Celebrating Excellence in Catalysis: The Ertl Lecture 2024
The Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society proudly hosted the Ertl Lecture 2024, celebrating excellence in catalysis research. This year's award was presented to Prof. Dr. Graham Hutchings from Cardiff University, who delivered a lecture on "Catalysis using gold containing materials."
Established in 2008 by the Fritz-Haber-Institut and the three Berlin universities—Humboldt University, Technical University, and Free University—the Ertl Lecture Award honours the legacy of Nobel Laureate Prof. Dr. Gerhard Ertl, recognizing outstanding contributions in the field of catalysis. Sponsored by BASF, the award highlights the collaborative spirit of Berlin's leading institutions.
The event started with a welcome from Prof. Dr. Beatriz Roldán Cuenya, Managing Director of the Fritz-Haber-Institut. This was followed by a greeting from Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal, President of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Dr. Detlef Kratz of BASF SE delivered the laudation, highlighting Prof. Hutchings' significant achievements.
Prof. Hutchings is celebrated not only for his pioneering research but also for his role as an excellent bridge between fundamental and applied catalysis research through his long-standing industrial collaborations. His involvement in cooperative projects with various groups within the Max Planck Society underscores his commitment to advancing the field. Notably, he is the lead Principal Investigator of the Max Planck Centre on the Fundamentals of Heterogeneous Catalysis (FUNCAT), where the Fritz-Haber-Institut is one of the participating institutions.
It was a special honor to have Gerhard Ertl himself participate online and initiate the discussion on the lecture with his remarks. This conversation continued in lively discussions during the subsequent reception, where attendees enjoyed the opportunity to exchange ideas and network in a pleasant atmosphere.
As we reflect on the success of this year's lecture, we eagerly anticipate the next Gerhard Ertl Lecture in 2025, continuing the tradition of honouring outstanding contributions to the field of catalysis.
