We are TUM – The Podcast

In this episode we are at the TUM Campus Heilbronn, which has developed rapidly over the past six years. With more than 1,000 students from all over the world, strong connections to companies and exciting topics around AI, management and digitalisation, the TUM Campus Heilbronn is more than just a place to learn. We hear from those who help shape the campus - from the student perspective to strategic visions for the coming years.

This episode's guests:

• Prof. Dr. Gunther Friedl, Managing Director for Science at the Dieter Schwarz Stiftung, former Dean of the TUM School of Management
• Ali Sunyaev, Vice President of TUM Campus Heilbronn
• Robin Schukrafft, student
• Aqsa Kazmi, Alumna

published on 04/14/2025

Did you miss an episode? Find all the previous episodes of the podcast series "We are TUM" here.

In this episode, we talk to CIO Alexander Braun about our university's new AI strategy and take a look at the current use of artificial intelligence in research and teaching with Alena Buyx, Professor of Ethics in Medicine and Health Technologies. Media didactics expert Ben Lenk-Ostendorf shows how AI can be usefully integrated into didactic concepts and teacher training.

This episode deals with the important topic of mental health. We are joined by Kristin Knipfer, one of the organizers of the Mental Health Day at TUM. We talk about current research with David Ebert, Professor of Psychology & Digital Mental Health Care. We also meet Johanna Schmickler, research assistant at the Department of Sport and Health Education, and student Alexa Schneider, who have developed a project on sleep hygiene.

In 2023, our university completed its reorganization from faculties to schools. In this podcast episode, we take a look at the TUM School of Engineering and Design to find out how this change worked and what opportunities and challenges it brought. Our guests: Christoph Gehlen, Founding Dean of the School, Michaela Wenzel from the School's Diversity Office, Professor for Digital Fabrication Kathrin Dörfler and Professor for Engineering Risk Analysis Daniel Straub.

The second TUM Sustainability Day took place in June 2024. Our guests are also committed to a more sustainable university in research, teaching, campus management and construction: Among them are Vice President for Sustainable Transformation Prof. Werner Lang, Professor for Urban Productive Ecosystems Monika Egerer as well as Climate action manager Jonathan Bauer and sustainability Manager Veronica Becker from the TUM Sustainability Office.

Prof. Sebastian Pfotenhauer, spokesperson for the MCube research cluster, and Marco Kellhammer, head of the sub-project "Car-reduced districts for a liveable city (AQT)", demonstrate the importance of the public for their research. Other projects: Student Hannah Tilsch has developed a strategy for dealing with hate speech on social media, Franziska Bauer and Immanuel Wolfschläger are using an app in their research on blue-green algae.

Since the start of the funding competition in 2006, TUM has been a "University of Excellence". In this episode, we ask ourselves how we can remain excellent and what factors need to be in place to achieve this. Our guests are President Thomas F. Hofmann, physicist and part of the ORIGINS Cluster Elisa Resconi, science manager Björn Jahnke and Laura Palomino, a winner of the TUM Future Learning Award 2023.

Professor of Non-destructive Testing Laboratory Christian Große talks about the discovery of a previously unknown chamber in the Pyramid of Cheops and the technology behind it. Also guests: system administrator Wolfgang Nowarre, student and part of TUfast Eco Jonas Bauer, who set a new Guinness World Record with his team, and Christa Jansen from the Studierendenwerk with tips for successfully finding accommodation in Munich.

Indoor farms promise to save resources and avoid pesticides – Senthold Asseng, Professor of Digital Agriculture, is in the final of the "project of the century" ideas competition with his research on this topic. Other guests: hidden champions Marion Friederich and Ana Dzhigovechki from the TUM Family Service and Leonie Popken from the university group visiTUM. Finally, psychotherapist Annika Hughes shows strategies to manage fears during studies.

Prof. Chiara Manfletti in an interview on innovations and economic efficiency in space travel, students Merle Neumann and Simon Gruber introduce the university group Asian-European Society Munich, and Hidden Champions Henrik Eickhoff and Luis Schnürer share their experiences at this year's dragon boat race. In addition, student Emma Jung gives tips on starting university.

Nam Truong, CEO of the start-up "STABL Energy", demonstrates how sustainable battery storage works, Hidden Champion Daniela Seidl shows her work in the TUM Legal Office - and Andreas Fleischmann, Director of ProLehre, talks about the use of ChatGPT in the scientific community. In addition, writing coach Alexandra Peischer gives tips against writer's block. English transcript of this episode

Researchers Stefan Esselborn and Sascha Dickel discuss the issue of trust in science. Nina Schaller and Anika Berling-Ernst provide an insight into their “TUM Gesunde Hochschule” project, which encourages employees to make small lifestyle changes to improve health, and Stephan Geifes from the DAAD provides tips for a semester abroad. Plus, brewer and maltster Jakob Schwarz introduces the Brewing and Beverage Technology degree program. English transcript of this episode

Ruth Müller shares insights into the research at the Center for Responsible AI Technologies, which investigates AI from ethical and social science points of view; spokesperson Ulrich Meyer presents the TUM professorial appointment process; and Clara Buchholz explains how the student group she.codes raises interest for STEM subjects among women. Student Sarah Ziegler shares her tips for life in the student housing facility. English transcript of this episode

How will megacities transition to electro-mobility? David Eckhoff and Tobias Massier of TUMCREATE in Singapore are tackling exactly this question. They use simulators to test an electric transportation system in this million-strong metropolis. Also with us in this episode: Start-up advisor Alina Friedrichs, Katharina Tartler of the student group VACCtion and writing coach Dzifa Vode. English transcript of this episode

Many researchers have fled Ukraine since the beginning of the war. TUM has created a special Fellowship program at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) to accommodate ten researchers. This special episode spotlights three of them: Dr. Olya Popovych from Ivano-Frankivsk as well as Prof. Julia Yamnenko and Oksana Chernova, Ph.D., both from Kyiv. English transcript of this episode

Prof. Thomas Auer and Prof. Florian Nagler show us how their research project "Einfach Bauen" (Simple Building) enables a minimalistic building method; Hidden Champion Tobias Michl tells us how the university can become even more sustainable and Amelie Binder presents her start-up CargoKite. The episode concludes with recycling tips from Helga Seitz. English transcript of this episode

Prof. David Wuttke shows us how he uses virtual reality when teaching, Hidden Champion Axel Pichlmaier gives us some insights into safety at the FRM II research reactor and Dominik Gruber presents the start-up BrauFässchen, which sells home-brew beer kits. We conclude with Christina Holzapfel's nutrition tips for a productive everyday routine. English transcript of this episode

Nutritional medicine specialist Hans Hauner puts dietary supplements to the test, Hidden Champion Daniel Koll talks about his assignment as team leader of the student counseling service and we speak with student Stine Kindervater about fashion phenomena during the pandemic. In addition there are five tips from tax expert Raymond Kudraß. English transcript of this episode

Prof. Christian Djeffal talks about dealing with cyber-attacks and trolls, Michael Baumann presents the start-up TWAICE and his software for battery analytics; in addition, Ursula Wandl and Christine Maurer report on their career activities as patient advocates. We close with tips from Alfred Wiater on optimum quality of sleep. English transcript of this episode

Ukrainian students share their impressions on the outbreak of war and Prof. Sebastian Goerg analyzes the impacts of an energy embargo. In addition, occupational psychologist Andrea Hufnagel shares five techniques which help out in case of psychological stress, and Anja Schmidt reports on the ongoing digitalization of the TUM architectural museum archive. English transcript of this episode

Pascal O. Berberat discusses teaching methods for training future physicians to be more empathetic, Hidden Champion Philipp Merkl of TUM ForTe offers us advice on patent applications and Fabian Richter, head of the TUM student council, shares his experiences from two years of the pandemic. The episode concludes with Maximilian Mendius from BMW who gives us his five tips on successful job applications. English transcript of this episode

Markus Wächter looks back on 20 years of TUM Asia, Jürgen Wettlaufer presents the university fire department and we speak with Katharina Kreitz about her start-up Vectoflow, which makes flow probes in 3D printers. The episode finishes with five tips from Frédéric Margue on how to reconcile sports with a full appointment calendar. English transcript of this episode

Gudrun Klinker talks about the intersections between games engineering, augmented reality and psychology, we get to know Hidden Champion Anja Bräunig from the professorial appointment team and we visit with founder Florian Grigoleit, whose product "modelwise" exposes technical safety gaps. We finish with Peter Rösler, who give us five tips on speed reading. English transcript of this episode

BMW Board of Management member Frank Weber talks about how the university and industry benefit from one another thanks to quantum computing; Fabian Schlang presents his start-up's aroma-based drinking system and and Lisa Marie Ullrich, program director of the Munich Security Conference gives us tips on good networking. We also take a look at the hidden art treasures of TUM. English transcript of this episode

We delve into the field of AI with Daniel Cremers, winner of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize, we meet space planner Gudrun Obst and speak with student Veronica Becker about "Plant a Seed". Werner Lang explains sustainable construction and Bernd Sibler tells us about the ONE MUNICH Strategy Forum – And there are five useful tips: This episode's topic is mobile working. English transcript of this episode

Virologist Ulrike Protzer analyzes the current corona situation, two students talk about their digital university life and economics expert Gunther Friedl tells us what he's learned from the crisis. This episode's "Hidden Champion" is Adjunct Teaching Professor Roland Wüchner – and Christoph Müller-Höcker shares tips for more concentrated work. English transcript of this episode