Online Survey on Coronavirus Effects
The Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen has launched an online survey titled The Effects of the Initial Restrictions Caused by the Coronavirus Crisis on the Quality and Stability of Relationships in Couples, Families, and Shared Flats in Self-Isolation or Quarantine at Home. The aim of this study is to find out if and how the initial restrictions and the resulting close cohabitation of a few people (namely those living together in a household) affected social relationships by interviewing the study participants at three points in time using an online questionnaire: during the initial restrictions phase, after three months, and after six months. The questionnaire takes about 30 minutes to complete and is only available in German.
Research Project: Innovative Textiles for Face Masks
Researchers from Freie Universität Berlin at the Institute for Animal and Environmental Hygiene and the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University, short ITA, are collaborating on the topic of alternative personal protection equipment. As part of their research, they have tested innovative textiles for face masks that directly inactive SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. The testing was conducted in the context of the EIT Health Project ViruShield, supported by the European Union, with the objective to discover alternative filter materials for face masks in light of supply shortages and globally imbalanced supply chains for personal protective equipment.
While researchers at the Institut für Textiltechnik of RWTH Aachen University (ITA) conducted experiments on the chemical and physical properties of various textiles for face masks, researchers at Freie Universität Berlin were able to demonstrate that the textiles developed by Swiss firm Livinguard can reduce high amounts of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles by up to 99.9% within a few hours.
Testing Center at Tivoli Stadium Closes
The jointly acting crisis teams of the City of Aachen and StädteRegion Aachen have decided to close the municipal testing center of the City and StädteRegion Aachen and the associated call center at Aachen Tivoli Stadium on June 13, the City of Aachen has announced in a press release.
A total of 23,000 tests have been carried out in Aachen and Eschweiler since March. Recently, significantly fewer than 100 tests have been carried out per day. There are still appointments available until 4 pm on Friday, June 12.
http://www.aachen.de/DE/stadt_buerger/notfall_informationen/corona/aktuelles/index.html
Distancing Rules Eased for Exams
The distancing rules for examinations have now been eased so that we no longer have to keep the 1.50m distance to the hallway. The lecture halls for the use of exams have now been marked according to this new rule. This increases the capacity to about one eighth of the usual seating capacity. “We are also in negotiations with the Studierendenwerk about using the dining halls for examinations,” explains Vice-Rector for Teaching Professor Aloys Krieg. “Under these circumstances, we are striving to stick to the existing exam plans for larger and medium-sized exams (we currently expect about 150 participants) as far as possible, only adjusting room capacities and times. Smaller exams, on the other hand, may be postponed by several days.”
Unfortunately, under the new rules, the ZuseLab still has less than half the usual exam capacity at present. “So we will have to make significant changes to the exam planning in the ZuseLab, because no other alternatives are available. We will publish the new plans as soon as the planning and coordination is complete,” declares the Vice-Rector.
The guidelines have been updated accordingly.
Contact Tracing of Participants: Data Sheet Mandatory for In-Person Activities
As already announced to employees last week, we must also guarantee that all participants of in-person teaching and exam sessions can be traced in accordance with the updated NRW Coronavirus Protection Ordinance. In addition to the participants’ name and address, their telephone number is also required, which is voluntarily stored on RWTHonline. For this reason, all participants must complete this document at each session. If necessary, this information must be sent to the health department of the city region. The institute must keep the data secure and then destroy it four weeks after the event.
“When it comes to exams, gatherings of people at the entrance must be avoided,” explains Vice-Rector for Teaching Professor Aloys Krieg. For this reason, the University institutions must distribute the form with each exam on the designated desk. “Students must fill in the form during the exam. At the end, the form will be collected together with the exam papers, then separated from them, securely stored, and destroyed after four weeks,” continues Professor Krieg.
Ban on Entering the Königshügel Stadium to be Lifted On June 15
The University Sports Center (HSZ) has announced that the current ban on entering the Königshügel Stadium will be lifted on June 15. As a result, the running track and the woodchip track can then be used once again. The extended interim sports program has already been running since June 2. In addition to the outdoor classes already on offer, courses are now once again held in the Königshügel Sports Hall Complex, the Ahornstraße Sports Hall, and the Eckertweg Sports Hall. The reopening of the RWTH Gym under special arrangements has also been successful and participants can go upon a single appointment booking. Booking is always enabled 24 hours prior to the course via the HSZ website and no staff sports card is required for this. The running tracks can also be used to prepare for the online Lousberglauf, which is part of the NRW Uni-Laufcup. The event is free of charge and independent of location. Please read further information on this offer at Lousberglauf.de.
New Download Area for Documents Related to the Coronavirus
The various downloads previously available on the topics of health, studies, teaching and research, infrastructure and travel are now available on one central page of the RWTH website. This page, as well as the FAQs and the overview of the current deadlines, will be constantly updated:
RWTH Podcast Episode 5: Professor Dreher Presents the Physician’s View of the Situation
With Professor Michael Dreher from the Clinic for Pneumology at RWTH Aachen University, episode 5 of the RWTH podcast Corona – Our Answers to the Pandemic presents a medical view of current events and their development to date.
Together with his team from the RWTH Chair of Sociology of Technology and Organization (STO), Professor Roger Häußling conducts video chat interviews with those responsible for the digitization of teaching, as well as virologists and physicians at Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, the Rectorate of RWTH, AStA Student’s Committee, political scientists and experts in ethics, economics (including innovation research), computer science, and mechanical engineering.
The podcast “Corona und das Studi-Life” of the Student Health Management of RWTH, SGM for short, is also still running. Episode 4 is available online.
Online Continuing Education Events for Employees
Due to the current situation, many continuing education events at RWTH Aachen University cannot take place in a seminar format as originally planned. However, in order to enable all employees to continue developing their skills during these times, many planned events have now been converted to an online format. To facilitate the overview, the event database can be filtered according to the formats “Online”, “In-Person” and “Blended (Online + In-Person)”. If you have any detailed questions about the corresponding offers, please contact the respective contact person.
Student Course Evaluations Only Conducted Online
The online semester also has an impact on the student course evaluations, which have been conducted at RWTH every semester since 2004. Previously, it was usually possible for instructors to choose between conducting the questionnaire online or on paper. The overwhelming majority chose the paper questionnaire, which was filled out during the course and consequently resulted in consistently high participation rates. Under the conditions of the online semester, however, this option is not possible. Therefore, all courses will be evaluated online this time around. In order to do justice to the changed conditions in teaching, the questionnaire also differs in content. In particular, a new block of questions on online teaching has now been added.