German Aerospace Center New DLR research institute moves to the region
Sankt Augustin/Rheinbach · A new research institute of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) is moving into the Rhein-Sieg district. The institute wants to settle in Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach.
The location of the new institute of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the Rhein-Sieg district has been determined. According to the General-Anzeiger, the institute to protect terrestrial infrastructures will be located in Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach. DLR will also work closely with the Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences there, according to DLR press spokesman Andreas Schütz on request.
One of seven new DLR research facilities
"The networking of large-scale research with colleges and universities is politically desirable and makes sense from a technical point of view - not least to recruit young scientists for the Institute," said Schütz. The Institute is one of seven new DLR research centres in which the German government invests 63 million euros annually. The new institute in Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach is to promote research and development for the protection of critical infrastructures - such as transport or energy infrastructures. According to Schütz, the new facility is currently under construction and will take about two years to complete. To this end, the development team is holding talks on scientific cooperation with the cities of Sankt Augustin and Rheinbach, the Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and various other universities and colleges. The first employees have already been selected and further recruitment is underway, says Schütz. A total of 50 to 65 employees are planned in the institute's concept.
DLR first wants to rent rooms in Sankt Augustin
To begin with, DLR will be renting rooms in Rheinbach in the Institute for Detection Technologies at the university and in Sankt Augustin. In addition, all possibilities from renting existing buildings to building a new institute will be evaluated, the press spokesman said. According to DLR, the new institute will receive around twelve million euros annually in the medium term - almost nine million euros from the federal and state governments and three million euros in third-party funding. In addition, there is a start-up investment of up to 30 million Euro by the state.
During a visit to Rheinbach, a DLR delegation asked about the possibilities of the Rheinbach site, Mayor Stefan Raetz reported at the request of GA. According to Raetz, it was above all the networking with the university and the business start-up and technology centre that convinced the discussion partners. Sankt Augustin's mayor, Klaus Schumacher, sees the planned settlement as a great benefit: "The institute would perfectly complement our scientific and research landscape around the university and the Fraunhofer Gesellschaft.
Original text: Hannah Schmitt and Mario Quadt
Translation: Mareike Graepel
