NEWSLETTER

Between 15 and 17 November Transilvania University organized, with the support of Braşov City Hall and of a number of cultural institutions and ethnic communities in Braşov, the 16th edition of Etnovember 2014.

The festival included 34 events, out which 19 architecture, design, photography, watercolour and ceramics exhibitions, five concerts, two book launches and two theatrical performances.

Among the exhibitions, worth mentioning are “Architecture – Space – Tradition” where architect Şerban Sturdza, president of the Romanian Order of Architects, exhibited a part of his memorable projects, such as the design objects in the BOLT project from the Venice Biennale, and “Working with a Village”, the results of the international project UAUIM Bucharest ‐ a partnership between our University and New Design University St. Pölten, Austria. The exhibition also marked the launch of “Inside‐Outside‐In Between”, a book authored by Th. Gronegger, M. Cionca, M. Marcu‐Lapadat, A. Olărescu, published by an Austrian university press.

The projects of Industrial Design students from Chişinău and of Interior Architecture students from Bucharest were also exhibited, as well as the results of the work Wood Engineering students performed as innovative furniture designers and amateur restaurateurs.

The concerts were also diversified including old Transylvanian music, piano and classical guitar music, and a Schubert concert interpreted by “Attitude” Quartet from the Franz Liszt Music Academy of Budapest.

Similarly to the previous editions, the festival was organized and coordinated by a team of students from Wood Engineering, who also oversaw the Mediaeval Fair at the Weavers' Bastion and the suite of torches lighted up in the Council Square, as well as the Fireball show in the same location.

Dedicated each year to the local community, these events have become part of the cultural calendar of Braşov, are recognized internationally and attest the important part played by universities in the cultural life of the wider community.

Dr Marina Cionca

ETNOVEMBER 2014

ETNOVEMBER 2014

Between 6 and 9 November, the R&D Institute of Transilvania University of Brașov played host to the 4th edition of the Conference for Sustainable Energy,

CSE. Each of the previous editions focused on highly topical issues, and this year's edition was no exception: it focused on new, feasible, efficient and

sustainable solutions for the promotion and implementation of nZEBs (Nearly Zero Energy Buildings). The current European and Romanian

legislation stipulates that starting with 2019, all new buildings occupied or owned by public authorities will have to be buildings with 50%

energy consumption from renewable sources. Originating from nine countries, the participants

presented their contributions both in plenary and panel sessions, and opened paths for debates which eventually led to

setting new partnerships in view of approaching the interdisciplinary aspects of the topic. Well‐known field

specialists delivered plenary presentations focusing mainly on the official EU position regarding the

promotion of sustainable energy in education and research (Paola Mazzucchelli, EUREC General

Secretary), the increase in acceptance of solar conversion systems (Istvan Farkas, ISES President,

Hungary and Nikolai Mihailov, Bulgaria), the use of photocatalysis as alternative for reducing

energy consumption in buildings (Elias Statatos, Greece), eco‐design and the use of waste as secondary raw material for low‐carbon footprint products (Richard Morris, Great Britain and Ludvig Cardon, Belgium), or socio‐economic issues (Yoram Kroezer, The Netherlands), all of them targeting the development of sustainable communities (Ion Vișa, Romania).

Following an international peer‐review process, the proceedings w e r e p u b l i s h e d a t S p r i n g e r International Publishing.

Dr Ion Vişa

CONFERENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, 4TH EDITION

CONFERENCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Nr. 32December

2014

THE ERASMUS STEP BY STEP FOR STUDENTS WEBINAR

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE FACULTY OF MUSIC

FRÉDÉRIC VERGER TALKS ARDEN, ABOUT HIS DEBUTTHE 6TH EDITION OF PSI WEEKGERMAN THEATRE SHOW AT ETNOVEMBER 2014LATEST TRENDS IN PUBLIC RELATIONSTHE UNIVERSITY'S CONCERT SEASON

BOOK LAUNCH AT GAUDEAMUS BOOK FAIRSTUDENTS FACING REALITYWORKSHOP AT THE FACULTY OF SOCIOLOGY AND

COMMUNICATIONTHE BRAȘOV SUPERVOLUNTEERS GALAEVENINGS AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERSPOETRY MARATHON AT THE ETNOVEMBER FESTIVAL A NEW EDITION OF THE DOCTORAL SCHOOL CONFERENCESPAEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES COURSE

Transilvania University of BraşovWhat purpose does the university serve if not to pave the way for the society of wisdom?

(Paolo Blasi)

It is not the walls that make a school, but the spirit that reigns within.(Regele Ferdinand I)

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

SUCCESSFUL ALUMNI

The National Agency for Community Programmes for Education and Professional Development (ANPCDEFP) initiated Erasmus Online Open Doors – E2OD, a first in Romania. Transilvania University of Braşov was one of the 20 Romanian participant universities. As announced earlier on our University website, E2OD was held on 27 November with the aim to promote study mobility and practical placement opportunities through the new Erasmus Plus programme.

The online action coordinated by ANCPDEFP started at 10 a.m., with the Erasmus Step by Step for Students webinar, where all the students who registered were informed about the Erasmus Plus programme. At noon, on the University Campus, under the heading Erasmus Opportunities at Transilvania University of Braşov, the members of the Erasmus Plus Management Committee introduced the novel features of this programme to the 35 students present, interested in study mobility or practical placement opportunities abroad. Some of the former Erasmus students at our University, Ileana Maria Pleşa, Adelina‐Paula Guiman, Hannelore Vorovenciu, Alexandra Vioreanu, Cristian‐Petruţ Văcaru and Rudolf Hejja, were also invited. They shared their views, gave advice, encouraging their colleagues to become part of this programme and take advantage of the opportunities it offers.

During the following hours, Erasmus Online Cafe rounded up 611 participants on Facebook, both foreign Erasmus students to Romania and Romanian Erasmus students abroad, who exchanged information and experience.

Overall a success, the event will be held again next year.Dr Sorin Zamfira

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AT THE FACULTY OF MUSIC

Well known as a literary critic, translator and editor of Dilema veche magazine, Marius Chivu introduced himself to the local public as a short story writer, as well. His latest book, Sfîrșit de sezon (End of the Season), was the topic of the author's dialogue with another writer and literary critic, Adrian Lăcătuș, Dean of the Faculty of Letters, on the premises of the Șt. O. Iosif Bookstore, on 7 November.

Marius Chivu' fascination with short stories, particularly with North‐American short story anthologies, motivated him to edit, in 2013, the volume Best Of. Proza scurtă a anilor 2000 (Best Of. Short Prose of the 2000s). As noted by Adrian Lăcătuș, this volume has a significant literary and documentary value because it pieces together the portrait of the previous decade as painted by its most perceptive and subtle observers. The short story collection Sfîrșit de sezon was primed by its author's extensive work in literary criticism and could become, by its author own admission, the beginning of his new literary career.

The final part of the event was devoted to questions from the audience and book signing.

Andreea Ivan, Ph. D. student

THE ERASMUS STEP BY STEP FOR STUDENTS WEBINAR

EVENINGS AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERS

ERASMUS ONLINE OPEN DOORS ‐ E2OD

The 4th edi�on of the conference “The Science of Music – Excellence in Performance” took place on 14 and 15 November at the Faculty of Music. The conference was aimed at capitalising on the research conducted by both faculty members and par�cipants around the country and abroad.

The variety and wide‐reaching impact of the topics tackled by the 21 contribu�ons and the interac�ve features of the conference afforded par�cipants the opportunity to enter different realms of na�onal and world music, which turned the event into a success.

Among the papers presented and submi�ed for publica�on in the Bulle�n of Transilvania University of Brașov, Series VIII, Performing Arts, par�cularly noteworthy are Musica Interna�onal – un ou�l universel pour le repertoire choral by Dr Jean Sturm from the University of Strasbourg. Musica Interna�onal is an interna�onal data base which comprises an excess of 165,000 choral works from all over the world, translated in four interna�onal languages: French, English, German and Spanish. The Research Centre of the Faculty of Music within the R&D Ins�tute of our University, in collabora�on with the Romanian Choral Singing Associa�on will implement a project aimed at integra�ng Romanian choral output in the interna�onal data base. The promo�on and development of the project also involves organising, between 15 and 22 July 2015, a session of Musica Interna�onal at Transilvania University of Brașov, invi�ng the par�cipa�on of composers, conductors, documentarists and editors from Romania and South‐Eastern Europe. �

Dr Ioan Oarcea

THE SCIENCE OF MUSIC – EXCELLENCE IN PERFORMANCE

MARIUS CHIVU PUTS ON THE WRITER'S HAT

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

Frédéric Verger is the 2014 winner of the Goncourt Prize for Arden, his debut novel published by Gallimard. The prize Goncourt du premier roman validates and acknowledges the exceptional value of Frédéric Verger's novel which combines an ornate style, a refined use of metaphor, lyricism and dark irony, ambivalence and imagination. How to paint a reality and humanity shattered by war forms the main pursuit of the novelist. In his view, art seems to represent the ultimate springboard towards the realm of the imaginary.

Run under the patronage of Goncourt Academy, Prix Goncourt — Le choix roumain 2014 is the second edition of a project focussing on the French‐Romanian cultural exchanges in the field of contemporary literature.

In the tradition of the public conferences and debates hosted by the Faculty of Letters, on 4 November Frédéric Verger met with an audience consisting of French literature lovers.

The writer was pleasantly surprised by the number of students present and the vividness of the debates that his novel gave rise to. For the success of this event credit is due to the organizers, Dr Rodica Ilie, Head of the Department of Literature and Literary Studies, Adèle Gosset, our French Lecturer, Dr Monica Hărșan and Dr Adrian Lăcătuș, Dean of the Faculty of Letters.

Oana Mărtișcă, student

FRÉDÉRIC VERGER TALKS ARDEN, ABOUT HIS DEBUT

The Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences co‐organized, with the TREI Publishing House and the Cărtureşti Bookstore in Brașov, the sixth edition of the PSI Week which took place between 3 and 8 November. From Monday evening through Saturday morning, six conferences on varied topics engaged the audiences: Old Age – An art or the fatality of life? by Elena Cocoradă Why do smart people make foolish mistakes? by Ana‐Maria Cazan and Ramona Henter Learning serenity to counter emotional blackmail – by Laura Elena Nastasă and Camelia Truţă Single or one item? The challenges of meaningful relationships by Diana Vasile (special guest, psychotherapist, co‐founder of the Institute for the Study and Treatment of Trauma, Bucharest) From the psychological to the physical and back. Symptoms and illness in our lives by Laura Teodora David Contributions to the development of the Romanian psychology by Marcela Rodica Luca

The turnout was larger than ever – each event was attended by 30 to 100 people, who sometimes packed the venue. Students, practicing psychologists, teachers, pupils, parents, readers

of all ages interested in psychology participated in the debates around the topics at hand in a vivid but relaxed atmosphere.

Dr Marcela Rodica Luca

On 8 November, the University's Aula Magna hosted an exceptional event, part of the concert season which commenced at the beginning of this academic year. The current concert season was initiated, supported and promoted by Dr Ioan Vasile Abrudan, Rector of Transilvania University, and by Dr Stela Drăgulin, Dean of the Faculty of Music. Also, the newly acquired concert piano is a wonderful incentive for such performances.

The protagonists of the recital were the young pianist Andrei Licaret and the Gaudeamus quartet of Braşov Philharmonic Orchestra, Lucia Neagoe ‐ first violin, Raluca Irimia – second violin, Leona Varvarichi ‐ viola, Sebastian Vârtosu ‐ cello. The large audience delighted in a romantic selection of musical pieces including Chopin's Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58 and Schumann's Piano Quintet.

Owing to his impressive musical expertise, Andrei Licaret conveyed both sense and sensibility, and revealed, during his piano performance, the most intricate stances of Chopin's repertoire – lyricism, beauty, passion, delicacy, reflexivity, rebellion and sentiment. The recital ended with the chamber performance of Schumann's 19th century quintet masterpiece, which re‐created the inner dialogue between the four string instruments and the powerful piano resonance. This exquisite performance will certainly be followed by similar events inviting the participation of all music lovers in Braşov.

Musicologist Petruţa Măniuţ ‐ Coroiu

THE 6TH EDITION OF PSI WEEK

THE GONCOURT 2014 PRIZE WINNER INVITED AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERS

CHOPIN AND SCHUMANN – A ROMANTIC MUSICAL

PROGRAMME

OUR UNIVERSITY'S CONCERT SEASON

THE SIX CONFERENCES ATTRACTED LARGE AND VARIED AUDIENCES

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

The concert season of Transilvania University filed another memorable page to the musical album opened at Aula Magna – the recital of the exceptional pianist Adrian Suciu, who performed

thseveral concert paraphrases to celebrate Richard Strauss' 150 anniversary. Due to his musical background (studies in piano performance and conducting), Adrian Suciu delivered an exquisite interpretation of complex romantic musical pieces, from Giuseppe Verdi (Rigoletto in Franz Liszt's transcription), to Richard Strauss (miniature works, Symphonic Metamorphosis after Capriccio), Richard Wagner's Isolde's Death (from Tristan and Isolde – in Franz Liszt's transcription), and Johann Strauss Jr. (Symphonic Metamorphosis after the waltz Artist's Life – in the piano version by Leopold Godowsky). � The piano performance summoned the entire universe of features of an interpreter who delivered a complex performance of sophisticated musical pieces. The Steinway concert piano complemented the impeccable performance to the enjoyment of a large audience.

Musicologist Petruţa Măniuţ‐Coroiu

Die Gruppe, the German students' theatre group, staged a new play in collaboration with the independent cabaret ensemble Kabarett Kaktus (Elena and Paul Cristian, violin and piano). The group coordinator, Dr Carmen E. Puchianu (Faculty of Letters) is the playwright and stage director of the play entitled “Orpheus und Eurydike Reloaded”. The opening performance took place on 17 November, on the occasion of the Etnovember Festival, at Reduta Art Center.

The play is a parody of the mythical story of Orpheus and his wife Euridice, who dies from a snake‐bite, leaving Orpheus in a state of despondency. Helped by the magic of music, he needs to descend to the Inferno in order to bring his wife back among the living.

The story is staged with the support of corporeal and improvisation theatre, and the peak moments are punctuated by means of choreographic instances; the two young protagonists Mădălina Matei and Krisztián‐Attila Pán (master students at the Faculty of Letters) succeeded in conveying intense feelings which go beyond words.

The parody is achieved via cues provided by the two Inferno commentators ‐ Alexandra Greavu and Carmen E. Puchianu ‐ who employ burlesque and parodic elements against the musical backdrop supplied by the two musicians playing compositions by Ch. W. Gluck, I. Ivanovici and J. Offenbach.

Dr Carmen E. Puchianu

THE UNIVERSITY'S CONCERT SEASON

On 18 November the students at the Faculty of Sociology and Communication met, for the second time this academic year, Teodora Migdalovici, ambassador of the Cannes Lions Advertising Festival and founder of The Alternative School for Creative Thinking. The topics of the seminar were visual language in communication and the latest trends in public relations.

This meeting was an important step towards enriching the students' personal experience by providing them with a new understanding of the crucial role that visual language and CREATIVITY play in public relations, the key to a PR specialist's success.

During the seminar the discussion orbited around topics such as the strong relationship between brand and consumer, as well as communication based on emotions. The new strategic approaches in the field were illustrated by means of numerous examples of good practice in the design and implementation of a PR campaign. All these details helped the students get a closer view of the world of public relations.

This meeting was also a “warm‐up” for Transilvania Creative Fest, an event organized by the Faculty of Sociology and Communication, scheduled to take place between 11 and 13 December in Brașov.

��Maria Cristina Bitanrd3 year student, Communication and Public Relations

GERMAN THEATRE SHOW AT ETNOVEMBER 2014

LATEST TRENDS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS

THE VISUAL LANGUAGE IN COMMUNICATION

SEMINAR

FROM VERDI TO STRAUSS AND WAGNER

ORPHEUS & EURYDIKE RELOADED

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

On 22 November, Carmen Gheorghe, associate professor with the Faculty of Law, launched her latest novel, CASsA DANTE, at Gaudeamus International Book Fair, in Bucharest. Carmen Gheorghe made her debut in 2012 with the novel Tatuaj pe glezna stângă (Tatoo on the Left Ankle), a romance awarded the Debut Prize by the Writers' Association of Romania, the Braşov Branch, followed one year later by a collection of essays entitled Hamburgerul lui James Joyce (James Joyce's Hamburger).

Among the topics the author approaches in her new novel are suicide, seen as the ultimate stage of existence, plagiarism and the addictive aspects of power.

Based on an actual scandal, three main characters are pitilessly scrutinized by the author's watchful eye. Each of their defining traits is essentialised – the manic depressive type spiralling down to suicide, the impostor recklessly and undeservedly appropriating an academic position, and the power junkie in his daily routine. These characters display, however, thoughts, feelings and anxieties that still enable their corrupted humanity to emerge.

The other characters, Elisabeth II and the Ph.D. student turned aggressor, come with their own engaging stories narrated in an ironical‐affectionate manner.

Originating from the political, academic and artistic milieus, the characters reveal themselves gradually, which makes their fate take a predictable course, which excludes the “return to normality” scenario.

A surprising and current story.

�Dr Liliana Rogozea, Dr Andrea Deaconescu

POWER. PLAGIARISM. SUICIDE. PASSION. LIES. ENDING

How can abilities be tested or how can new ones be discovered, if not by facing as many situations as possible?

This is how a group of 43 students from the Communication and Public Relations study programme at Transilvania University met the challenge of facing life in an advertising agency and took part ‐ between the 19 and 21 November ‐ in the activities at Leo Burnett Agency Romania.

If the first step was that of being introduced to the structure of the agency and its management, the next step was that of meeting its clients. This is when the participants' advertising instinct “went off”. The students were asked to work in teams of four or five and every team had to find a solution for a set‐situation. What followed was a dynamic and determined process which led to a good result: three creative solutions for each situation.

The most important gain for the students at the end of the three days was their discovery of whether they had any advertising abilities or not. The information they absorbed and the people

they met brought even more satisfaction for everyone. Abilities like determination, creativity, communication and adaptation to rapid change helped students to pass the reality check with flying colours.

Many thanks to the agencies in the Leo Burnett Romania group for their support and the expertise they shared with us.Raluca Bularca

rd3 year student, Communication and Public Relations

STUDY VISIT AT LEO BURNETT ROMANIA

AGENCY

BOOK LAUNCH AT GAUDEAMUS BOOK FAIR

STUDENTS FACING REALITY

WORKSHOP AT THE FACULTY OF SOCIOLOGY AND COMMUNICATION

The Faculty of Sociology and Communication, in partnership with Brașov County Council, organised the workshop Be a senior volunteer! Live the joy of giving! on 27 November.

The aim of the event was to disseminate the results of a study on senior citizens' attitude towards voluntary service as well as the attitude of private and public organisations towards the involvement of senior citizens in voluntary activities. This study was conducted within the project Issues of senior citizens and voluntary service in Brașov community co‐funded by Brașov County Council.

The presentation of the study findings was the start of the discussions for the development of a viable strategy meant to involve senior citizens in voluntary work in Brașov community. The speakers focused on the role of the local authorities and non‐governmental organisations in the implementation of this strategy and on means of identifying and offering senior citizens active and efficient ways of spending their free time and involvement in the community.

The participants in the event were members of the teaching staff at the Faculty of Sociology and Communication, representatives of public and private institutions from the social field in Brașov as well as students from the Social Services and Community and Development Services study programmes.

By its content and organisation, the workshop created a favourable atmosphere for communication and sharing; it demonstrated convincingly that the ideas shared can be put into practice both by the students of our faculty in research and intervention projects, and by the representatives of the participating organisations during their day‐to‐day operations.

Dr Luiza Mesesan Schmitz

BE A SENIOR VOLUNTEER! LIVE THE JOY OF GIVING!

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

The sixth edition of the Supervolunteers Gala took place on 26 November. The Gala jury – representatives of the organisers and the public organisations involved in the field of voluntary service – offered the Special Prize to Dr Daniela Popa from the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences for her contribution to the development of voluntary service in Brașov County in 2014.

The Brașov Supervolunteers Gala is an event organised by Colors Association, Brașov County Sports and Youth Department in partnership with CAN Network, Brașov County School Inspectorate, Reduta Art Centre and other sponsors. Taking place in Brașov and Sibiu counties, the aim of the event is to promote voluntary service and award prizes to the most active volunteers in their respective communities.

Worth mentioning is the large number of nominated volunteers, non‐governmental associations and local community projects, among which the Martisor of Joy project developed by the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences at Transilvania University. At this year's gala, 32 prizes were awarded for fifteen different categories. The guests, the volunteers and the representatives of the non‐governmental organisations and schools created an energetic and emotional atmosphere in celebration of the people who were involved in these projects this year.

Dr Liliana Rogozea

POETRY MARATHON AT THE ETNOVEMBER FESTIVAL

On 14 November local book lovers were present at the debut of Cristina Andrei, whose novel „Abonatul nu poate fi contactat” (The subscriber cannot be reached), was recently issued by Nemira Publishing House.

A University of Bucharest graduate in Philology, Cristina Andrei became, following a brief teaching career, a journalist with the Public Television. This context gave her the opportunity to author a series of documentary films dedicated to prominent cultural and historical personalities. During the past few years she did volunteer work in cultural projects, creating documentaries on investigations related to uncovering the victims of the communist regime.

In 2012, “an unfortunate year” as the author herself calls it, a dry spell in her television work allowed Cristina Andrei to focus her attention on writing: “I wrote the first 30 pages six years ago; the book couldn't stand a chance against reality so I left it on the back burner and carried on with my job. But when the break came, it took me only four months to finish this novel and I consider myself extremely lucky to have reached this point.”

On the occasion of the book launch, the two guests – Dr Mihai Ignat and Dr Romulus Bucur, both members of our Faculty of Letters – highlighted different aspects of the novel. Both the writer's powerful sense of reality and her capacity to build verisimilar dialogues were brought into focus: “It's a novel of voices; everybody speaks, everybody hears, but nobody listens.”

The evening concluded with a dialogue between the public ‐ master students from the Faculty of Letters ‐ and the author, followed by a book signing session.

Roxana A. Târziu, student

THE BRAȘOV SUPERVOLUNTEERS GALA

LAUNCH OF THE SUBSCRIBER CANNOT

BE REACHED BY CRISTINA ANDREI

SPECIAL PRIZE FOR CONTRIBUTIONTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF

VOLUNTARY SERVICE

As part of the Etnovember Fes�val, The Poetry Marathon from 2 to 9 organized by the Faculty of Le�ers was held on 17 November. The event brought together over twenty local poets who gave public readings from their work.

This year's edi�on was dedicated to the memory of poet Andrei Bodiu, whose passing away le� a void in the local literary circles.

The series of readings was opened by poet Claudiu Mitan and con�nued with readings by Floren�na Borgovan, Mirabela Voinea, Anca Dumitru, Alexandru Căldare, Andrei Dósa, Vlad Drăgoi, Ioan Șerbu, formerly MA students at the Faculty of Le�ers, as well as by Carmen Elisabeth Puchianu, Mihai Ignat and Robert Elekes, faculty members. A long awaited moment were the poems of Daniel Pișcu, who delighted the audience with some of his most recent work. Noteworthy was also the reading by two special invitees, Caius Dobrescu and Marius Oprea, who, together with Simona Popescu and Andrei Bodiu, co‐authored their debut volume of poetry Pauză de respirație (Breathing Pause) back in 1991. Like every year, Romulus Bucur's reading concluded the series.

The final event forming the marathon, In memoriam Andrei Bodiu, involved poets and public reading out loud their favourite poems from among Andrei Bodiu's work.

Iuliana Răducan, MA student, Cultural Innova�on Program

THE 14TH EDITION IN MEMORY OF PROFESSOR

ANDREI BODIU

EVENINGS AT THE FACULTY OF LETTERS

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

On 26 November the Faculty of Letters was the setting of a discussion on the avant‐garde which featured Dr Michael Finkenthal, Professor of astrophysics at the Johns Hopkins University (USA), who also launched the volume Sesto Pals, poetul prăpastiei. O viață în secol (Sesto Pals, the Poet of the Abyss. A Life in the Century), issued at Tracus Arte Publishing House.

Dr Adrian Lăcătuș, Dean of the Faculty, and Dr Rodica Ilie introduced the volume to the public, describing it as an invitation to explore the life and literary works of the surrealist poet, Sesto Pals. Dr Finkenthal, a lively researcher with a keen interest in avant‐garde authors, wrote a monograph which departs from more traditional approaches to

this genre by bringing together both the life and work of poet Sesto Pals. Simion Sestopali was born in Odessa; after a short‐lived career in the field of literature, he opted for a professional about‐face

and enrolled at the Bucharest Polytechnic as a student in engineering. He kept on writing, however, without publishing his work. It is this work that holds the centre stage in Dr Finkenthal's volume.

The event concluded with the invitation that Dr Finkenthal made to faculty staff and students to join him in his research of the avant‐garde, resulting in other biographical monographs. Dr Michael Finkenthal is known to readers as the author of biographical works issued by Tracus Arte Publishing House, among which D Trost între realitatea visului și visul ca realitate (D Trost between the Reality of the Dream and the Dream as Reality, 2013) și Lev Șestov. Filosof existențial, gânditor religios (Lev Șestov. Existential Philosopher, Religious Thinker, 2014).

Ramona TörökMA student, Cultural Innovation Program

PROFESSOR MICHAEL FINKENTHAL VISITS THE FACULTY OF LETTERS

thThe 7 course organized by ESPID (European Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases) and ththe 6 East‐European and Mediterranean Teaching Course on Paediatric Infectious Diseases took

place at Transilvania University, on 14 and 15 November. The course was targeted at paediatricians, epidemiologists, general practitioners, diagnostic physicians, interns, resident physicians and students.

The main objectives of this course were to recognize infectious diseases in paediatrics patients, to determine the diagnostic criteria for these diseases, their potential for evolution, to choose the right therapeutic treatment plan, as well as to discuss the most recent studies on the effects of vaccination on the paediatric population.

The course gathered participants from Israel, Great Britain, Canada, Taiwan, Greece, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain, but also teaching staff from the Universities of Medicine in Bucharest, Iaşi, Cluj and Craiova.

The conference was attended by the President of the European Society of Paediatric Infectious Diseases, Professor Ronald de Groot, who lectured on the impact of severe infectious diseases on clinical research.

Various general interest topics were approached, such as the interrelation between viruses and bacteria, the influence of nutrition on the evolution of infectious diseases, the emergence of new viruses like the noroviruses, the increase in the number of cases of certain diseases like meningococcal infections on children under the age of two, the effects of vaccines on the prescription of antibiotics and on severe diseases.

The discussions included presentations of clinical cases which raised lively debates on the best therapeutic course of action for these patients and possible preventative measures.

Dr Oana Falup‐Pecurariu

A NEW EDITION OF THE DOCTORAL SCHOOL CONFERENCES

FROM THE INTERRELATION BETWEEN VIRUSES AND BACTERIA TO

THE EFFECTS OF VACCINES

SUCCESSFUL ALUMNISUCCESSFUL ALUMNI

PAEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES COURSE

Hanna Peter is a 2005 graduate of the Industrial Design BSc study programme delivered in

English. She started her career in the design department of roller bearing manufacturer Schaeffler

Romania while also con�nuing her studies with the “Advanced Modelling and Drawing

Techniques” master programme at the Faculty of Technological Engineering of Transilvania

University.

The comple�on of her MSc degree marks the onset of the next stage of her professional

development, as Head of Product Design with Schaeffler Romania. The results were very good and duly

acknowledged by the partners from Schaeffler Germany head office. Consequently in only five years,

Hanna's team ini�ally made up of 16 designers and specialists developed under her leadership into a solid

organisa�on with 100 plus staff and mul�ple responsibili�es in R&D. Today the department is known as the

Schaeffler Romania Engineering Centre and pursues numerous collabora�ons with Transilvania University.

Based on the success of this project ini�ated five years before, Hanna was asked to con�nue at the

main seat of Schaeffler Group in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Thus, since 2011 Hanna has worked in the R&D Resource Management

Department, being mainly responsible for defining the development strategy of the more than 35 Schaeffler loca�ons conduc�ng such

ac�vity.

Dr Codruţa Jaliu

HANNA PETER

FIDES ET EXCELLENTIA

Transilvania Universityof Brasov

wishes you

Transilvania Universityof Brasov

wishes you

a Merry Christmas

and

a Happy New Year!

a Merry Christmas

and

a Happy New Year!

Professor Ioan Vasile Abrudan,Rector

Professor Ioan Vasile Abrudan,Rector