New Management Structure at LIKAT
In future, the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis (LIKAT) will be managed by a 4-member board team with the principle of co-leadership. The function of the scientific director, which has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Matthias Beller for a good two decades, will change every two years. The new management model was decided at the most recent meetings of the Board of Curators and the General Meeting on 5. & 6.12.2023. Prof. Dr. Robert Francke will be the first new primus inter pares. Francke has been strengthening LIKAT's expertise with a Heisenberg professorship since 2021. He established electrochemistry at the institute, currently one of the most sought-after chemical disciplines.
In addition to Francke and Beller, the LIKAT board consists of Dr. Eszter Baráth and Commercial Direc-tor Dr. Mirko Kirschkowski. "The position of Scientific Director at LIKAT is a challenge that I accept with great respect," emphasizes Robert Francke. Rostock's catalysis research, which has always been highly regarded, enjoys an extraordinary reputation - based on innovative research approaches, fore-sight, scientific excellence and a tradition that now goes back more than 70 years.
Catalysts play a key role in the global effort to convert the energy and raw materials base from fossil fuels to sustainable sources. This is because they enable climate-neutral, resource-conserving pro-cesses and closed-loop processes that are of great benefit to society. Research results from LIKAT set standards in the most important disciplines of chemistry, including in new fields such as biocatalysis, photocatalysis and electrocatalysis.
In the meantime, the complexity and intensity of research and science management have increased considerably. Matthias Beller said that this requires new forms of management to continue conduct-ing top international research that primarily benefits society. "In close consultation with the Board, the Board of Curators and the General Meeting have therefore decided to distribute responsibility across several shoulders in future in accordance with the principle of co-leadership," announced the Chairman of the Board of Curators, Woldemar Venohr, and the Chairman of the General Meeting, Prof. Dr. Ralf Ludwig. Beller will remain at LIKAT as a catalysis researcher and scientific member of the Board.
Robert Francke has been a member of the LIKAT Board since 2023. He studied chemistry at the Uni-versity of Bonn, obtained his doctorate at the University of Mainz and then worked at the University of Cali-fornia Santa Barbara. In 2014, he joined the University of Rostock as a research group leader specializing in organic electrosynthesis and molecular electrocatalysis. Since 2021, he has headed the "Electrochemistry and Catalysis" department at LIKAT. The "run" of the scientific community on elec-trochemistry is related to its great potential: By "driving" chemical reactions with the help of electrici-ty, it is possible to produce basic and fine chemicals in a much more environmentally friendly and resource-saving way than before. Francke's expertise gives Rostock's catalysis research a head start in technology and experience in this promising field.
Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
Prof. Robert Francke
robert.francke@catalysis.de
0381 1281 306
Prof. Matthias Beller
matthias.beller@catalysis.de
0381 1281 113
Dr. Martha Höhne
(Public Relations)
martha.hoehne@catalysis.de
0381 1281 382
Weitere Informationen:
http://To the CVs of
http://- Matthias Beller: https://www.catalysis.de/en/people/beller-matthias/curriculum-vitae and
http://- Robert Francke: https://www.catalysis.de/en/people/francke-robert/curriculum-vitae
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