Expedi­tion Future

On October 9, 2025, as part of the anniver­sary celebra­tion of the Inter­na­tional Depart­ment of the Karlsruhe Insti­tute of Technol­ogy (KIT), renowned deep-sea researcher and marine biolo­gist Hector Fellow Prof. Antje Boetius deliv­ered an inspir­ing keynote lecture to a fully packed Audimax at KIT.

Since May 2025, Boetius has served as Presi­dent of the Monterey Bay Aquar­ium Research Insti­tute (MBARI) in the United States. In her talk, titled “Expedi­tion Future,” she congrat­u­lated the Inter­na­tional Depart­ment on its success­ful work over the past 25 years and empha­sized the vital role of inter­na­tional educa­tion and collab­o­ra­tion at univer­si­ties in shaping a sustain­able and open future. Her lecture was enriched with numer­ous insights from her personal scien­tific career.

Along­side curios­ity and fasci­na­tion for the unknown, Boetius highlighted the impor­tance of team spirit—a quality she experi­enced first­hand during the Arctic expedi­tion aboard the Polarstern. She also empha­sized creativ­ity, the courage to change perspec­tives, and the drive to “dive deeper,” both liter­ally and figura­tively. Living and working in differ­ent countries or cultures, she noted, can open up new horizons and foster innovation.

The Inter­na­tional Depart­ment of the KIT offers English-taught study and profes­sional educa­tion programs designed especially for inter­na­tional students and profes­sion­als. It organizes research collab­o­ra­tions and promotes global exchange between acade­mia, indus­try, and science.