Hamilton systems
Climate change, artificial intelligence or improving the quality of life in industrialised and developing countries - the challenges to which mathematics makes a valuable contribution are many and varied. This is also the case with the new Collaborative Research Centre. Port Hamiltonian systems are used in mathematics, physics and engineering to describe, simulate and control particularly complex processes. In this case, complex means that several very different physical processes, such as mechanical, electrical or thermodynamic processes, are involved. "Different systems must develop stably over time, even if they are coupled together, so that they function perfectly as a new overall system. Port-Hamilton systems provide a basic principle for mathematical understanding, on the basis of which concrete developments can then be tackled to solve this task," says mathematician Prof Dr Brigit Jacob, who heads the Collaborative Research Centre at the University of Wuppertal.
