HAIlights

Looking for some culture, city history, university life, facts and figures, professional or entertaining things to do after work? Then why not visit a HAIlight!

In the event series “HAIlight” we have been taking a look behind the scenes of the university together with you for more than 10 years now to brush up memories and discover sides of Ruperto Carola, that have been unrevealed during your time here. We get to know new sides of Heidelberg or gain exciting insights into life and work of  our members and other people associated with the university. Be in for a surprise!

 

Current HAIlight

 

Swimming for the environment 2,700 km in the Danube

Documentary film by and with alumnus Andreas Fath

When: Wednesday, 23 October 2024 – 7 p.m.
Where: Gloria Cinema Heidelberg

Alumnus Andreas Fath, chemistry professor and passionate long-distance swimmer, repeatedly attracts attention with spectacular swimming campaigns in the service of water protection. His latest transnational project "cleandanube", in which he swam around 2,700 kilometres down the Danube to draw attention to microplastic pollution, has resulted in a documentary film that will be exclusively shown in cooperation with Heidelberg's Gloria cinema as HAIlight. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Andreas Fath and Max Jungmann, Managing Director of the Heidelberg Center for the Environment (HCE) at Heidelberg University, in which both will talk about the background and experiences of the campaign.

The Danube washes more than four tonnes of plastic into the Black Sea every day – that's more plastic particles than fish larvae. Andreas Fath retraced their path to a certain extent when he swam the entire swimmable stretch of the river from its source in the Black Forest to its mouth in the Black Sea for two months in spring 2022, travelling through ten countries in the process. The journey included a mobile laboratory to regularly analyse water samples, an interactive knowledge workshop and information materials, as well as events such as swimming and paddling activities and lectures in collaboration with local organisations at numerous stops along the way.

Fath

Already in autumn 2018, the documentary film "Two Rivers – One Mission" was shown as part of the HCE colloquium "Heidelberg Bridge", which focused on Andreas Fath's first two swimming campaigns: in 2014 he swam the entire length of the Rhine and in 2017 the Tennessee River in the USA to draw attention to water protection. Andreas Fath, who studied chemistry at the University of Heidelberg from 1986 and received his doctorate from Ruperto Carola, is a professor of chemistry at Furtwangen University, where he works primarily on water analyses and wastewater technology.

Please note: the HAIlight will be conducted in German.

Registration:

Registration is neccessary. For the allocation of places, please send us an e-mail stating your full name, to hailight@alumni.uni-heidelberg.de

Places for participation are limited. Registrations will be considered in the order in which they are received.

Do you have a connection to Heidelberg University but are not yet registered with HAI?
Then register here quickly and free of charge!

Further Information

New Ideas?

You have an idea for a new HAIlight? You have an interesting profession or unusual hobby that you would like to present to us? Get in touch with us to talk about the options. We look forward to your email to hailight@alumni.uni-heidelberg.de

HAIlights as Subscription

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