Chemistry Students Visit French Research Institute
On February 19, a group of 13 students from the Department of Chemistry, accompanied by their instructor Dr. Ernst-Christian Koch, visited the Franco-German Research Institute (ISL) in Saint-Louis, Haut-Rhin, France. The field trip marked the conclusion of the course “The Chemistry of Explosives,” which Koch has taught at RPTU since 2007 and which focuses on teaching the chemical and physical fundamentals of explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics.
At the ISL, the group was welcomed by the French director, Christian de Villemagne, who presented the institute’s history, research areas, and strategic goals. After taking a group photo with the director, the RPTU visitors were given a guided tour of the institute’s various departments. During the tour, they were able to view Europe’s largest electromagnetic cannon, various trans- and hypersonic wind tunnels, and detonation chambers.
In addition, there were presentations on selected research projects, including quantum chemical predictions of new energy sources for propellants, the use of nanometric systems in pyrotechnics, the application of intermetallic compounds for reactive linings, and the use of state-of-the-art methods for non-line-of-sight (NLOS) situational awareness, such as “Seeing Around Corners.”
On the French side, Dr. HDR. Denis Spitzer, director of the NS3E laboratory (Nanomatériaux pour les Systèmes Sous Sollicitations Extrêmes) at the University of Strasbourg—which is affiliated with the ISL—had organized the visit.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Friends of RPTU for covering the students’ travel expenses in the amount of 1,022 euros.
Ernst-Christian Koch
(Dr. Koch is an independent scientific consultant in Kaiserslautern (Lutradyn), an alumnus who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Kaiserslautern in 1995, and has been a member of the RPTU Friends’ Association ever since. In January of this year, he completed his habilitation at RPTU and will also serve as a private lecturer in the Department of Chemistry starting in the summer semester.)