Summer School on Systems Modeling August 10–14, 2026: Five intensive days of systems modeling with FRAM & STAMP. Learn how methods, tools, and teamwork help to understand and design complex sociotechnical systems. Learn, apply, reflect—and collaborate internationally

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Daniel Bettermann (SPD), a member of the Bundestag from Kassel, visited the A&O department to discuss regional startup ecosystems in light of his successful Coartec initiative. The focus was on designing support programs for startups during the critical phase between product prototyping and market launch, the role of networks such as the IT Network Kassel and the North Hesse Student Research Center in fostering the next generation of talent in the technology sector, as well as the university’s institutional adaptation to the dynamic demands of startups. The discussion underscored the need for structural and collaborative approaches to strengthen regional innovation capacity.

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FRAMILY Meeting & Workshop June 15–16 and 17, 2026, hosted by TUM, Chair of Ergonomics: Explore resilience and collaboration through the Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM)—join us on this interactive journey.

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Prof. Dr. Sträter in an interview with KEM Konstruktion|Automation: “Measuring Suit Improves Workplace Ergonomics and Facilitates Cobot Integration”

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Prof. Dr. Oliver Sträter has been appointed to the Scientific Advisory Board of the Leibniz Institute for Work Research at TU Dortmund (IfADo).

DAEF Delegation Visits BASE in Berlin – Site Selection Process Moves Forward

On May 20, 2026, an in-depth discussion took place in Berlin between the German Working Group on Final Repository Research (DAEF)—chaired by Prof. Dr. Oliver Sträter—and the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management (BASE). The DAEF visited BASE to discuss the current status of the site selection process for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste and the resulting future scientific topics. BASE President Christian Kühn’s participation underscored the importance of the Working Group on Final Repository Research for the site selection process.

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The 2024/2025 annual report of the Kassel Institute for Sustainability (KIS) has been published. The report impressively documents the institute’s collective achievements over the past two years and highlights its strong commitment as well as its diverse projects and events. It stands as a testament to successful collaboration and paves the way for the future with optimism and motivation.

A&O has actively contributed to the establishment of the institute through four doctoral dissertations on the implementation of sustainability goals:

• Friedrich Englisch | Dr. phil. | Biases in the Planning Process—Development of a Questionnaire for Diagnosing Cognitive, Motivational, and Group-Dynamic Biases in the Context of Organizational Culture
• Korinna Grimmelbein | Dr. rer. pol. | Middle Management’s Willingness to Change as a Critical Success Factor in Change Processes
• Lisa Seidel | Dr. rer. pol. | Resilience in management systems as a prerequisite for system integrity in large-scale projects, using the example of site selection for a final repository for high-level radioactive waste
• Jonas Wehrmann | Dr. phil. | Stressors and Resources in Interaction-Based Work—Accounting for Specific Stress Factors in Risk Assessment

Congratulations to the doctoral candidates and continued success for the KIS!

On April 23 and 24, 2026, the “5th Site Selection Days” took place in Leipzig.

This series of events, organized by the Technical University of Dresden and the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) in collaboration with the Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE), serves to facilitate scientific exchange with experts and the interested public as part of the search for a “site with the highest possible level of safety” for the final disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Germany. Representing the department were Fabian Fritsch and Prof. Dr. Oliver Sträter, who presented on the benefits of artificial intelligence and on the organization of regional conferences within the site selection process.

On April 23, 2026, the second edition of “Handbuch Qualitätsmanagement in der Schule” (Handbook of Quality Management in Schools ) was published by Wolters Kluwer, featuring a contribution by A&O .

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Baunatal in Transition: Why all municipal facilities were closed and what lies behind the human resources development concept.

Prof. Dr. Sträter is guiding the transformation of the Baunatal city administration.

Click here for the full HNA article / HNA Hessische/Niedersächsische Allgemeine, April 18, 2026, p. 13, cig

72nd Spring Congress of the Society for Ergonomics (GfA):

The A&O Department hosted the 72nd Spring Congress from March 11–13, 2026, under the theme “Human-Centered Work Design.”

The congress’s overarching theme , “Human-Centered Work Design,” is so significant that some 400 participants from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland traveled to Kassel. At its core, the congress addressed the current challenges of work design, whether in terms of safety and health or productivity and sustainability in the context of new technological challenges. The rapidly intensifying competition in times of geopolitical transformation was also a topic of discussion.

The dialogue will continue at the GfA’s 2026 fall conference in Friedrichshafen, which, organized by Prof. Karsten Kluth of the University of Siegen, will focus on concrete solutions for people-centered work environments.

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Augmented Reality in Practice: Virtual Training on the VM-X-PAVERMAX by Probst.

How can complex machines be understood more quickly and commissioning made more efficient? This question is being explored by David Eich, a student at the University of Kassel, and Johannes Pfleging, a Doctoral candidate at the University of Kassel. For many years, Probst has been pleased to foster collaboration between academia and industry. As part of a field visit, the students therefore tested their augmented reality application on the VM-X-PAVERMAX paving machine at Probst.

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As part of her doctoral project on “Work-Related Creativity as a Key Factor in Innovation Performance,” Kirsten Hollstein conducted a 90-minute exclusive interview with the exceptional artist Helge Schneider. The conversation focused on creative work processes, the art of improvisation, and work-related conditions that have significantly shaped the artist’s innovative work throughout his life.

Although creativity and innovation are not new topics in the research landscape, they are becoming increasingly relevant against the backdrop of Germany’s declining innovative capacity over the past several years (World Intellectual Property Organization, 2025). In her doctoral research, Hollstein combines theory-based perspectives from work and organizational psychology with approaches from cognitive science and music psychology to explore new potentials for sustainable work design.

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Why longer working hours don’t lead to higher performance—and why motivation is the decisive factor:

Prof. Oliver Sträter in an interview with the HNA

The Kassel spin-off Coartec was recognized by the North Hesse Startup Competition for its innovative augmented reality software. The solution supports assembly workers using AR glasses by guiding them step by step through complex assembly and construction processes. Relevant components, potential errors, and the correct sequence of work steps are displayed in real time.

The AI-based technology automatically detects whether individual assembly steps have been performed correctly, independently documents the work process, and thus enables end-to-end quality assurance. In initial pilot projects, the time required for assembly processes was significantly reduced.

The software is based on existing CAD data and is versatile, suitable for use in both training and continuing education as well as in prototype manufacturing and industrial production. The goal is to make complex work processes more efficient, less error-prone, and more traceable.

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Another article can be found on FFH

On November 28, 2025, the Hans Martin Prize 2025 for innovative work in the field of occupational science was awarded.

The prize recognizes proven achievements in occupational science as well as planned research or development projects that contribute to improving people's everyday working lives. This year's award ceremony took place as part of a joint event organized by the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Energy, Transport, Housing and Rural Areas, the Hessian Ministry of Labour, Integration, Youth and Social Affairs and the Kassel Region Transformation Network (tregks).

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Exoskeletons in agriculture: The A&O department discussed the use of passive exoskeletons with the SVLFG (Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture). The focus was on the question of how employees in the "green working world" can be supported with regard to the high physical strain. Many activities in agriculture or forestry are associated with a particular strain on the musculoskeletal system - exoskeletons can make an important contribution here.
There was the opportunity to test various exoskeletons and discuss current requirements and technical developments.

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Oliver Sträter was once again a guest on "Die Ratgeber" on Hessischer Rundfunk.
Last time, the focus was on bullying, but now it was on a central question: how can we deal better with mistakes and even emerge stronger from them?

"What is the clear definition of mistakes - and why is it an important first step towards a constructive error culture?" "How can a well-implemented error culture not only promote individual learning, but also bring people in companies closer together?" Oliver Sträter answered these and other questions and used specific examples to show how open communication, dealing constructively with failure and learning together from failures can help both the individual and the entire organization. https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/die-ratgeber/die-ratgeber-vom-22-04-2025/hr/ZmRhMGQ3MjYtNWQ1Ny00MGQ4LTk3YjYtYzM3ZDkwNzVlOWQ1

Oliver Sträter was elected as a new member of the DFG review board for the subject "Ergonomics, Human-Machine Systems" in the "Systems Engineering" review board for the 2024-2028 term of office. A summary of the work of the review boards can be found here: www.dfg.de/fachkollegien

The 11th Ergonomics Days, organized by the Ergonomics Competence Network e.V. (ECN), took place on 22 and 23 February. http://e-c-n.de/kongresse/index.htm. As part of this conference, Mehrach Saki, a Research Mehrach Saki, research associate at the A&O department, gave a presentation entitled "Individual and anthropomorphic path planning in human-robot collaboration".