Das livMatS Master Lab Programm

Das Master Lab ist ein forschungsorientiertes studienbegleitendes Programm. Es soll die Forschungsinteressen von motivierten Studierenden aus unterschiedlichen Studiengängen mit Bezug zu livMatS fördern und vertiefen.

Wie funktioniert es?
Forschungsgruppenleiter*innen aus livMatS erstellen Challenges, die an ihre aktuellen Forschungprojekte angelehnt sind. Studierende können Lösungsideen einreichen und bewerben sich damit für das Master-Lab-Programm.

Die Studierenden, deren Bewerbungen erfolgreich waren, können die Challenges dann unter wissenschaftlicher Anleitung selbstständig bearbeiten. Außerdem haben Sie die Möglichkeit, an einem Kurs zur Stärkung ihrer interdisziplinären Forschungskompetenzen teilzunehmen und ihre Ergebnisse in einem Kolloquium am Ende des Programms zu präsentieren.

Um diese eigenständige Forschung zu unterstützen, erhält jede*r Master-Lab-Teilnehmer*in ein Nachwuchsförderungs-Stipendium, das einen Teilzeitvertrag als Wissenschaftliche Hilfskraft und Verbrauchsmaterialien für die Forschung finanziert.

Wie kann man sich bewerben?
Das Programm ist offen für alle Studierenden der Universität Freiburg, die derzeit in einem livMatS-bezogenen Studiengang aus den Natur- oder Geisteswissenschaften eingeschrieben sind.

Weitere Informationen zum Master Lab finden Sie unter der Rubrik Karriere.


17 Teilnehmende Master Lab 6.0 Sommersemester 2023

Below some participant testimonials


Eleonora Galli, Applied Physics

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab was an incredible journey of personal and professional growth as an aspiring scientist.”

Forschungsthema: Predicting carbene’s stability from first principles

In this study we calculated the activation energy of carbenes, key in CH-insertion crosslinking reactions, using computational methods. We explored the influence of various substituents in the aromatic ring, offering a predictive guideline to expedite research.

Ramiro Venegas, Sustainable Materials - Polymer Sciences

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab proved to be a unique opportunity both on a professional and personal level. It allowed me to acquire on-demand skills and out-of-the-box thinking skills that will most definitely come in handing in my professional career. “

Forschungsthema: Freeze Extrusion: A novel approach to manufacture materials with functional gradients

I worked in a team developing a Freeze Extrusion machine, which will be able to manufacture functionally graded materials in a continuous and stable way.

Sebastian Ruppert, M.Sc. Biology

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab gave me the opportunity to work on my own project in a new research area. During the program I learned new methods and was able to improve my abilities in scientific writing and presenting in the soft skills sessions.

Forschungsthema: Design and 3D Printing of a Pneumatic Strain Sensor for Soft Robotics

I explored lower fabrication limitations for flexible FDM 3D printing and used the results to implement a strain sensor channel into a pneumatic bending actuator.


13 Teilnehmende Master Lab 5.0 Wintersemester 2022/23

Below some participant testimonials


Jana Stumpp, Sustainable Materials and Polymer Sciences

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab let me transform from a student to a scientist by giving me the chance to work individually on my own research topic. Meanwhile, the support from researchers as well as the soft skills sessions gave me the confidence to believe in myself and my research”

Forschungsthema: Implementation of Self-Reporting Microcapsules in Epoxy Resin Adhesive

Explored a novel route towards the design of adhesive composite that can debond “on demand” upon a mechanically-induced release of degrading agents.

Amlan Mishra, Microsystems Engineering

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab helped me to understand myself better, overall. I am now closer to know what I want to work on in the future and also how to move forward with it.

Forschungsthema: Effect of surface roughness on the perimeter of non-adhesive contacts

I performed Boundary Element simulations of a rough spherical contact on an elastic half-space in the absence of adhesion, and then compared the results with the results obtained of the same in the presence of adhesion.

Kiran Paul Nalli, Sustainable Materials - Polymer Sciences

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab gave me the opportunity to acquire research-oriented soft skills and cultivate professionalism. The program facilitated me with valuable networking opportunities with researchers from diverse fields."

Forschungsthema: Development of ThermoBatS actuators

Developed multifunctional ThermoBatS device with Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) and phase change materials (PCMs) that can harvest thermal energy as well as perform actuation simultaneously enabling it for MEMS applications.


9 Teilnehmende Master Lab 4.0 Sommersemester 2022

Below some participant testimonials


Johanna Trefs, Biochemistry and Biophysics

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab gave me the chance to tackle my own research challenge. This not only led to learning and growing in a new research area, but also to acquiring many interdisciplinary soft skills, making me a better researcher AND research communicator!”

Forschungsthema: Structural aspects and chemically fueled adaptivity of phosphate-driven peptide systems chemistry imaged by atomic force microscopy (AFM)

Used AFM imaging as method for structural characterization of selected self-assembly aminoacyl phosphates and microscopic analysis of a designed out-of-equilibrium peptide system.

Bekir Denli, Sustainable Materials-Polymer Sciences

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab was a great opportunity for me to develop both my soft skills and disciplinary knowledge in depth. It was my first valuable step into the scientist‘s world.”

Forschungsthema: Effect of Infill Pattern on Stress Relaxation of FDM-printed PLA

Investigated the correlation between the inputs of the 3D printing and the mechanical properties results of the sample. Was able to determine the effect of the infill pattern on the mechanical properties of the stress relaxation of FDM-based 3D printed parts.

Sonal Shireen Ranjan, Sustainale Materials-Polymer Sciences

“Taking part in the livMats Master Lab has helped me to build confidence on personal level and professionally taught me how to explain your work in an easy yet scientific language to the multidisciplinary audience”

Forschungsthema: Lubrication of surface attached hydrogels by using synovial joint as model

Investigated frictional properties and mechanical behaviour of hydrogels covalently attached to a solid glass substrate by CHic(C,H insertion crosslinking) reaction upon UV radiation. Approach aimed to reduce the friction between two moving parts using synovial joint as model and maintaining sustainability.


12 Teilnehmende Master Lab 3.0 Wintersemester 2021/22

Below some participant testimonials


Baris Erol, Sustainable Systems Engineering

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab program allowed me to work on a cutting-edge topic with great resources and experienced people. I had a chance to see what the research environment looks like if I want to pursue this field in the future.”

Forschungsthema: Assembling Metamaterials like Jigsaw Puzzles

Demonstrated how the propagation of elastic waves through metamaterial depends on the selected configuration.

Kajal Jain, Embedded Systems Engineering

“Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab taught me many new skills that will be immensely useful in all the next stages of my academic (master thesis, PhD) as well as industrial career.”

Forschungsthema: Towards Experimental Studies of Magnet-Assisted Self-Assembly

Built a semi-autonomous experimental setup using Fusion, Prussa Slicer, Raspberry Pi 3b, PCA9685 Module, Servo Motors, Python Programming Language and Computer Vision Libraries.

Keynaz Kamranikia, Polymer Sciences

"Taking part in the livMatS Master Lab I gained a deeper understanding of my field of study and developed more practical skills as a researcher."

Forschungsthema: Preparation of high-resolution microfluidic chips by micro stereolithography

The goal of this work was to create microfluidic chips with high resolution and big lateral dimension by 3D printing. To achieve this a photoresist was developed to be used for printing bridge structure without blocking the printed channels.


Teilnehmende Master Lab 2.0 Wintersemester 2020/21

Below some participant testimonials


Amogh Kumar Baranwal

„Die Teilnahme am livMatS Master Lab hat meinen Blickwinkel auf interdisziplinäre Forschung erweitert und mich für eine akademische Zukunft als Wissenschaftler begeistert.“

Forschungsthema: Studying Triboelectric Properties of Titania Nanotubes Functionalized with APTES

Fabricated titanium nanotubes by anodization in organic electrolytes with fluoride salts. I then characterized these nanotubes with SEM and XRD to determine their composition and structure.

Antonia Blunck, Psychologie

„Die Teilnahme am Master Lab war eine wertvolle Erfahrung, die meinen ‚wissenschaftlichen Horizont‘ erweitert hat: ich hatte die Möglichkeit, tiefe Einblicke in andere wissenschaftliche Bereiche zu erhalten.“

Forschungsthema: Cognitive-Affective Mapping (CAM) as a novel research tool

Conducted a psychological-philosophical case study on the Concept of Life in livMatS and the Anthropocene.

Florian Deussen, Chemie

„Die Teilnahme am Master Lab hat mir geholfen, als Wissenschaftler zu wachsen und war eine sehr positive Erfahrung. Dabei habe ich viel gelernt und hatte eine sehr schöne Zeit.“

Forschungsthema: Diazo-crosslinkers for photochemical activation

Investigated and further developed photosensitive crosslinkers. These crosslinkers can be used to form a polymer network and permanently implement desired properties.

James Fisher, Philosophie

„Die Teilnahme am livMatS Master Lab hat mich dazu bewegt, neue Anwendungen für meine philosophische Neugierde zu finden und mich neuen Fragestellungen zu öffnen.“

Forschungsthema: In artefacts as in life: On the intertwining of technological and ecological complexity in the Anthropocene

Using Niklas Luhmann’s Systems Theory, I attempted to understand how technology could react to the risk associated with the increased complexity of the Anthropocene.

Yu Wang, Nachhaltige und funktionale Materialien

„Die Teilnahme am livMatS Master Lab hat meinen Blickwinkel auf interdisziplinäre Forschung erweitert und die einsemestrige Master-Lab-Zeit war Geprägt von Lernen und Selbstverwirklichung. Das Forschungsthema hat mir geholfen, verschiedene konkrete Herausforderungen anzugehen, und die Arbeit in unserer Projektgruppe war eine gute Vorbereitung für meine berufliche Entwicklung. Ich bin ausgesprochen dankbar für die Anleitung und die Möglichkeiten, die mir das Master-Lab-Programm und meine Projektgruppe gegeben haben.“

Forschungsthema: Investigation of Capacity Fading of NMC850510 as Cathode Active Materials for Photo-Rechargeable Lithium-Ion-Batteries

Investigated the principle behind the technology “Photorechargeable Lithium-ion-battery for solar energy harvesting and storage”, prepared and conducted measurement methods, and analyzed the compatibility between LIB and photo-batteries.


Teilnehmende 2020

Below some participant testimonials


Philipp Gaiser, M.Sc. Chemie

„Die Teilnahme am Master Lab war eine spannende Erfahrung und der Einblick in Forschungsprojekte aus verschiedenen Wissenschaftsbereichen war sehr lehrreich.“

Forschungsthema: Redox-active Organic Compounds for Triboelectric Nano Generators

Synthesized both thiol functionalized model compounds for the investigation of triboelectric properties on a microscopic level and redox active polymers for application in TENG devices.

Ibrahim Ghanem, M.Sc. Mikrosystemtechnik

„Durch die Teilnahme am MasterLab habe ich erste Erfahrungen im Leben eines Wissenschaftlers gemacht: wissenschaftliche Vorträge besuchen, kritisch denken, Fragen stellen, Ideen diskutieren, über meine Forschung schreiben und sie präsentieren, die Vielfalt der wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen zu schätzen lernen...“

Forschungsthema: Rheology of Actin Networks

Simulated transmission of mechanical signals in actin networks of the cytoskeleton to better understand how those networks work.

Elena Katharina Hegge, M.Sc. Biologie

„Durch die Teilnahme am Master Lab habe ich weitere Themen der Forschungsbereiche vertieft und neue kreative Ideen für meine eigene Forschung bekommen.“

Forschungsthema: Functional morphology and biomechanics of touch and wind stimulated leaves of Pilea peperomioides

Analyses of differences between petiole and transition zone of peltate leaves and their thigmomorphogenetic acclimations

Michelle Modert, M.Sc. Biologie

„Die Teilnahme am Master Lab hat mich dazu gebracht, meine eigene Forschung aus einer anderen Perspektive zu sehen.“

Forschungsthema: Passion flower tendrils and gelatinous (G) fibre distribution

Investigated the formation and occurrence of G-fibres and their possible contribution to the free coiling mechanism in tendrils of two Passiflora species.