FHI Theory Department and CAMMS Center Launch Joint Symposium to Strengthen International Collaboration 

To promote new scientific collaborations in the field of computational materials science, representatives of the CAMMS Center for Computational Molecular and Material Science at Tel Aviv University visited the Theory Department at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society (FHI). The meeting marks the start of the exchange program, supported by the Max Planck Israel Programme. 

In 2020, Prof. Dr. Karsten Reuter took over as director of the FHI’s Theory Department. Since then, the department has grown into an international research group with more than 70 researchers from over 20 countries. Focusing on energy conversion processes in heterogeneous catalysis and battery materials, the department aims to understand how dynamic surface and interface changes govern activity, selectivity, and efficiency to enable improved catalyst and energy material design.

The CAMMS Center at Tel Aviv University, founded in 2014, brings together 12 researchers from Engineering, Chemistry, and Physics, with broad expertise in condensed matter physics, quantum chemistry, materials science, and soft matter, as well as a strong track record in developing and applying advanced computational methods.

Given their complementary strengths in theory, multiscale modeling, and computational approaches, both institutes see strong potential for a productive collaboration aimed at advancing research in energy materials, nanostructures, and complex quantum systems.

Supported by the Max Planck Israel Programme, a delegation of five CAMMS researchers visited our institute last week for a program featuring:

• Scientific presentations
• Round-table discussions to define joint research directions
• Informal exchange sessions to promote idea sharing and networking

The symposium and exchange activities exemplify the spirit of the Max Planck Israel Programme by creating opportunities for sustained scientific interaction and new collaborative research initiatives between Israeli and German scientists.

The FHI looks forward not only to generating impactful scientific outcomes, but also to strengthening the long-standing scientific ties between Germany and Israel.