Prof. Karsten Reuter, Director of the Theory Department at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society and a leading catalysis expert, has been awarded one of the 66 prestigious ERC Synergy Grants for “MAGNESIS—Magnetically Enhanced Electrocatalysis,” together with Prof. Galán-Mascarós (ICIQ, Spain), Prof. Jeppe V. Lauritsen (Aarhus University, Denmark), and Prof. David Écija (IMDEA Nanoscience, Spain). Over the next six years, the €12 million project will uncover how magnetic fields can help to drive electrochemical reactions more efficiently—from studying what happens at the atomic level to testing complete devices such as fuel cells and electrolyzers.

The Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society is delighted to announce that Dr. Baran Eren has been awarded the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship. This esteemed fellowship will support Dr. Eren's research endeavors over the next one and a half years, commencing in October 2025. Since January 2025, Dr. Eren has been a guest in the Physical Chemistry Department, collaborating with Dr. Hendrik Bluhm and Prof. Dr. Martin Wolf. 

From October 6 to 10, the International Max Planck Research School for Elementary Processes in Physical Chemistry (IMPRS-EPPC) organized a lecture series about the latest developments, approaches and methods of physics and chemistry relating to sustainability.

This year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry goes to the three researchers Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson and Omar M. Yaghi “for the development of metal–organic frameworks.” The institute extends its warmest congratulations to all three! We are particularly delighted about the success of Omar M. Yaghi, who received the Gerhard Ertl Lecture Award in 2021.