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Welcome to the Second Edition of the SynTrac Newsletter - Advancing sustainable aviation through integration, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
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It has only been a short time ago that we published our inaugural newsletter, and in the interim, much has transpired. The project has been continuously active and productive, with significant advancements made across multiple facets of our interdisciplinary work. From presenting our findings at European and international conferences to leveraging LinkedIn as a platform for showcasing the depth of our collaboration, we have achieved noteworthy milestones in both research dissemination and community engagement.
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This past year has underscored SynTrac’s premise that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential in addressing complex challenges. Our collective efforts have garnered positive feedback from the scientific community, facilitating meaningful dialogue and expanding our network of collaborators and experts.
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In addition to our academic achievements, we continue our public outreach, engaging with broader audiences and highlighting the real-world implications of our work.
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We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all those who have contributed to the success of the project thus far. We look forward to another year of progress, collaboration, and achievement.
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Crucially, all of these activities continue to serve our core project objectives: Our mission is to fundamentally rethink the relationship between propulsion systems and the aircraft itself, researching the complex engineering challenges of highly integrated transport aircraft. By exploring the interfaces between propulsion, aerodynamics and airframe, we aim to significantly increase overall aircraft efficiency – minimizing the energy required for air travel and reducing its environmental footprint.
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We’re excited to share our journey with you — from research milestones and team insights to outreach highlights and collaboration opportunities. Thank you for following our progress!
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If you do not want to receive the SynTrac newsletter anymore you can unsubscribe here.
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SynTrac on the International Stage
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SynTrac continues to build its international networks
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Disseminating research results and building strong international networks are essential to progress in a dynamic research environment. Throughout the year, the project contributes to numerous international conferences, sharing findings with the global research community and strengthening collaborations, an engagement that continues to grow steadily. This newsletter presents to you two highlights from recent months.
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SynTrac at EASN 2025 in Madrid
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SynTrac took part in the EASN Conference 2025 in Madrid, Spain, with a dedicated session chaired by the project spokesperson and co-spokesperson.
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The session showcased the project’s interdisciplinary work through a mix of technical presentations covering engine performance modelling, acoustic chain analysis, engine–airframe integration, and off-design assessment in aircraft design.
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Beyond technical content, the session highlighted supporting project structures such as the public relations team and the integrated Research Training Group, offering insights into SynTrac’s culture and everyday research life.
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By combining technical exchange with broader perspectives on collaboration and outreach, the session fostered meaningful engagement with the international aerospace community and demonstrated SynTrac’s distinctive approach to interdisciplinary research.
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SynTrac showcases system of systems approach at ICSV31 in Seoul
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SynTrac was represented by its spokesperson Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sabine Langer through a Distinguished Plenary Lecture at the internationally renowned ICSV31 conference, held in Seoul, South Korea, in July 2024, underscoring the project’s strong scientific visibility and international standing.
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The presentation highlighted SynTrac’s system-of-systems approach, using the research in acoustic engineering as an illustration of its importance in realizing a paradigm shift in research and product development.
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Drawing on SynTrac’s interdisciplinary approach, her lecture explored how frameworks like Design to Acoustics (D2A) can help engineers anticipate, model, and optimize acoustic performance as a fundamental design parameter.
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The invited contribution attracted considerable interest from an international audience of academic and industrial experts, marking an important dissemination milestone and reinforcing SynTrac’s position within the global acoustics community.
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Interdisciplinary collaboration
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An emphasis on advancing joint research
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In 2025, the project leadership placed a strong emphasis on Interdisciplinary Collaboration as a Strategic Priority and further deepening collaboration within the project, already embedded into the structure of the research project itself.
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Over the past year, the project has demonstrated in practice how interdisciplinary cooperation can be effectively implemented. By fostering close interaction across research areas, the project created conditions for meaningful exchange and the realization of synergies that led to productive and sustainable collaborations. These interactions not only strengthened scientific integration within the consortium but also enhanced the project’s international visibility and impact.
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Overall, this approach has shown that interdisciplinary collaboration, when strategically supported and structurally integrated, can significantly advance both scientific excellence and the project’s broader objectives.
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SynTrac iRTG Hosts Academic Writing Workshop for PhD Researchers
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Building on the success of its previous retreat, the SynTrac Integrated Research Training Group (iRTG) recently held a week-long training event on academic writing in Almendorf. Led by Writing Coach Dr. CJ Fitzsimons from Leadership Sculptor GmbH, the workshop combined practical exercises, expert input, and guided writing sessions to help doctoral researchers strengthen their scientific communication and publication skills.
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The event enabled interdisciplinary teams to make tangible progress on their papers, combining expertise from diverse fields, showcasing how interdisciplinary collaboration drives stronger research outcomes.
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Participants explored topics from paper structure and revision strategies to creating effective figures and overcoming writer’s block, with content tailored to each research team’s stage of progress. The event reinforced the professional development and collaborative skills of the SynTrac PhD community.
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Dissolving Boundaries: SynTrac’s recent LinkedIn Campaign
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Complex research in aerospace engineering thrives at the intersection of disciplines. In 2025, the SynTrac team has continued to emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration, bridging aerodynamics, acoustics, flight physics, structural mechanics, and thermodynamics, to tackle challenges no single field can solve alone.
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Our recent LinkedIn series, “A spotlight on SynTrac‘s Interdisciplinary work” showcased how shared models, coupled simulations, and joint research exchanges are driving breakthroughs and building resilient scientific foundations for next-generation aircraft. Every Thursday, an interdisciplinary team took the stage and shared a snapshot of its research with our growing LinkedIn community.
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This collaboration is not optional, it is essential for achieving our project goals.
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Dissemination and outreach
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Connecting with our communities
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With sustainable aviation as a topic, SynTrac has a broad audience
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Engaging with the public and inspiring future generations are essential parts of our research mission. Through a range of outreach activities, the project shares its work beyond academia, fosters dialogue with society, and promotes interest in science and engineering.
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Engagement with the wider public
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Communicating the goals and societal relevance of SynTrac's mission is central to fostering public support and understadning for climate-neutral aviation. The SynTrac team actively engages with the broader public at dedicated events.
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SynTrac at the Science Pub: A Glimpse into the Future of Flight
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At the Science Pub in Stuttgart, Dr. Christian Koch from the University of Stuttgart offered an engaging look at how aviation is evolving toward a more sustainable future. In an accessible talk, he highlighted emerging technologies and the importance of global, interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping environmentally and socially responsible flight. The research conducted in SynTrac was at the core of the discourse.
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The lively discussion and strong audience interest underscored the relevance of sustainable aviation for society at large.
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Outreach to Younger Generations
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At SynTrac we believe that inspiring curiosity and engagement in science begins early. Therefore, we continuously expand our outeach to the next generation of engineers and researchers. Across all ages and activities, these outreach efforts reflect SynTrac's committment to promoting STEM educations and empowering future generations to shape a greener future in aerospace.
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SynTrac Researchers Bring Acoustics to Life for Young STEM Talents
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As part of the SE²A research club at TU Braunschweig, SynTrac researchers Juliette Thoma and Mingli Zhu hosted a hands-on session titled “The World of Acoustics” for school students interested in technology and engineering.
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Combining clear explanations with interactive experiments, the workshop offered insights into acoustics research and its relevance in SynTrac’s research, highlighting practical STEM learning and the importance of visible role models in engineering.
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SynTrac Inspires Students with Workshop on Climate-Neutral Aviation
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As part of the Try Science program at the University of Stuttgart, SynTrac hosted the workshop “Research for Climate-Neutral Aviation”, giving seven secondary-school students an exciting hands-on introduction to aerospace engineering.
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Through lab tours, live experiments, and an aircraft design challenge, participants explored how aircraft work and how research and sustainable technologies can help shape climate-friendly aviation of the future. Direct exchanges with SynTrac researchers highlighted the role of science and research in achieving more efficient, low-emission flight.
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Braunschweig, November 2025
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Annual Meeting 2025
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Three days of exchanges, insights and future perspectives
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Hosted by TU Braunschweig at the end of November, the SynTrac team met for their annual meeting and shared their latest results, ongoing collaborations, and fresh ideas. Dynamic poster sessions sparked cross-disciplinary conversations, from deep methodological debates to informal exchanges with colleagues and Advisory Board members.
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Reflecting on the project’s half point mark, joint interactive sessions brought the entire consortium together to reflect on insights, identify challenges, and leverage those for the next project phase. Strategic questions and constructive feedback from the Advisory Board added valuable external perspectives.
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Beyond the core scientific program, guided lab tours through the SynTrac partner institutes offered a close-up look at research in action.
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The meeting concluded with an inspiring dinner talk by Prof Christian Kehrt on the history of aeronautics and space research in Braunschweig, connecting past innovations with our vision for the future.
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Recognition of Achievements
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Special Achievements by SynTrac Members
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SynTrac extends its congratulations to our esteemed colleagues
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Honorary Doctorate for Prof. Dr.-Ing. Radespiel
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SynTrac is proud to announce that Prof. Dr.-Ing. Rolf Radespiel of Technische Universität Braunschweig, a valued member of the SynTrac research consortium, received an honorary doctorate from the University of Stuttgart during their annual celebration.
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Recognized for his outstanding scientific contributions and lasting influence, Prof. Radespiel’s work has also played a key role in strengthening collaboration between TU Braunschweig, University of Stuttgart, LU Hannover, and DLR within SynTrac.
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The event highlighted his exceptional career and the deep respect he commands across the research community.
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Career Milestone for Dr.-Ing. Xing Yang
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Dr.-Ing. Xing Yang has been appointed Professor at the School of Energy and Power Engineering at Xi’an Jiaotong University (China).
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His academic path is closely connected to the University of Stuttgart and the SynTrac research consortium, including a Humboldt Fellowship at the ITLR and subsequent postdoctoral research at the University of Stuttgart.
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The SynTrac Model Aircraft in his office is a valued reminder of his time with us.
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Future events
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Upcoming highlights from our diverse outward reaching project activities
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- SynTrac Lecture Series:
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Prof. Yu Rao, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 20 January 2026 at University of Stuttgart
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- SynTrac Lecture Series:
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Prof. Yingzheng Liu, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 20 January 2026 at University of Stuttgart
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- Hannover Messe 2026, 20.04.-24.04.2026
- Aero2026 Friedrichshafen, 22.04.-25.04.2026
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Thank you for your interest in our project activities. If your curiosity has been sparked, we warmly invite you to get in touch—we’re happy to answer any questions and continue the conversation!
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