Hochschule Bremen (HSB) - City University of applied sciences lives from the people who study, work and enrich it as guests. In our ‘Three questions for...’ section, we introduce some of these people - with their perspectives, projects and visions. Here: the two lecturers Stephanie Uffelmann (on the right in the photo above) and Bernd Sirius Claushen (on the left). Both are HSB alumni. In addition to their jobs, they look after the HSB's Airbus Café - and do so out of deep conviction.
Stephanie Uffelmann: No, quite the opposite: we deliberately work in an interdisciplinary way at the Airbus Café. Students from different disciplines come together here: from engineering, economics, computer science, design and social sciences. The focus is on thinking, doing and realising things together. We are diverse and international. Our working language is English.
Together we are working on the future of space travel. The overarching theme is ‘Reusable Space Transportation Systems’. The aim is to develop innovative concepts for making space travel more sustainable, economical and future-proof. This topic runs like a common thread through all project work and lectures on the module.
Bernd Sirius Claushen: For example, students are developing concepts for a space refuelling station that could refuel satellites or spacecraft in orbit or on other planets such as the moon. Other teams are working on a modular spacecraft for deep-space research that can be flexibly adapted for different scientific missions. This also includes the development of particularly robust, reusable space capsules, for example for the safe transport of materials or astronauts from orbit to the planet. This is not just about technology; business models, sustainability and practical implementation also play a key role.
Stephanie Uffelmann and Bernd Sirius Claushen: We both support the teaching format with great conviction. Not only as lecturers, but also as former participants in this module. We both studied at HSB. We know from our own experience how valuable this format is for students. It creates a real bridge between university and industry and promotes interdisciplinary thinking in a way that goes far beyond traditional teaching formats. The module offers students the opportunity to come into contact with relevant practical issues during their studies, to work together with experts from companies such as Airbus or ArianeGroup and to develop their own ideas in a realistic setting. We particularly value the open, project-orientated approach, which takes students out of their professional comfort zone and encourages them to adopt new perspectives - professionally, methodologically and personally.
The Airbus Café is just as beneficial for industry. It offers the opportunity to enter into dialogue with the talents of tomorrow, to get to know fresh approaches and to work together on solutions for the challenges of the future. The Airbus Café is a learning and innovation space where university knowledge meets real industrial issues. This is precisely why we are happy to be involved in this special module with full conviction.
The Airbus Café is a co-operation between Hochschule Bremen and Airbus, ArianeGroup and other partners from industry. As a rule, around ten to 20 students take part. Enough to bring together diverse perspectives and specialisms, but small enough for intensive, personal teamwork. The module has been running since 2016 and always takes place in the summer semester.
Stephanie Uffelmann and Bernd Sirius Claushen both studied aerospace engineering at HSB, where they initially completed their Bachelor of Engineering degrees. They went on to complete a Master of Science in Aerospace Technologies at Hochschule Bremen and a Master of Science in Space and Satellite Technologies at Gdańsk University of Technology in Poland as part of the International Double Degree Master's Programme in Engineering and Management of Space Systems. During their studies, both worked as student trainees at ArianeGroup in Bremen. Stephanie Uffelmann works there currently. Bernd Sirius Claushen is employed by Airbus Defence and Space in Manching.
