IRIS Adlershof welcomed a visit from the Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner, and the Senator for Science, Health, and Care, Dr. Ina Czyborra. IRIS-member Prof. Emil List-Kratochvil provided them with insights into our cleanroom laboratory, where our colleagues are actively researching new materials, and he explained ongoing projects with the distinguished guests.

Following the visit, our guests celebrated the 20th anniversary of Campus Adlershof, which they opened together with Prof. Julia von Blumenthal, President of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Roland Sillmann, WISTA. The lively exchange and discussions during the festivites were complemented by engaging presentations from Prof. Elmar Kulke, IRIS-member Prof. Eva Unger, and Prof. Thomas Kosch.

IRIS Adlershof, as a part of this success story, congratulates the entire campus on the milestones achieved together.

(fltr:) Prof. Ulf Leser, Dr. Nikolai Puhlmann, Prof. Emil List-Kratochvil, Kai Wegner, Prof. Christoph Schneider and Dr. Ina Czyborra in front of IRIS Adlershof	Prof. Emil List-Kratochvil explains ongoing research in new materials with Kai Wegner, governing mayor of Berlin	Prof. Eva Unger looks forward to the next 20 years of energy materials research at the Festakt: 20 Jahre Campus Adlershof

Dr. Oliver Dumele, member of IRIS Adlershof, received a call to the Albert-Ludwigs University of Freiburg and started his role as a Professor (W3) for Functional Organic Materials on November 1st.
Oliver Dumele studied chemistry at the University of Mainz and UC Berkeley in the USA. After his thesis at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz and an industrial internship at BASF in Ludwigshafen, he obtained his doctorate at ETH Zurich in Switzerland. In a subsequent postdoctoral phase, he conducted research at Northwestern University in the USA. Since 2019, he has been a junior group leader at the Institute of Chemistry at Humboldt University in Berlin, where he has been leading the BMBF group on "Organic Battery Electrodes from Framework Compounds" since 2022. His work has been honored with various awards, such as the Lecturer's Prize from the Foundation of the Chemical Industry, the Young Investigator Award from the European Chemical Society, and recently, the Ernst Haage Prize from the Max Planck Society.
He remains a member of IRIS Adlershof.

Congratulations!

Sustainable batteries, novel catalysts, efficient solar cells, and 3D printing technology - all of this is set to emerge in the future at the new Center for the Science of Materials Berlin (CSMB) at Humboldt University in Berlin. The grand opening took place on Thursday, October 19th in the IRIS Research Building in Berlin-Adlershof. Not only the HU news page, but also the newspaper B.Z. (with a quarter-million readers) featured a noteworthy article on 'Berlin's new gem of research'.

"Many global challenges related to sustainable resource utilization can only be addressed through innovation in materials science," explains CSMB founding director Prof. Stefan Hecht. With the new materials research center, Humboldt University is consolidating the expertise available in Adlershof's science and technology hub for innovation processes and materials science. At CSMB, researchers are working on future materials aimed at achieving global sustainability goals. Scientists from various disciplines, both academic and non-academic institutions, as well as entrepreneurs, are working together. The development of innovative materials at CSMB will be accelerated using modern methods such as high-throughput synthesis and screening, in-situ synchrotron analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence.

Collaborative Research on Future Materials

In the labs at CSMB, 150 scientists are already working in jointly operated labs, known as Joint Labs. Here, researchers from chemistry, physics, and computer science collaborate with colleagues from the life and cultural sciences, each bringing their unique perspective on materials. Startup entrepreneurs also have access to the new labs. Together, they are researching highly efficient solar cells, sustainable sodium-ion batteries, novel catalysts for efficient green hydrogen production, and printable organ models for animal-free drug testing.

State-of-the-Art Research Building in Berlin-Adlershof

The state-of-the-art research building at CSMB provides researchers with excellent infrastructure, including electron microscopes for atomic-level material imaging, ultrafast spectroscopy for tracking chemical processes in femtoseconds, and innovative printing techniques.
CSMB is the logical extension of Humboldt University's first integrated research institute, IRIS Adlershof, which laid the foundation for interdisciplinary collaboration and a new, state-of-the-art research building.

Here are some impressions, gathered by our colleague Collin

The editorial team of the Berlin Science section of Tagesspiegel has identified the top 100 personalities in the Berlin research scene for the year 2023. These experts have significantly influenced the research region of Berlin throughout the year with their remarkable achievements and innovations. Some have enriched their respective fields with groundbreaking studies and innovative research methods, secured substantial research funding, and excelled in education. Others have actively participated in public discourse, shaped the urban community, and established international networks connecting regional research institutions with the world. These researchers all contribute to shaping the profile of the scientific community and laying the foundations for future discoveries and innovations. Among the selected scientists are two members of IRIS Adlershof.

Jan Plefka: Researching at the Heart of the Universe

One of the selected top scientists is Jan Plefka, a researcher at the Institute of Physics and the Integrative Research Institute for the Sciences (IRIS) at Humboldt-University in Adlershof, Berlin. His work focuses on fascinating questions related to the formation of black holes, the validity of Einstein's theories in strong gravitational fields, and the quest for signs of physics beyond known natural forces and particles. In his research, he employs quantum field theory, a mathematical description of the fundamental building blocks of our universe, to, for example, investigate gravitational waves.

Stefan Hecht: Innovations in Materials Science

Another outstanding scientist who made it into the top 100 is Stefan Hecht, a professor of chemistry and the founding director of the Center for the Science of Materials Berlin. Stefan Hecht is dedicated to materials science and conducts intensive research on light-controlled polymers. Particularly notable is his development of "Xolography," a method for highly precise 3D printing, which he has brought to market readiness. His commitment to promoting university-based startups was recognized this year with the prestigious Unipreneurs Award.

The inclusion of these two exceptional researchers from IRIS Adlershof among Berlin's top 100 scientists recognizes their significant contributions to research and their impressive achievements in their respective fields. Jan Plefka and Stefan Hecht utilize their expertise and dedication to answer critical questions and advance innovations that will shape our world of tomorrow.