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  • High honors: “For services to chemistry in China”

    For services to chemistry in China

    Two members of the GDNÄ management team receive high honors

    The Chinese Chemical Society (CCS) has named two leading members of the GDNÄ as honorary members. GDNÄ Vice President Professor Ferdi Schüth and Professor Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus, a member of the GDNÄ Board of Directors, received the honor for their contributions to Chinese chemistry and to the exchange between the Chinese Chemical Society and international organizations, according to a CCS statement. 

    The CCS is the counterpart to the German Chemical Society. The scientific society was founded in Nanjing in 1932 and has around 120,000 personal and more than 180 institutional members. “Honorary Fellow of the Chinese Chemical Society” is the highest status awarded by the CCS to international scientists in the field of chemistry. The society’s website currently lists 103 honorary fellows worldwide, including eleven Germans. 

    Professor Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus has advanced combustion diagnostics using laser-induced fluorescence, cavity ring-down spectroscopy and emission spectroscopy, according to a CCS statement, which continues: “She has led groundbreaking research on the combustion of biofuels, uncovered mechanisms of combustion reactions and pollutant formation, and developed novel low-temperature combustion techniques.” She has, writes the CCS, established long-term partnerships with Chinese institutions, trained academic leaders in combustion research, and advised China on science and innovation policy. Furthermore, Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus is a foreign member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

    Professor Dr. Ferdi Schüth has made significant contributions to the development of new catalytic materials, the conversion of biomass, and the production and storage of hydrogen, writes the CCS. He is doing pioneering work in mechanochemical approaches to catalyst production and is committed to more environmentally friendly, energy-efficient chemical technologies. Professor Schüth has actively promoted academic exchange with China. “His long-standing cooperation and frequent visits to Chinese universities and research institutes have enabled numerous joint projects and initiatives to develop talent,” writes the CCS.

    Saarbrücken 2018 © Robertus Koppies

    © Universität Bielefeld / Norma Langohr

    Prof. Dr. Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus.
    Saarbrücken 2018 © Robertus Koppies

    © Robert Eickelpoth

    Prof. Dr. Ferdi Schüth

    Zum Weiterlesen:

    Ferdi Schüth: “We should involve other disciplines more“

    “We should involve other disciplines more“

    GDNÄ Vice President Ferdi Schüth on the indispensable expertise of economists, failed exams and research with the ball mill.

    Professor Schüth, you are a Max Planck director in your main job, and you also hold numerous honorary positions. Do you know off the top of your head how many there are?
    There are actually quite a few, but I don’t have the exact number at hand. The roles are very different, also in terms of the time required. It ranges from 80 percent of my working hours in the years as Vice President of the Max Planck Society to a two-hour meeting every few years in smaller committees. 

    A few months ago, I took on another role: that of Vice President and incoming President of the GDNÄ. What motivates you to get involved with the GDNÄ? 
    I like the breadth of topics it covers. The GDNÄ shows how different areas of science interact – this is not so clearly visible in other societies. When I was asked whether I would like to take on the role, I only had to think about it briefly before saying yes. The presidency begins gently with two years as vice president and ends just as gently – that makes a lot of things easier.

     © Isabel Schiffhorst für MPI für Kohleforschung

    Main entrance to the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr.

    How do you intend to proceed as a new member of the presidium? 
    First of all, I will take a close look at everything and support what is going well. One example is the new GDNÄ junior organisation, the jGDNÄ. I think it’s great that it exists now and that it is absolutely in keeping with the times. Similar developments can be seen in other scientific societies – I am thinking, for example, of the young chemists’ forums of the German Chemical Society, which practically every local section now has. What is important is that young members are given the freedom to create something themselves. 

    What priorities would you like to set in the future? 
    The effect of science on society seems to me to be increasingly interesting and important. What do citizens think about science and research, what do they get out of it and what can we scientists offer them? In my opinion, the GDNÄ is a good forum for such questions and for exchanging ideas with the public. 

    How can this be achieved?
    Perhaps in the future we should involve the social sciences, humanities and arts more closely, at least selectively. I am currently experiencing how helpful this can be at the Leopoldina, where I am participating in a focus group on climate and energy. We natural and technical scientists in the group benefit greatly from the expertise of the economists who are also involved. They help us to develop business models for our great ideas. Because if it doesn’t pay off, you can forget it – that’s an important insight that I’ve gained over many years of work. Economic expertise, for example, could also enrich the GDNÄ, for example in individual topics at the meetings. Nevertheless, it would retain its character as a scientific society. 

     

    © Frank Vinken für MPI für Kohleforschung

    Professors Alois Fürstner, Frank Neese, Tobias Ritter, Benjamin List and Ferdi Schüth (from left to right) together form the Board of Directors of the Max Planck Institute in Mülheim.

    A scientific society that engages in dialogue with the public…
    …yes, and that is strength of the GDNÄ, which we can further expand. There is a great need for communication, because on the one hand science is more important than ever, but on the other hand society trusts it less than it did 20 or 30 years ago. Today there are alternative facts and lateral thinkers with whom a reasonable conversation is hardly possible. As scientists, we have to justify our work more than we used to and explain more precisely what science can and cannot do. The GDNÄ is a very good platform for this. 

    Political issues are currently dominating public discourse. This also includes the anti-scientific behaviour of the Trump administration. Should Germany take the opportunity, as some suggest, to specifically poach US scientists? 
    We should signal our willingness to accept them and show them the options available in Germany. I don’t think it’s the right approach to aggressively encourage American scientists to leave their country.

    Is your institute affected by current US policy?
    Yes, the consequences are noticeable. For decades, we were able to send our postdocs to the US for a few years of research without any problems. This is difficult at present because many US research institutions are uncertain and do not know what will happen tomorrow. “Get back to us in a few months” is often the response to our inquiries now.

    © Frank Vinken / MPG

    The grinding process in a ball mill activates a catalyst in such a way that it mediates the synthesis of ammonia at a much lower temperature and pressure than is necessary in the established Haber-Bosch process.

    Your current research work is about the energy of tomorrow. It is in this context that mechanocatalysis should be seen, and last year you were able to obtain a 2.5 million euro Advanced Grant from the European Research Council (ERC) for research into this area. What are you planning to do with it? 
    We want to understand the fundamental processes in mechanochemistry at the molecular level. We carry out our mechanochemical reactions in ball mills. These reactions take place at room temperature and normal pressure, for which several hundred degrees and hundreds of bar of pressure are otherwise required. The new approach saves resources, time and costs. My research group has already realised exciting projects with this concept, for example the synthesis of ammonia. A detailed understanding of the process could enable the production of completely new materials. However, this is not part of the ERC project, and the clarification of the processes is initially pure basic research. Nevertheless, my department is currently preparing to establish several start-up companies based on the knowledge gained.

     Let’s take a look at your background: you studied chemistry and law, an unusual combination of subjects. How did that come about?
    Most chemists go into industry after graduating, so I thought that an additional law degree wouldn’t be a bad idea. Lawyers think differently, and that interested me. When I failed the first exam three times, I was seized by anger and wanted to prove that I could do it. Anger is a good motivator. My career then took a different path, but my knowledge of law helped me later when I founded our company hte. 

    You are celebrating your 65th birthday this year. For many working people, that’s a turning point in life. How about you?
    I plan to retire at the age of 68, which is the retirement age possible for Max Planck directors without major hurdles. That would be almost two years later than the regular retirement age. By then, we are talking about 2028, the doctoral projects in my field should be completed, and the ERC project will also be running until then – with me spending a few months in my emeritus workplace. I am looking forward to the new freedoms of retirement. I will write books, perhaps starting with a book about energy. And I want to hike across Germany, once from north to south.

    Saarbrücken 2018 © Robertus Koppies

    © Robert Eickelpoth

    Prof. Dr. Ferdi Schüth

    About the person

    Ferdi Schüth, born in 1960, studied chemistry and law at the University of Münster and received his doctorate in chemistry in 1988. After a postdoc stay at the University of Minnesota, he habilitated in inorganic chemistry in Mainz. In 1995, he became a professor at the University of Frankfurt. In 1998, he moved to Mülheim an der Ruhr, where he became director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research. Since 1999, he has also been an honorary professor at the Ruhr University Bochum. In the same year, he and six colleagues founded hte GmbH. The company’s business model is based on a process that can be used to quickly and efficiently find optimal catalysts for chemical reactions. Overall, Schüth’s research focuses on catalysis, zeolites, porous materials and energy-related topics. 

    Ferdi Schüth has held and continues to hold numerous positions in scientific societies and committees. Among other things, he was Vice President of the Max Planck Society from 2014 to 2020, with responsibility for the fields of chemistry, physics and technology. He has received many awards for his scientific work, including the Leibniz Prize from the German Research Foundation. As a member of the Leopoldina, he co-chairs the focus group “Climate and Energy” together with Robert Schlögl.

    Further information:

    Young GDNÄ: “Maintaining the momentum of the beginning”

    “Maintaining the momentum of the beginning”

    Regional meetings, mentoring programmes, lecture series: what young members of the GDNÄ are planning and how they want to achieve their goals.

    Ms Anders, Ms Karle, Mr Paschen, the Young GDNÄ was officially founded six months ago at the meeting in Potsdam. How is it doing today?
    Sebastian Paschen: Very well. We have had a lot of new members in recent weeks. Our WhatsApp group alone now has well over a hundred members. They are schoolchildren, students and young scientists from different fields of study, aged between 16 and 35. We receive excellent support from the large GDNÄ: we are listened to and given space – we feel very valued.
    Marlene Anders: The group has already had four online meetings since the Potsdam meeting. A few weeks ago, we renamed ourselves the Young Network of the GDNÄ, or jGDNÄ for short. With the new name, we are aligning ourselves with other professional associations – a majority voted in favour of this change.

    Who organises such meetings and who moderates them?
    Celine Karle: We are currently the representatives of the jGDNÄ and therefore take on part of the organisation. But many other committed young people work with and behind us.

    The spark has obviously been ignited. Was there an initial spark?
    Sebastian Paschen: Celine initiated a café for doctoral students in Potsdam, which attracted around twenty young people. It was the first get-together of its kind at a GDNÄ assembly.
    Celine Karle: I myself was once a GDNÄ scholar and later a guest at a few assemblies. My impression was that something was missing between the scholar programme and the big GDNÄ, so I came up with the idea of the doctoral café. The idea was to present dissertations there.
    Marlene Anders: But we didn’t actually discuss dissertations at all, and most of us weren’t doctoral students, but undergraduates. We talked about courses of study and scientific topics, about the GDNÄ and its future – and realised that there should be more opportunities for networking like this. That’s when we formed the GDNÄ Young Network.
    Sebastian Paschen: Since that meeting, an active core of around twenty members has emerged, who do a lot of work. A regular board election is scheduled to take place at the 2026 assembly in Bremen. Before then, we will certainly be meeting up often as the jGDNÄ – online, but also in person, as at our meeting from 27 to 29 June in Heidelberg. Almost 40 people have already registered for that.

     © Dima-Juschkow

    At the 2024 conference in Potsdam: members of the jGDNÄ and the school programme together with Nobel Prize winner Professor Ben Feringa (front row, centre).

    What are you planning for the meeting in Heidelberg?
    Celine Karle: We have organised several tours, for example to the Heidelberg Ion Beam Therapy Centre or to INSEAM, a centre for new materials, methods and technologies. We will be adding more interesting items to the programme over the next few weeks. Besides the scientific aspects, the meeting is also about getting to know each other and exchanging ideas among the members of the jGDNÄ – we want to create the framework and atmosphere for this. The plan is to organise such meetings of the jGDNÄ every two years, always between the major meetings of the GDNÄ.

    At the Potsdam meeting, there was also talk of regional meetings. Is that still on the agenda?
    Sebastian Paschen: Yes, we are in the middle of preparations and will definitely be able to organise the first meetings this year. Not only students, but also high school students from the respective region are invited. At the meetings, we want to network with each other and develop and implement new ideas.

    Are there any examples of this already?
    Marlene Anders: At our next online meeting on 14 April, we want to discuss a mentoring programme that brings together experienced GDNÄ scientists and jGDNÄ members. We are also talking about lecture series on scientific topics and a network of GDNÄ ambassadors at German universities. I’m a student teacher and I’m currently thinking about special offers for prospective teachers. There is a need for this, as I know from my own experience, and as a jGDNÄ we can certainly achieve a lot – especially with regard to good science communication.

    Your commitment is impressive. What motivates you?
    Marlene Anders: For me, it is the desire to communicate scientific knowledge to a wider audience. It is truly a matter close to my heart. The student scholarship is a great dive into research and I want to help ensure that it remains a unique experience for others as well.
    Sebastian Paschen: I come from the medical bubble and enjoy the interdisciplinary nature of the GDNÄ. There are so many enriching conversations and my horizons are constantly expanding.
    Celine Karle: I want to pass on my enthusiasm for science and help younger people on their way. They often have the same problems that I had at one time. For example: What do I do when an exam is coming up and I start to feel anxious about it? With our network in the jGDNÄ, we can certainly do a lot of good there.

     © Privat

    Group photo on the Alter Markt in Potsdam: Some members of the jGDNÄ on an evening trip to the Barberini Museum in September 2024.

    How do you see the GDNÄ and its importance? 
    Sebastian Paschen:
    It connects science and society, which is an extremely important role. And it doesn’t rest on its laurels, but moves with the times and dares to do new things, as it is doing now with the jGDNÄ. At my first GDNÄ annual conference, a Nobel Prize winner approached me and shook my hand – that made a big impression on me. What also impresses me is that I am allowed to be a full member as a student.
    Celine Karle: I love high-level yet understandable lectures – from my own discipline, physics, but especially from other fields. I think the interdisciplinary nature of the GDNÄ and the chance to get to know the current state of research in other disciplines better are great.
    Marlene Anders: I am impressed by the humanity in our interactions. And the great appreciation that we young people experience.

    Does the GDNÄ already have plans for the 2026 assembly in Bremen?
    Sebastian Paschen:
    We certainly have ideas and we will discuss them with the GDNÄ board of directors soon. It is already certain that we will be able to organise our own programme parts in Bremen.
    Celine Karle: We will definitely have a programme for school students again in 2026, as well as the popular formats “Science in 5 Minutes” and “Meet the Prof”. We want to expand the doctoral café. And if everything goes to plan, we will be able to present a mentoring programme in Bremen.
    Marlene Anders: It is important now to maintain the momentum of the beginning. In five years, the jGDNÄ should be at least as vibrant as it is today.

    Saarbrücken 2018 © Robertus Koppies

    © Fotostudio Henrich, Landstuhl

    Marlene Anders

    Marlene Anders

    The 24-year-old is studying for a master’s degree at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau to become a high school teacher of biology and geography. Marlene Anders got to know the GDNÄ as a student scholar at the 2018 assembly in Saarbrücken. She also attended the assemblies in Leipzig and Potsdam, where she supported the student programme as a tutor.

    © Robert Hammann

    Celine Karle 

    Celine Karle

    The 27-year-old is from Mannheim and studied physics at the University of Heidelberg. For the past two years, she has been conducting research as a doctoral candidate at the German Cancer Research Center on a new form of radiotherapy for cancer treatment. Celine Karle took part in the 2014 assembly in Mainz as a GDNÄ student scholarship holder and initiated the new “Doctoral Café” format at the 2025 assembly in Potsdam.

    © Maria Herzog, Greifswald

    Sebastian Paschen

    Sebastian Paschen

    The 24-year-old is in his tenth semester of studying medicine and biomedical science at the University of Greifswald and works in the Department of Health Services Research at the Institute for Diversity Medicine at the Ruhr University Bochum. Sebastian Paschen is also the founder of acadim – Academy for Diversity and Individual Medicine and a member of several scientific committees and societies. He got to know the GDNÄ at the anniversary meeting in Leipzig in 2022.

    Further information on the jGDNÄ

    Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus: “Three alarm clocks often went off in the morning”

    “Three alarm clocks often went off in the morning”

    Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus, Senior Professor of Physical Chemistry and GDNÄ board member, talks about her path as a scientist in a male-dominated discipline, careers with children and why combustion research is indispensable.

    Professor Kohse-Höinghaus, we are taking International Women’s Day on 8 March as an opportunity to talk about your recently published autobiography. In it, you describe your path as a woman in a technical field, as the subtitle says. Do you see yourself as a pioneer?
    Yes, definitely. For a long time, there were hardly any women in physical chemistry and especially in research on combustion processes. When I started at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Stuttgart in 1979 as a newly graduated chemist, I was the only woman scientist there. At first, I was eyed sceptically, but then I was accepted. Later, when I applied for professorships, I learned behind closed doors that they were looking for an established man for the position. And not a young mother with a baby and a husband with his own career, as was the case with me. Fortunately, this changed and women were increasingly recognised in my discipline as well. 

    How did that become noticeable?
    To give an example, condescending behaviour towards female colleagues became increasingly rare. For me personally, there were two events that made me feel I had arrived: in 2007, I was the first woman to be appointed chair of the German Bunsen Society, and in 2012, I was the first woman to be elected president of the Combustion Institute, the leading international professional society, for a four-year term. Both of these achievements have also paved the way for other female scientists. 

    Who is your book aimed at?
    Above all, for young people who are pursuing a career in science. I want to show them, using my example, how winding career paths can be and encourage them to follow their own compass. But in principle, anyone who is interested in the development of science and technology over the last fifty years can benefit from the book. It is richly illustrated and I have tried to write in a way that is easy to understand, entertaining and vivid. That’s another reason why I think the volume would make a good gift or prize for special achievements.

     © from the book “Burning for Science”

    Doctorate in 1978, here with supervisor Professor Friedrich Stuhl.

    You wrote the book in English. Why not in German?
    English is the global language of science today and my academic network is international. I want my colleagues around the world to be able to read the book easily. Young people are familiar with English anyway, so I don’t see any problems there. 

    That wasn’t the case when you were young. And it wasn’t foreseeable back then that you would become a professor of physical chemistry.
    That’s right. I grew up in the Ruhr area in a family of teachers, and my parents weren’t thrilled when I wanted to study chemistry. Would you even be able to find a husband with a degree like that? Today it’s hard to imagine, but back then people worried about things like that. It wasn’t easy for me at university either. I came from a grammar school that specialised in modern languages, had deficits in maths and physics and had to catch up on a lot during the first semesters at the University of Bochum. I often set three alarm clocks to make sure I didn’t miss a course. It was exhausting, but also a good time with a lot of freedom. 

    Can you give us an example?
    The first thing that comes to mind is how I built a laser at the end of the 1970s that was important for my doctorate in atmospheric chemistry. A lot was happening in this field of research in the 1970s and there was a great deal of public interest in it. The background to this was the increasing air pollution, especially in the Ruhr area. For my laser, I had to delve deeply into physics, which I really enjoyed. My doctoral supervisor Friedrich Stuhl spent a research semester in the US during that time. When he came back, I was able to hand him my completed dissertation. 

    Now the big wide world of science was open to you. Which stations were decisive for you?
    I got my first permanent position in 1979 at the DLR in Stuttgart. I had already said goodbye to atmospheric chemistry – now I wanted to find out where air pollution actually came from and what could be done about it. So, scientifically, I had switched to combustion research and at the DLR I was able to examine such high-temperature processes in detail using laser spectroscopy.

    © from the book “Burning for Science”

    Farewell poster of the Stuttgart working group 1994.

    A permanent research position at the age of 27 – that’s what many young researchers dream of today.
    I was also very happy to receive the offer from Stuttgart back then. I had good working conditions, great colleagues and a secure income there, but after a while I needed new challenges. In 1987, I then moved to California with my husband Klaus for a good year to do research at Stanford. There I learned a lot about mechanical engineering and molecular spectroscopy, and both opened up new horizons for me in combustion research. During this time, I made many new friends who are still important parts of my professional network today. 

    Many young female scientists are not accompanied by their partners on a year abroad, but the opposite is often the case. How come your husband travelled with you?
    We had already had a long-distance relationship for a few years and didn’t want to repeat that. So my husband, who is a doctor, took unpaid leave from a clinic in Stuttgart and applied for and received a scholarship. We were both kept very busy and in 1988 we returned to our institutes in Stuttgart full of fresh ideas and energy. 

    Two years later, in the summer of 1990, your daughter was born. At that time, there was neither a parental allowance nor the right to a day care place. How did the dual-career couple Kohse-Höinghaus fare during this phase?
    It was a period of upheaval in every respect. I was aiming for a professorship at a university so that I could pursue my own research interests and work more with young people. My husband was looking for a leading position in a clinic, which he eventually found in Oldenburg. In 1992, parallel to my work as a group leader at the DLR, I was able to habilitate at the University of Stuttgart, as the first woman in the faculty. It was a turbulent time, which Klaus and I survived thanks to our solidarity, with moral support from relatives and friends, as well as private childcare and a housekeeper. Since then, Oldenburg has been the centre of our lives. From there, I regularly commuted to the University of Bielefeld, where I had been appointed to the Chair of Physical Chemistry in 1994. My husband and I shared the family work, and our daughter was well looked after. Nevertheless, some people couldn’t stop calling me a bad mother. 

    Do you see yourself as a role model for young women today who want to combine research and family? 
    Yes and no. Today, there is more state support for young families. The climate in terms of equal opportunities has also changed significantly in research funding and appointments. Many universities and research institutions make it easier to combine two careers and a family with dual-career strategies. However, it is still a balancing act that requires a great deal of commitment. In an experimental subject like chemistry, it can help to avoid laboratory-intensive periods when you are pregnant. And it is not only when the children are small that you need a lot of support and preparation for any eventuality – but that applies equally to other professions. However, especially in an international context, I realise that many young women today still face similar difficulties to those I faced more than 30 years ago.

    © from the book “Burning for Science”

    The measurement is running: Combustion research at the French synchrotron SOLEIL near Paris.

    Today you mentor young people. Did you have something like that in your career?
    No, and I missed that very much. That’s why I always tried to support younger generations with advice and practical help. As a senior professor, I still maintain contact with more than a hundred scientists who have worked with me. The teutolab is another example of mentoring in the broader sense. I founded the Bielefeld-based hands-on laboratory as one of the very first such extracurricular learning centres to inspire children and young people to take an interest in the natural sciences. The corresponding federal association, which we helped to establish in Bielefeld, is now 20 years old, and this year we are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the teutolab. 

    You are still active as a senior professor. How can we picture your activities?
    I sit at my desk a lot and I travel a lot. At my desk, I work on lectures, professional articles or scientific statements for academies and scientific organisations. In the last two years, I have been intensively involved in working on my autobiography. As a scientist with an extensive network and long-standing connections abroad, I am often on the road, for example in China. I think it is very important to maintain contacts there despite political tensions, especially with young scientists. Without China, there is no solution to some of the global problems of our time – we have to work together. 

    One of these problems is climate change, which is largely due to the combustion of fossil fuels. Has this not made you doubt your field of expertise?
    Absolutely not. We have to give up burning fossil fuels, but not combustion research. This is because it provides the scientific basis we need to develop climate-neutral fuels for industry and transport. Combustion research also provides us with the tools to better fight major fires, whether in the wild or in cities. With my research, I have been able to contribute to our understanding of the complex chemical reactions that take place in high-temperature processes and to identify ways to avoid pollutants. And that makes me feel good.

    Saarbrücken 2018 © Robertus Koppies

    © Universität Bielefeld / Norma Langohr

    Prof. Dr. Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus.

    The book

    Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus: Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field, GNT Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2025

    The book series

    The autobiographical series “Lives in Chemistry – Lebenswerke in der Chemie” provides insights into the life and thought of outstanding researchers in the mirror of time. In it, successful chemists describe authentically and personally how new ideas are created in the natural sciences. The series is published by the advisory board of the Division of the History of Chemistry of the German Chemical Society.

    The autobiography of another scientific pioneer, chemist Sigrid Peyerimhoff, will be published in this series on 8 March 2025: “Ab initio – A Life for Quantum Chemistry”, GNT Publishing GmbH, Berlin 2025. In 2018, Professor Peyerimhoff received the Alexander von Humboldt Medal for her outstanding contribution to the further development of the GDNÄ.

    © from the book “Burning for Science”

    Habilitation in 1992, expected by husband and daughter.

    About the person

    Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus is a senior professor of physical chemistry at the University of Bielefeld. The 73-year-old scientist is internationally known for her diagnostics of combustion processes using laser spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

    From 1994 to 2017, she held a chair of physical chemistry at the University of Bielefeld. Prior to that, Kohse-Höinghaus conducted research at various institutions in Germany and abroad. In 1992, she habilitated on a topic in energy technology at the University of Stuttgart.

    At the initiative of Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus, one of the first German hands-on laboratories, teutolab, was founded in 2000. There are now satellite laboratories in the Bielefeld region, in other European countries and in Asia.

    The internationally renowned scientist is a member of several academies, including the Leopoldina and acatech, as well as numerous committees and scientific institutions in Germany and abroad. She has received many awards, including the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon, as well as honorary and guest professorships in several countries. In 2007, she was the first woman to be elected president of the German Bunsen Society, and Katharina Kohse-Höinghaus was the first European woman to be president of the International Combustion Institute, serving from 2012 to 2016. She has been a member of the GDNÄ for many years and is one of the people who help shape the scientific conference programmes in the field of engineering sciences.

    Read more:

    © Andreas Brockhinke

    Professor Kohse-Höinghaus in her Bielefeld office in 2011.

    Ferdi Schüth: Honorary award for GDNÄ Vice President

    Honorary award for GDNÄ Vice President

    Alwin Mittasch Prize 2025 goes to Ferdi Schüth

    Professor Ferdi Schüth, Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, is to receive the Alwin Mittasch Prize 2025 for his outstanding work in catalysis research. The German Catalysis Society (GeCatS) is honouring his work as a creative initiator and driving force behind new catalysis concepts, as well as a pioneer in transfer of new findings in catalysis research into commercial applications. Ferdi Schüth is currently vice president of the GDNÄ; in 2027 he will take over the presidency.

    The Alwin Mittasch Prize is awarded for outstanding research work that has led to a deeper understanding or an expansion of the fundamentals of catalysis and its industrial application. The prize, endowed with 10,000 euros, is supported by BASF. The award ceremony will take place on 13 March 2025 during the Annual Meeting of German Catalysis Scientists in Weimar. 

    Ferdi Schüth is an internationally outstanding chemist working in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, in particular in the field of catalysis materials. His work laid the foundation for many groundbreaking discoveries, such as nanostructured catalysts with controlled porosity and targeted placement of functional units for various applications. In the field of mechanocatalysis of gas-phase reactions, Ferdi Schüth was able to synthesise ammonia at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. He was also one of the pioneers of high-throughput experimentation (HTE) using modern methods, which led to the founding of hte GmbH in 1999. In a sense, this was a continuation of the research of Alwin Mittasch, who used “manual” high-throughput approaches to conduct thousands of experiments with various solids. 

    Paul Alwin Mittasch (1869-1953) was a German chemist and historian of science of Sorbian origin. He gained great recognition for his pioneering and systematic research into the development of catalysts for ammonia synthesis using the Haber-Bosch process. The prize named after him has been awarded since 1990. 

    The German Catalysis Society (GeCatS) is the platform for the entire German catalysis community in the field of research and application. It has around a thousand members from industry and academic institutions. GeCatS promotes the exchange between industry, universities, research institutions and research policy organisations and represents the interests of the catalysis community at national and international level.

    Professorin Eva-Maria Neher © Universität Göttingen/Peter Heller

    © Frank Vinken für MPI für Kohlenforschung

    Professor Dr. Ferdi Schüth

    About the person

    Ferdi Schüth studied chemistry and law in Münster and earned his doctorate in chemistry. He was a postdoc at the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Minneapolis in the USA and completed his habilitation in inorganic chemistry in Mainz in 1995. In 1995 he was appointed to a chair in inorganic chemistry in Frankfurt and in 1998 was appointed Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim. Schüth has been an honorary professor at Ruhr University Bochum since 1999. He was Vice President of the Max Planck Society from 2014 to 2020.

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