Theme: Dive In

When was the last time you found yourself on the cusp of something new? Felt amazed by plunging into an unknown topic and learned something unexpectedly wonderful? There’s so much to discover in the tiny details and bigger picture of the world around us, the worlds between us, and the world within us.

Dive In not only draws inspiration from the individual and the community, but looks beyond the surface of our social landscape. By exploring the thrill of technology as well as concepts from bygone eras to shape the world around us, we can create a space for all of our future ideas. Whether steering the journey in a certain direction, or just letting the wind guide us to new discoveries, let’s celebrate how much is still out there for us to explore.

Dare to take the plunge with us—Dive In!

TUM Main campus
Arcisstraße 21
Munich, Bayern
Germany

Anja Schweimer

Dog Evangelist

A self-described Dog Evangelist, Anja Schweimer wants to go down in history as someone who enhanced the lives of millions of animals. In her words, “Animals never betray us, and they spend time with us even if we look like the Swamp Thing.” Her passion for animals is only one side of the story, though. When she’s not trying to telepathically connect to her dog, Peter, Anja is probably creating something from nothing (her own shampoo or deodorant, or perhaps even a magic trick!) or reading anything she can get her hands on. A few intriguing tidbits about Anja? It’s (generally) always sunny on her birthday, she’s usually running five minutes late, and her ultimate goal in life is to have a conversation with a dog. Through Anja’s love of dogs (and really, all animals) we’re able to see the world through new eyes.

Ceee (Corinna Ruba)

Muse

When Ceee (aka Corinna Ruba) was growing up, she wanted to be a veterinarian. And yet…the adults in her family were musicians who quickly discovered her voice as an operatic singer. At six years old, an artist was born. Not just an opera singer, Ceee is a dynamo of a performer: after a childhood spent training as a classical singer and thespian as well as teenage years spent in a rock band, she understands the many facets of the stage. Ceee works to modernize classical music for a new generation of audiences, and this is apparent not only in her refreshing 2017 solo album, “Ganymed,” but also in the foundation of her PEACE&LOVE ORCHESTRA here in Munich. These days—when Ceee’s not writing and producing her own music for art performances—she’s probably hanging out with her dog Rocco, eating pasta, or redecorating something in her home.

Dominique de Marné

Mental Health Advocate

Dominique de Marné appreciates life’s gifts—big and small. She’d spend every day in the mountains if she could, and yet the light at sunset brings her bliss on a daily basis. So much of Dominique’s personality is electric, but something in particular stands out: ask her to rate her happiness on a scale of 1 to 10, and she’ll probably hit you with a 9. At first blush, she seems like a naturally exuberant person sharing joy with the world…but what if you learned that Dominique’s upbeat demeanor is the hard-won victory over a battle with mental health? Dominique was held captive by a darkness over her life for ten arduous years, but worked to lift herself into the sunshine. Nowadays, as an advocate for mental health, she shares her story to help shine a light for anyone who is struggling in their own darkness.

Ferdinand Ludwig

Interdisciplinary Researcher and Designer

If you ask architect and TUM Professor Ferdinand Ludwig about his hobbies, he’ll talk to you about trees. In fact, he says that he drives his friends and family crazy with his tree-talk, but here’s the thing: it’s in his nature. With a PhD in architecture and a passion for trees, a revolutionary synthesis was forged: Baubotanik. This innovative way of constructing—blending the natural with the manmade to create structures for the future—launched Ferdinand into a new league of thinkers in the field of architecture. He’s become someone willing to step outside the constraints of the norm to do things differently. By developing the approach of Baubotanik with his associate, Daniel Schönle, multiple living structures have already been vitalized in Europe. Ferdinand’s ultimate goal? A future where clients want to build boldly, and aren’t afraid to incorporate nature into their blueprints…no matter how risky it may seem.

Gordon Cheng

Professor for Cognitive Systems

TUM’s own Gordon Cheng envisions a future in which robots and humans can work together. Instead of taking our jobs, in Gordon’s version of the future, robots should be doing the work that humans don’t want to do anymore. As founder of TUM’s Institute for Cognitive Systems and a professor of the same discipline, Gordon is fascinated by the potential of robotics—a passion which harkens back to his boyhood days. As a child in front of the television, Gordon noticed that robots in cartoons always seemed to enhance human life, and he became captivated by the possibilities of the future. Gordon’s work has spanned across the globe, reaching Australia, Asia, and Europe. Though he is a foremost a robotics scientist, Gordon was distinguished in 2017 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers for his work in neurorobotics and humanoid robotic systems.

Iwanson International

Professional Dancers

The dancers at Iwanson International are more than performers: they are true virtuosos at their art. Emboldened by the belief that the world needs more art, these contemporary dancers connect with audiences to illustrate what the body is capable of doing. As one of the top academies in Europe for contemporary dance, Iwanson International has created a reputation for itself since its founding in 1974. The academy welcomes students from around the world—currently teaching students of 26 different nationalities. Iwanson International is under the direction of Johannes Härtl and Marie Preußler. In addition to the regular curriculum objectives, students can also partake in Iwanson International’s extracurricular program. Through this exchange program, students can take their education to new heights while gaining a priceless cultural perception of another culture.

Julia Herzen

X-ray scientist

Julia Herzen considers her main role in this world as that of an X-ray scientist, but a deeper look at her contributions to the field reveal much more. A physicist by profession, Julia rose through the educational ranks to work for a number of years in Hamburg, Brugg, Munich, and Dortmund. Here’s the thing about Julia: she understands the necessity of adaptability. As a teenager, she switched schools five times. She’s lived in four different countries: born in Russia, moved to Kazakhstan at age 4, then to Germany as a pre-teen and to Switzerland as a guest scientist. She’s worked at varying ends of the occupational spectrum; from a geriatric nurse to a biomedical imaging physicist, Julia embodies resilience. When she’s not getting paid to conduct exciting research, you can probably find her in the mountains, or savoring the sound of her daughter’s laughter.

Luminity

Part-time jugglers

The eight members of the group Luminity have quite a different definition of the word “club” than most people in their age group. Instead of hitting the nightclubs, these young performers (ranging from age 17 to 28) are internationally-renowned jugglers, working together to develop new and thrilling routines to captivate audiences here in Munich as well as at conventions abroad. Currently, Luminity has attended more than 40 juggling conventions around the world, with no plans to slow down. They have performed at the European Juggling Convention—one of the world’s most acclaimed festivals for jugglers—and strive to perform on every continent at least once. If money was no obstacle, they say, they’d attend each and every juggling convention worldwide. In a nod to its name, Luminity works with programmed clubs which enhance their talent, leading to a dazzling overall performance.

Marcus da Gloria Martins

Mediator

When you ask Marcus da Gloria Martins for a bit of random advice, prepare to get inspired. “If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping when there’s a mosquito in the room.” There’s a reason that he’s been Communications Officer of Polizei München for the past four years. In his line of work, Marcus mediates for one of the most prominent police authorities in Germany, breathing life into what was once a stale government institution. By embracing a more digital approach to correspondence, Marcus can reach further and connect deeper to citizens, colleagues, and officers throughout his district. Marcus is fired up about dialogue, even if it’s distressing for him. An avid listener, his workdays usually span over 10 hours to work out the challenges that arise daily in Munich. However, if money were no obstacle, Marcus says, he’d probably do the exact same job.

Paul Salazar

Entrepreneur and Amateur Astronomer

Entrepreneur and amateur astronomer Paul Salazar sits at a cross-section of different paths in life. Stemming from Mexican and Armenian roots, he’s a native of Los Angeles. His 30-year software and tech career led him up the California coastline to Silicon Valley before diverting across the globe to Munich, Germany. Despite Paul’s journeys across our planet, he’s always had his eyes on the skies. His passion for astronomy is something that he wants to share with the world around him. A natural teacher, he wants to not only improve the world but enrich it; it is Paul’s ultimate goal to use his knowledge, passion, and zest for the stars as a driving force for minds (young and old) around him. Paul is a storyteller, an optimist, a traveler, a sidewalk astronomer, a coffee-drinker.

Peter Gritzmann

Mathematician

Peter Gritzmann is a man of many facets—academic teacher, entrepreneur, family man, citizen—but if you ask him to sum up his role in the world, he’d go with the term Mathematician. As someone who believes that there’s always something new to explore and understand, Peter is constantly on the hunt for a new problem to inspire him. An author of multiple books and numerous academic publications in addition to his work as a tenured professor of mathematics at TUM, Peter is an educator as well as a learner. He has worked with TUM for several years, not just in his current position but also formerly as Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. Peter’s pointed international interest has also led him to Africa, where he worked with the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences. For Peter, life is about exploring the new and uncovering possibilities.

Sandra Heinzen

User Experience Designer

As a user experience designer, Sandra Heinzen is in charge of clearing out the complications and enhancing the user experience for clients in the digital sphere. She has traveled the world, encountered new cultures, and learned from the people she’s met.These days, she’s taking on new projects to optimize the here and now. A side hustle is nothing new for Sandra—who uses activities outside of work like tattooing and web design to keep her mind fresh—but now, she’s going for impact. Inspired by design, art, and the fellow humans of Earth, Sandra’s teaching others how to keep our planet healthier for longer. It’s her ultimate goal to live a robust life, and to keep sustainability as a priority. Whether she’s tattooing her art, building a website from scratch, or enhancing the way we use products, Sandra is committed to creating change—one design at a time.

Valentina Cafolla

Student, freediver and finswimmer

If you ever need to find Valentina Cafolla, she’s probably somewhere in the sea. An avid devotee to the ocean and everything it has to offer, Valentina spends most of her days with the sea on her mind. As the Second Strongest Woman in finswimming in Croatia, Valentina feels that the sea is not only a place of peace and mystery, but a catalyst for power. Alongside her prestigious finswimming title, Valentina also holds the Female World Record for Dynamic Freediving under ice—which she earned at just 19 years old. As someone who wants to be remembered for her triumphs in sports, Valentina has already broken the ice toward that achievement. Fun fact: as a child, Valentina wanted to be a dentist, but she forged her own path, becoming an athlete instead. She’s still following her passions and lunging forward in life.

Vincent Fricke

Foodpreneur

When Vincent Fricke was younger, he was given a piece of sage advice from a teacher: “Make every moment count.” To this day, he’s taken this to heart, even two decades later. As a master of versatility in the kitchen, Vincent wants to convey to the world that choosing what to eat should be an important decision—not a careless one. Through several different pop-up restaurants over the years, Vincent has proven his business acumen and knowledge of his craft time and time again. Not only does Vincent believe in utilizing as much of an animal as possible for food (the “nose to tail” method), but he employs this strategy in all his restaurants—whether the cuisine is carnivorous or vegetarian. Vincent has educated children on how to fuel their bodies well through the project Kochen Mit Zukunft, e.V., and has published two cookbooks.