Organisational Structure

The cluster consists of 25 PIs from the University of Bonn and close-by research institutions. These PIs form the various boards and committees:

• The cluster executive board consists of the speaker, Ulf.-G. Meißner, as well as representatives from the various fields, these are Barbara Kirchner, Michael Griebel, Reinhard Klein, Joachim Schultze, Markus Gabriel and Carsten Urbach. The board is installed for three years. We intend to have more female scientists in the board in the future. The board will make all final financial decisions and will overlook the research and teaching performed in the cluster. The board is also responsible for strengthening the connections to the involved research organizations and can ask other PIs to participate in meetings whenever required. It is in close contact with the various CASCADE committees. These must reflect the diversity of fields within the cluster. They are:
• The hiring committee. It consists of up to 10 PIs and will support the faculty and the rectorate with the filling of the positions relevant to CASCADE.
• The science committee. This group of 2 PIs from each RU and the CST, rotating every 3 years, reviews the projects (as defined in the working packages) that are proposed by the PIs and collaborating investigators and makes proposals to the board about the funding. It should be noted that we apply for a certain number of post-doc and graduate student positions for each RU that will be filled upon project applications. There is also some flexibility if certain projects require more personal or additional funding. The science  committee also monitors the progress in the various RUs and the interdisciplinary investigations. The science committee is further in charge of installing a sub-committee which will  oberlook the distribution of the local computing resources.
• The studies committee. It consists of 8 PIs (2 from each RU and the CST, rotating every 3 years) and is in charge of developing and installing the new M.Sc. course in computational sciences, of harmonizing its activities with the existing M.Sc. in life science informatics and of improving the teaching of computational methods in the various departments relevant to the cluster. All this has to be done in close collaboration with the MNF.
• The CYIG committee. It consists of 8 members (2 from each RU and the CST, rotating every 3 years) that actively seek for candidates to fill the CYIG positions and it is also responsible for assigning appropriate mentors to each CYIG leader and works closely together with the hiringand science committees.
• The committee for equal opportunities. It consists of 8 PIs (rotating every 3 years) and is in charge of organizing and monitoring equal opportunity measures, in particular the usage and distribution of the extra funds applied for. This we consider a very important task.
• The young scientist committee. It consists of up to 10 young scientists (CYIG leaders, post-docs, students) and is in charge of organizing the events (workshops, guests, etc.) that are entirely funded by the young investigator funds.
• The outreach committee. CASCADE acknowledges the importance of outreach and thus this committee consisting of 4 PIs will be in charge of coordinating existing measures and develop new ones, in close connection with the involved scientists and other experts at the University and the collaborating institutions.
• The CST board, presently consisting of Profs. M. Gabriel, H. P. Nilles, is in charge of organizing and overviewing the interdisciplinary research at the interface of the natural sciences and philosophy. This is based on a “bottom-up” approach, where PIs or associated scientists (from the cluster or the CST) can propose  topics of interest and ask for funds and personnel to perform the corresponding activities (workshops, research projects etc.). The CST board works closely together with the cluster board and the other committees.

The board and the various committees are embedded in the members assembly.

The cluster also features two external boards. The strategy advisory committee consists of external members from the University, from the external research institutions and a person from industry. These are Prof. Michael Hoch (UBonn), Prof. Pierluigi Nicotera (Helmholtz Ass.), Prof. Klaus Blaum (Max Planck Soc.), Prof. Georg Rosenfeld (Fraunhofer Soc.) as well as Stephan Huthmacher (Comma-Soft AG, Bonn). The science advisory committee is presently being set-up and will consist of about 10 renowned scientists representing the various fields combined in the cluster.