Successful interim evaluation of the two Helmholtz Innovation Labs at the GFZ

The two Helmholtz Innovation Labs at the GFZ have been positively evaluated: FERN.Lab and 3D-US Lab receive another two years of funding.

FERN.Lab and 3D-US Lab receive another two years of funding

After 2.5 years of funding by the Helmholtz Association, an interim evaluation of all currently funded Helmholtz Innovation Labs took place in summer 2022. Of these application and cooperation platforms, seven were selected by Helmholtz for funding in the first round and nine more from 2019 onwards, two of them at the GFZ.

The two Innovation Labs established at the GFZ

FERN.Lab

 is an innovative technology platform for sustainable resource management. Together with GFZ scientists and partners from industry, FERN.Lab develops a variety of applications for different areas such as nature conservation, agriculture, forestry and waste management on the basis of satellite data.

3D-US Lab is a network for the establishment of 3D underground seismics. It consists of the application-oriented research group at the GFZ, industry representatives and mining universities. The Lab develops seismic measurement methods and instruments for underground use in the exploration of geotechnically relevant structures, such as faults in the vicinity of tunnels and mines. 

Successful appraisal

Both labs have worked successfully over the past two years and fulfilled a number of success indicators. Due to the positive review results, the funding phase of FERN.Lab was extended until the end of 2024 and the 3D-US Lab will also move into the second phase of funding by the Helmholtz Association with the fulfilment of a condition.

Future of the Innovation Labs

This means that both labs will be able to work with their partners for another two years on new technologies and innovations with future potential and provide significant support for knowledge and technology transfer. The successful transfer activities of the Labs will also strengthen the revenue side of the GFZ, so that a permanent establishment of both Labs beyond the funding period can be expected.

Background: Helmholtz Innovation Labs

The innovation program "Helmholtz Innovation Labs" aims to establish the recently-developed concept of "maker-/hackerspaces" or "fablabs" at the Research Centers and to adapt it accordingly. These physical "enabling spaces" are intended to represent an interface between industrial research and non-university research, which is embedded in a long-term strategy and thus goes beyond pure contract research and previous transfer instruments.

The Innovation Labs are intended to give scientists and industry partners the opportunity of doing research and developing ideas together on an equal footing. This close and iterative interaction between science, industry (SMEs and major corporations), and users or customers is not only intended to help improve technologies, but also to bring in, at an early stage in the process, the different perspectives of other market participants that are critical for the success of the development from invention to innovation.

Scientific contact:

Additional News

Portrait Lars Bernard, green background

The Board of Trustees appoints Prof. Lars Bernard to the Scientific Advisory Board of the…

Portrait photo of Harald Schuh, background: green

AGU Award for Harald Schuh

The glass building with flagging "IASS" at Helmholtzstraße 5.

An ideal addition to the Helmholtz Association

SLR Station, Laser

New DFG Research Unit “Clock Metrology: A Novel Approach to TIME in Geodesy” with GFZ…

Niels Hovius portrait

Niels Hovius appointed to the renowned "National Academy of Science and Engineering –…

[Translate to English:] GFZ-Logo

GFZ's position on the Leopoldina paper “Earth System Science”

Kimberella fossile

Feeding strategies of the oldest known animals (Ediacara)

Portraits of the five young researchers

EGU OSPP Awards 2022 to five GFZ researchers

[Translate to English:] Lila Flagge wehend über einem Dachgiebel

Interviews on the occasion of the Purple Light Up 2022

Obituary picture of Dr. Kemâl Erbas.

Obituary Dr. Kemâl Erbas

Two profile photos and in between the logo of BMWK and a symbol image for a text document.

Important signal for the expansion of deep geothermal energy

German map with quality-checked data points, shown as columns

A new heat-flow analysis shows higher values for Germany

P. Martinez-Garzon in a forest next to a giant split rock

Dr. Patricia Martinez-Garzon wins ERC Starting Grant for her project QUAKE-HUNTER

Map of Türkiye with the marked epicentre of the earthquake in the northwestern part of the country

Background on today's earthquake in northwest Türkiye

Topography map of the alps.

What is driving the Alps upwards?

Groupp picture ICDP/IODP Kolloquiums

Joint IODP/ICDP-Colloquium at GFZ

Teachers in lecture hall during lecture

"Extreme Events in the Earth System" - 20th "System Earth" Autumn School

Two young researchers stand in front of trees holding their certificates, next to them stands Ludwig Stroink, who awarded the certificates.

“GFZ Friends” honours Theresa Hennig and Lei Wang with the “Friedrich-Robert-Helmert Prize…

Satellite image of a desert area: Colorful spots show different minerals.

German environmental satellite EnMAP: start into regular operation

On the left, a measuring tower in a low overgrown tundra landscape.

More methane from Siberia in summer

[Translate to English:] Profilfoto mit schwarzem Rahmen von Henning Francke

Obituary: Henning Francke

Group photo with projekt responsible

Making geodata interoperable and suited for curiosity driven research: GEO-INQUIRE project…

Schema Energiebereitstellung durch Geothermie

European Geothermal Congress from 17 to 21 October 2022 in Berlin

Gruppenfoto PAM

International Conference on Polar and Alpine Microbiology

Leni Scheck Wenderoth

“AWG Professional Excellence Award” for Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth

Ausbildung am GFZ

Berufsausbildung und duales Studium am GFZ

Dr. Ute Weckmann during the opening speech of the workshop

Dr. Ute Weckmann takes over the chairmanship of IAGA Division VI

Anke Neumann aon a boat during a research trip

Dr Anke Neumann is a Senior Humboldt Research Fellow

Earth Model

New DFG priority programme on deep Earth evolution over geologic time

Schematic of plunging Earth plates under the ocean with water transport and the Al molecules involved: This is how water migrates deeper into the Earth than previously assumed.

Water is seeping deeper into Earth than expected

back to top of main content