Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad

Profession:
Neuroscientist, Memory world record holder
Expertise:
Neuroscience, Memory training, remembering names
Languages:
German, English, Dutch

A good memory can be learned!

Would you like to remember the name of a new customer right away? Give lectures without taking notes or learn languages with ease? In his entertaining lectures, a rousing mix of entertainment, show and memory training, brain researcher, artificial intelligence expert and world record holder in remembering names Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad proves to an enthusiastic audience that anyone can bring their memory to peak performance! "Germany's super brain" Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad shows you how fascinating and amusing learning can be. The brain researcher talks about artificial intelligences (AI) such as Chat GPT in an amusing and descriptive way. He explains the brain of the future in a playful way. Combined with the latest findings from neuroscience, he answers questions about whether we will remain smarter than robots and how technology is changing the way we think.

Whether as a talk guest on ORF, NDR, VOX or ZDF - the likeable brain researcher is a welcome guest and a sought-after brain trainer for actors.

lectures by Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad

Memory training for eyerone

Names, digits, full presentations - whoever is capable of storing these in their memory with ease has a clear advantage compared to most of the population. Memory world record holder Boris Nikolai Konrad explains his techniques in this engaging keynote speech.

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Super brain - memory training with a world champion

It's easy to remember names, numbers and lectures: if you can do this, you have a clear advantage - both privately and professionally. The methods for this can be learned by everyone. Get to know the memory techniques of Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad and use the training talent of the multiple world record holder and winner of the TV show "Deutschlands Superhirn" to motivate yourself to explore your own memory in a new way.

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Memory training for unforgettable events

You want your event to be remembered for a long time? With the multiple memory world record holder Dr. Konrad, you can ensure an unforgettable event. After the lecture, your participants will not only be able to remember more, but will also remember your event in the best and longest lasting way.

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Lecture aritficial intelligence - are we staying smarter than robots?

From Intel's Watson to Google's DeepMind to MindJourney and ChatGPT. Many developments in the field of artificial intelligence have impressed and even shaken people and companies.
Where is it still headed? Speculation abounds, but what are robots really capable of and what else will they learn? Is an AI that generates impressive images, even works of art, creative itself - or is it just plagiarizing creators of art? The charismatic computer scientist and brain researcher Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad reports on the opportunities and risks of artificial intelligence. He is up close and personal with the current state of research and is able to captivate his audience with exciting insights.

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Future brain - how technology changes our thinking

How will future technologies change our ability to think and remember? How can we optimise our memory? And how vulnerable is our brain? In his lecture, the brain researcher and 5-star speaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad gives a trend-setting overview of the latest questions and findings in brain research, which will soon influence our private and professional lives. The exceptional scientist will show his audience how the interaction between our memory and new technologies works, what opportunities and dangers they hold and how companies can prepare for future developments in good time.

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Why diversity is necessary for innovation and learning

Memory needs diversity to develop effectively. Consequently, lived diversity in companies leads to significant competitive advantages. This is what this lecture shows. 5 star speaker and neuroscientist Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad explains impressively why our brain works more efficiently in a diverse work environment. Diversity in the working world stimulates the memory of entrepreneurs and employees and ensures more creativity, innovation and learning ability.

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Space in our head: stress-free through life

Most people find it increasingly difficult to get down from their daily stress levels in their private and professional lives. But what possibilities are there to create space in one's head and thus go through life stress-free? The 5-star speaker and brain researcher Dr. Boris Nikolaus Konrad has been dealing with this important question in his studies for many years. In his exciting lecture, the world champion in memory now gives his audience valuable tips on how everyone can succeed in dealing with the daily flood of information in a relaxed manner.

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Profile

The brain researcher and AI expert teaches at various universities and is currently researching the foundations of outstanding memory and thinking skills at Radboud University. The expert for AI Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad is the author of the highly amusing Ariston top title "Alles nur in meinem Kopf - die Geheimnisse unseres Gehirns" (All in my head - the secrets of our brain) and the classic book on memory training "Superhirn - Gedächtnistraining mit einem Weltmeister" (Goldegg). As a world-class memory athlete, he holds numerous world records, is a multiple team world champion and a regular guest on TV and radio in Germany (Wetten, Dass...?!, Markus Lanz, Galileo, Planet Wissen, Deutschlands Superhirn and many more), China, Japan, USA, Great Britain and the Netherlands. As a memory expert, he is also a sought-after interview partner in the print media worldwide (including Spiegel, New York Times, Psychology Today, Wired).

With his enormous memory capacity, the brain researcher has already entered the Guinness Book of Records several times. His enthusiasm for learning techniques, learning methods and memory training has long since become a passion, which he passes on to his audience in amusing and instructive memory shows with amazing experiments. Mnemonics using mnemonic words and pictures have been tried and tested for centuries and are child's play to learn, but never before have they been taught in such a sparkling way!

As light-footed as the artificial intelligence expert presents his learning strategies, as profound are the scientific foundations on which his knowledge of learning techniques and the memory capacity of the human brain is based: After studying physics and computer science, Dr. Boris N. Konrad did his doctorate at the Max Planck Institute on the neuronal basis of extraordinary memory performance. He is currently a neuroscientist at the Donders Institute in Nijmegen/Netherlands.

Brain researcher Dr Boris Nikolai Konrad won the show "Germany's Super Brain" with Jörg Pilawa and on Chinese television over 100 million viewers watched his appearance on "The Brain". The world record holder, who is known far beyond Germany, Austria and Switzerland, also promotes his hobby of memory training as president of "MemoryXL": The European Society for the Promotion of Memory is the largest memory sports association in the world. In addition, he is successful nationwide in competitions for knowledge communication, such as Science Slam and FameLab.

For his outstanding success as a speaker, AI expert Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad has already received the 5 Star Speaker Award three times: in the category "Best Newcomer", for his extraordinary achievements and as "Best Performer Trainer". Konrad also received the certificate as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). His audio book "Das perfekte Namensgedächtnis" (The Perfect Name Memory) is also one of the best-selling books in the 5 Star Shop. In 2016, Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad became the youngest speaker in the world to be awarded the highest international distinction for full-time speakers by the American National Speakers Association: only 7 percent of speakers worldwide can call themselves "Certified Speaking Professional".

Successes in memory sports:

  • since 2004 winner of numerous memory championships
  • since 2009 several world records in memory sports
  • 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2015 - World Team Champion in memory sports.
  • 2012 the memory trainer is winner of "Germany's super brain" on ZDF
  • 2013 World record in remembering words (119 in 5 minutes), world champion in remembering names
  • 2014 Guinness world record in knowing capitals
  • 2015 Improved own world record - remembering 215 names and faces in 15 minutes
  • 2016 Presented in the Guinness Book of World Records

Publications:

  • Scientific publications in journals and volumes, e.g.
  • "The perfect memory for names - remembering names with the 5-star method", audio book, Gabal Verlag 2011
  • "Super brain. Memory training with a world champion", Goldegg Verlag 2013
  • "Everything only in my head: The secrets of our brain", Ariston Verlag 2016

Additional information:

  • President of MemoryXL, the European Memory Advancement Association
  • Boris Nikolai Konrad has been in the Top 10 Memory rankings worldwide for years
  • German representative of the World Sport Stacking Association
Keynote Speaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad

News, Presse und Blog

"Ähem, wie war Ihr Name noch?"

5 Sterne Redner, Gedächtnisweltrekordhalter und Experte im Namen merken Boris Nikolai Konrad im Interview mit Spiegel online.

Erfahren Sie in diesem Artikel, wie Sie sich in den ersten Arbeitstagen erfolgreich die Namen und auch Hobbys der neuen Kollegen merken können - mit Hilfe geeigneter Merkstrategien.

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Interview with World Record Holder Boris Nikolai Konrad

In 2009, Boris Nikolai Konrad set two world records at the Germany Memory Championships: he memorized 280 words and 195 names and faces in 15 minutes. In 2010, he succeeded in beating his own record by memorizing 201 names and faces. He is also listed in the Guinness Book.

Learn more about the successful memory record holder and keynote speaker.

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World Memory Champion Boris Nikolai Konrad

In 2009, Boris Nikolai Konrad set two world records at the Germany Memory Championships: he memorized 280 words and 195 names and faces in 15 minutes. In 2010, he succeeded in beating his own record by memorizing 201 names and faces. He is also listed in the Guinness Book.

Learn more about the successful memory record holder and keynote speaker.

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Why there is no difference between the memory of an expert and yours

The news service vocativ has published a new article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

The brain of people with super memories are no different than yours

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New study shows effects of memory training on recall ability

CNBC has published an article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

Scientist show how anyone can improve memory

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Dr. B. N. Konrad-Giant of The Competitive Memory World

The Mental Athlete Blog of Daniel Kilov has published a new interview with Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

A Giant of The Competitive Memory World

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What science is behind the best memory athletes?

The WIRED UK magazine has published a new article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

The science behind the best memorisers in the world

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How to become a memory master

The magazine ScienceNews has published an article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

Brain training turns recall rookies into memory masters

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Study about memory athletes brain training

CNN has published a new article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

Hack your brain to remember almost anything

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Why it's easy to become a memory champion

The magazine New Scientist has published a new article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

How to train your brain to be like a memory champion's

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How to double your brain power within six weeks

The newspaper The Guardian has published an article about Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad:

Ancient technique can dramatically improve memory, research suggests

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Boris Konrad and Ilja Grzeskowitz are Certified Speaking Professionals

Two Germans, Memory Trainer Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad and Change Expert Ilja Grzeskowitz from the well-known Global Topspeakers Agency, have recently been honoured with the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speakers Association of America - an award considered to be the highest level of international recognition for professional keynote speakers. 

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The link between ancient speakers and modern keynote speakers

Keynote speaker – when hearing this word, the first that comes to mind is future trends, technology, Silicon Valley. However, keynote speaker is not a profession that has only been invented recently: As is generally known, the art of rhetoric has its roots in the ancient world. Even the ancient Greeks and Romans already had their „celebrity speakers” such as Homer, Socrates and Aristoteles. 

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Human + Machine: These speakers talk about AI being the future of work

Shortly after its publication in the US already, the book “Human + Machine” sparked a lot of discussion. Now, the book on artificial intelligence and the future of work has been published in German as well (dtv Verlag). The two Global Topspeakers, Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad (on the right) and Kai Arne Gondlach (left) also deal with the controversial topic of artificial intelligence and talk about it in their forward-looking lectures. 

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Memory World Champion Boris Nikolai Konrad comments on chat robots

Recently, brain researcher, super brain and Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad took a stand on the comparison between “human brain power and software such as for chat robots“. This was prompted by analyses conducted by Stiftung Warentest (a German consumer organisation investigating and comparing goods and services in an unbiased way) at the end of September. The testers compared eleven telephone hotlines, four chat robots and four live chats of telecommunications providers. Stiftung Warentext came to a sobering conclusion: „Many consultants are friendly but do not have clue“ and „ Most of the time, the chat robots are completely overwhelmed”.

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Global Topspeakers inspire at GSA Convention

At the start of September, the 14th international GSA Convention of the German Speaker Association took place at the Mariott hotel in Frankfurt am Main. Numerous Global Topspeakers spoke at the convention under the slogan “Voices of Change” – Veränderung eine Stimme geben!”. Global Topspeaker and Chairman of the Convention Ilja Grzeskowitz welcomed the international and national guests. In his opening speech Grzeskowitz thematised the slogan and mentioned how important it is to avoid standard topics and empty phrases in times of change. The client expects to gain new references on current topics. The main point are the learnings which are taken from the lectures and should have an added value for the client. Quality is a must. Because words have a great impact. And as a Keynote Speaker it is a privilege to be on stage which should be valued and used.

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Will we stay ahead of robots, memory trainer Boris Konrad?

How does Artificial Intelligence (AI) change our daily lives? Are humans losing their meaning? Will our brain keep up at all? And what influence does technology have on our thinking? Questions that the memory trainer, brain researcher and Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad gets asked daily and answers these questions in his lecture on artificial intelligence. But the big question that resonates with in all questions: “Will we stay ahead of robots?"

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Global Topspeakers inspire worldwide on TEDx stages

Global Topspeakers are on the stages of the world, in corporations, banks and companies. Some of them also make their way to the well-known stages of TEDx Talks worldwide. On the TED website, lectures from TED conferences are published almost daily. These lectures share the idea “Ideas worth spreading”.

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Sport Stacking: Boris Nikolai Konrad is World Champion again!

This April the  World Championships in Sport Stacking took place  in Butzbach / Germany. It was first time that some 250 participants from 19 countries traveled away to compete outside the USA.

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Global Topspeakers Awards 2012

As every year we awarded our most successful speakers at our annual Christmas Celebration on December 15th. The following speakers received their well deserved rewards based on the decision of a panel of experts:

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Boris N. Konrad – Mention in the Guinness Book of World Records 2014

Great joy for the 5 star team! Memory expert and world champion Boris Nikolai Konrad finds its way into the recently published Guinness Book of World Records 2014.

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Boris N. Konrad – Once again World Champion in memorizing names

The Global Topspeakers Team is absolutely thrilled: We have just received the following, sensational news from LondonGlobal Topspeaker Boris Nikolai Konrad once again is the World Memory Champion in memorizing names!

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Superhirn Boris Nikolai Konrad challenges Chinese Memory Athlete

Global Topspeaker Boris Nikolai Konrad is currently traveling to  Nanjing nearby Shanghai. Once arrived, he is going to participate in the TV event ‘Chinas Super Brain’. Channel PPTV bought the license to the show from Endemol and has already aired some episodes with much success fort he local Chinese brain athletes.

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Global Top Speaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad

The memory expert and World Champion in memorizing names, Boris Nikolai Konrad, not only is an inspiring lecturer but also a scientist and staff member of the renowned Max Planck Institute in Munich.

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Outstanding results in China for Super Brain Boris N. Konrad

At the beginning of this year, Global Top Speaker Boris Nikolai Konrad traveled to China to participate in the Chinese version of “Super Brain – part two” in Nanjing. The memory expert was already a participant in this show in 2014 and the only foreign guest to be invited twice!

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Global Topspeaker Boris N. Konrad wins at Sport Stacking World Cup

Memory expert Boris Nikolai Konrad is also a stacking-Ass. He recorded once again outstanding results at the Sport Stacking World Championships in Montreal, Canada, on April 11th and 12th.This was already Boris’ 9th overall participation. The memory trainer and Keynote Speaker started in the age group 25 - 34. The participants competed in three single disciplines, a double and three relay disciplines.

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Worldwide appearance of Boris N. Konrad on the Deutsche Welle

For many Germans who live and work abroad, the Deutsche Welle (DW) is an established term and an integral part of their daily media information. The Deutsche Welle is the Federal Republic of Germany’s international broadcasting service which broadcasts world-wide and apart from radio and internet also provides TV coverage in English, German and other languages. Recently, Global Topspeaker and holder of the world record in memorizing names and faces, Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad, has made an appearance in DW TV’s popular series „ingoodshape“.

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Two new World Records for Global Topspeaker Boris Nikolai Konrad

Great News from Istanbul! Global Topspeakers are thrilled for having learned on November 29th, live from Turkey, that memorytrainer Boris Nikolai Konrad triumphed again! During the „Memoriad World Records Attempts“ he introduced two new world records in the discipline „remembering names“. The keynote speaker and memorytrainer memorized sensational 104 names during 5 minutes and then - later in the competition - memorized again 215 names during only 15 minutes! 

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German Keynote Speakers - invitation to NSA Convention in Phoenix

The famous Global Topspeakers Ilja Grzeskowitz and Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad formed - together with their German speaking colleagues Gabriel Schandl and Martin Sänger - a special speakers team. This team is called the German Keynote Speakers.

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Rock your Business: Inspiration and Networking for Entrepreneurs

Do not miss this great opportunity to join four of Germany’s best Keynote Speakers on memory training, change, performance and sales at the Rationaltheater in Munich on June 15th. Look forward to:

• Four global keynote speakers, visionaries and experts in their fields

• Four motivating presentations full of new ideas that will rock your business

• Inspiration, expertise and hands-on tools for your job

• Great opportunities for networking

When: June 15th, 2016 at 6:30 pm

Where: Rationaltheater, Munich

Tickets at 29 Euros each

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Highest speakers’ award for Boris Nikolai Konrad and Ilja Grzeskowitz

It is considered to be the ultimate accolade in the speaking profession – and as many as two Germans have now been honoured with it: Memory Trainer Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad as well as Change Expert Ilja Grzeskowitz - both from the renowned Global Topspeakers Agency –have been awarded the Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation by the National Speakers Association of America. This is the highest international accreditation for professional keynote speakers. 

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Famous around the world: International success for Global Topspeakers

Whether it’s lecture events on speaker’s platforms all over the world or multi-lingual translations of their successful books – the Global Topspeakers are well-known and suc-cessful far beyond the borders of Germany as well. Consequently, they often travel miles and miles and gain unique international expertise as speakers and authors. 

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Boris Nikolai Konrad: Co-Author of important brain research report

The ability to perform astonishing feats of memory, can be learned! This is the amazing result of an extensive study conducted by Martin Dresler, assistant professor of cognitive neuroscience at Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, together with Global Topspeaker and professional memory trainer, Boris Nikolai Konrad. Their highly important results have been published recently in the journal “Neuron”.

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BORIS NIKOLAI KONRAD: IN THE NETHERLANDS, HIS BOOK IS A BESTSTELLER

Goed nieuws from our Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad: Only published recently in our neighbouring country, the Dutch edition of the current book by the brain researcher and memory trainer has already hit the bestseller list in the first week of its publication.

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De Hoop and Konrad inspired at the TEDx Talk in Den Helder

„Both sides of the story“ – was the motto of the second TEDx Talk in the Dutch city of Den Helder. The presentations by both of the Global Topspeakers, Richard de Hoop and Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad, perfectly matched the motto of the event. They illustrated two wonderful characteristics of the human being: On the one hand, the ability to learn to deal with the imponderables of life and on the other, the ability to train one’s memory.

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New talk by Boris N. Konrad: How diversity increases our innovativeness

When there’s talk of diversity in business and politics, then it’s mostly in connection with the reduction of prejudices and an open-minded approach to other cultures, religions and ways of life. In the working environment, diversity has even more, still underestimated potential for companies, however. This is what brain researcher and Global Topspeaker Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad now demonstrates in a new, trendsetting presentation. Holding a doctorate in neuroscience, he knows exactly what happens in our minds when we are working with others – with impressive results.

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Memory-world champion Boris Nikolai Konrad with his first movie role

On the 3rd of October the documentation “Memory Games” will air in German cinemas and present people with extraordinary memory performance. Besides Germany the movie aired already in several countries on the streaming service Netflix. “Memory Games” gives a glimpse in to the life of four people in the U.S., Germany and Mongolia which have an incredibly well-trained memory and fight about the title of memory-world champion. Global Topspeaker and brain researcher Dr. Boris Nikolai Konrad already won this title a couple of times. He will also be part of the movie directed by Jante Tobias and Claus Wehlisch.

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Opportunities of the Corona Crisis: Lecture from the Home Office to the USA

Give a lecture in the U.S. from your home office in Germany? No problem for Global Topspeaker Boris Nikolai Konrad. Actually he should have flown to the U.S. for the award ceremony of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and inspired the audience there with his exciting lecture about memory. The Corona crisis has put a damper on this project. However, Boris Nikolai Konrad and the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society have recognized the chance of this crisis and let the event take place online.

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