Korean TV dramas resonate with global audiences. This is thanks in no small part to a dedicated community that translates K-dramas, provides commentary, and supplements them with cultural explanations. Researchers at the University of Basel have investigated meaning is collectively negotiated and how individual streaming is transformed into a communal experience.
Chipo Mellisa Kaliofasi came to Basel, thanks to a scholarship, and is working in the Department of History to obtain her doctorate. She is a member of the Shona people in Zimbabwe and researches inheritance laws and practices for Shona-speaking women during colonial times. To do so, she travels to the most rural districts of her home country.
Researchers at the University of Basel have repurposed a natural enzyme so that it catalyzes a highly challenging chemical reaction. Their approach opens new possibilities for synthesizing complex molecules—such as pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals—in a more environmentally friendly and efficient way.
In his research, Linus Hany focuses on statistics, and as a volunteer, he is committed to helping people who are at risk of being forgotten by the system. It’s important to avoid snap judgments in both these areas.
As a doctoral student in computer science, Rahel Arnold is working on better integrating multimedia content and augmented reality. Meanwhile, her work-life balance rests on eight wheels.
By the end of the century, water temperatures in Swiss rivers will rise by up to 3.5 degrees if no action to protect the climate is taken. The rivers in the Alps are particularly affected. This is the conclusion reached by researchers from Eawag and the University of Basel.
Researchers from the universities of Basel and Zurich have used a historical specimen from University of Zurich's Medical Collection to decode the genome of the virus responsible for the 1918 to 1920 influenza pandemic in Switzerland. The genetic material of the virus reveals that it had already developed key adaptations to humans at the outset of what became the deadliest influenza pandemic in history.
Researchers at the University of Basel have developed mechanical models that can predict how effectively the different layers of a deep neural network transform data. Their results improve our understanding of these complex systems and suggest better strategies for training neural networks.
Her interest in history and other people led her to study theology; it also plays a role in her dissertation. Anita Dirnberger focuses on a passage from the Hebrew Bible that challenges her time and again. She balances her everyday life in research and teaching by working with her hands.
