The new image campaign is not only a nod to world-renowned STEM researchers, the campaign also aims to encourage young people to study STEM subjects at the JKU.

What do Johannes Kepler, Ada Lovelace, and Heinrich Hertz have in common? That's right, all three of them are brilliant researchers and their accomplishments in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) continue to shape our lives today. Take Johannes Kepler, for example, and his Keplerian laws which form the basis to calculate planetary motions in the universe and is consequently an important component of all space missions. Or the British mathematician Ada Lovelace, who identified the potential of calculating machines as early as the 19th century and developed the first computer program. And Heinrich Hertz? The German physicist was at the cutting-edge as early as 1886 as the first person to generate electromagnetic waves to describe the effect of electric dipoles, ultimately the basis for today's ECG. In short, without their groundwork in technology and science, their expertise, and their research, we would not be reaping the benefits of technical and scientific foundation, their knowledge and their research, we would not benefit of these advances in our everyday lives today.

The new JKU image campaign captures this spirit and often with a slightly humorous take. The slogan "No progress without a foundation" not only showcases great STEM pioneers, but also demonstrates just how important and valuable a STEM education continues to be.

The new campaign was carried out in cooperation with creative agency, EN GARDE, in Graz; the company also designed the JKU’s 2021 image campaign.

JKU Rector Meinhard Lukas remarked: "Our new campaign aims to inspire and attract young people to pursue a STEM-based degree at the JKU and perhaps even follow in the footsteps of Kepler & Co. Now, more than ever, and in this age of digitalization, the future of important job profiles and occupations lie in the 'STEM subjects'. In addition, we need the solutions, advancements, and expertise that emerge from STEM subject areas so we are in a position to not only tackle the crises we face today - be it the climate or limited resources – but we can also holistically combine this expertise to better understand how society and technology interact. For over 50 years, we here at the JKU have been conducting pioneering research in STEM areas, contributing significantly to advancing our region as a progressive location that supports business and research. In the future, we would like to continue building on this foundation to continue facilitating progress."

Scale, a Pioneering Spirit, Tradition: STEM at the JKU
The JKU's Faculty of Engineering & Natural Sciences opened its doors in 1969 offering, among other programs, Austria's first academic degree program in computer sciences. Since then, thousands of students and graduates have studied the fundamentals that have allowed them to pursue and advance their careers. Digitalization is now a university-wide focus at the JKU, taught across all disciplines and pooled at the Linz Institute of Technology (LIT). When it comes to studying, the JKU encourages students to think across disciplines, outside-of-the-box, and acquire real-world, hands-on experience (such as at the LIT Factory). In addition, students work on equal footing with experienced, renowned, and accomplished JKU researchers. Like Kepler, Lovelace or Hertz, many of them were, and are, STEM pioneers themselves.

A Few Highlights:

• JKU researchers have developed a fully autonomous drone and with the assistance of a control center on the ground, the drone can locate missing people, even of the foliage is dense.
• JKU researchers have broken the world record for a specific form of matrix multiplication.
• JKU researchers have developed a predictive flood forecasting method that applies artificial intelligence.
• JKU researchers have created a biogel based on various types of sugar, solvents and gelatine for elastic robots (used, for example, on harvesting robots grip hands) which can simply be organically disposed of after use.
• JKU researchers developed a "lab-on-a-chip" and with just a drop of water, scientists can quickly analyze water quality.

The “No Progress without a Foundation” Campaign: Quick Facts

• Duration: Now until the beginning of 2023  
• Target Area: Central Upper Austria (posters and city lights), as well as all of Austria (online and in social media advertising)
• Formats: 16-sheet posters, city light displays, digital city light displays, as well as online and in social media advertising
• In cooperation with creative ad agency EN GARDE, opens an external URL in a new window in Graz; online animation by Pulpmedia, opens an external URL in a new window in Linz;

Enclosed

Selected campaign images

• Subject 1: No Kirk without Kepler.
• Subject 2: No cyberspace without Lovelace.
• Subject 3: No ECG without Hertz.