Transfer Talents

When did you realize, “This has potential”?

We installed our camera prototype in a box mounted on a helicopter and took images from 2 km altitude, capturing an entire landscape. It was a spontaneous test with little preparation. I wasn’t sure if the camera would even survive such a flight—let alone whether the images would be usable. When I got the pictures, I immediately started stitching them into a mosaic. It worked, and the results looked really good. That’s when I thought, yes, this could really work.

Best advice you ever received from a colleague?

Keep it simple.

Best innovation of the 21st century?

The century is still young. In my field—remote sensing of vegetation—artificial intelligence has already shown great potential. The coming years will reveal if the benefits outweigh the downsides. Specifically for my work, the civilian use of small drones for spatially and temporally flexible monitoring tasks stands out. This innovation has created new possibilities for monitoring hard-to-reach, sometimes dangerous areas and automating routine tasks.

Your lifehack for generating new ideas?

Talking with colleagues always helps. Different perspectives can lead to elegant problem solutions or new ideas. Also, sometimes it helps to put an idea or problem aside temporarily and come back to it later. Often, things sort themselves out and fresh ideas emerge.

When did you realize, “This has potential”?

When our measurements suddenly showed that we had driven the sintering temperature below the decomposition threshold, we knew we had discovered the solution to a decades-old problem. From then on, it was almost our obligation to bring this innovation to market.

Best advice you ever received from a colleague?

As scientists, we also need to be good storytellers and salespeople. Because the most brilliant scientific discovery is worthless if we cannot get the rest of the world interested.

Best innovation of the 21st century?

My smartphone and internet access. I wouldn’t want to miss the flexibility to work on the go or have a meeting from the lab.

Your lifehack for generating new ideas?

I meet friends and colleagues for coffee. In a relaxed atmosphere, funny comments often turn out to be good intuitions that push us forward.

When did you realize, “This has potential”?

Originally, the discovery was only intended to solve a safety problem during the commissioning of a certain measuring device. After consulting trusted colleagues, it became clear that our solution held far more treasures than we initially suspected.

Best advice you ever received from a colleague?

There were many helpful tips, especially for presentations and written work. But in our lab, people often say, "It’s not rocket science." I’m grateful that my suggestions are taken seriously and that I have room to experiment.

Best innovation of the 21st century?

I’m fascinated by 3D printers. For quick custom adjustments, holders, or demonstration materials, 3D printing is a great choice.

Your lifehack for generating new ideas?

Interdisciplinarity is the key here. My background in chemistry made the invention possible in a field dominated by physicists and metrologists. I also find it very enriching to attend conferences and lectures in adjacent scientific fields, as sometimes the solutions to our own challenges can be found there.

When did you realize, “This has potential”?

When I first saw the cognitive data analysis from our small Phase I Alzheimer’s study and our drug candidate showed improvement in cognitive tests in all nine patients. That’s when I hoped our drug could positively change Alzheimer’s therapy in the future.

Best advice you ever received from a colleague?

Anyone working in research knows how rocky the road can be and how unreachable some goals seem at first. A former colleague once told me: “Turn your face to the sun, and the shadows fall behind you.” It reminded me not to be discouraged by failures but to celebrate every step closer to the goal.

Best innovation of the 21st century?

For me, it’s the expansion of digitalization. A huge benefit to my work is quick and easy access to research data. The rise of open-access formats will further improve this, facilitating knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Your lifehack for generating new ideas?

Ideas emerge through exchange with others. Often, just explaining a problem to someone else helps you find the solution yourself. Communication is just as crucial in science as in other areas of life.

When did you realize, “This has potential”?

There were various shadow mask technique (SMT) approaches at PGI-9 and in literature. Applying and further developing SMT on our machines at the PGI-10 nanocluster came from the simple necessity of creating good ohmic contacts in the II-VI semiconductor ZnSe—a big technical challenge since the 1990s. After about one year of development, applying SMT to ohmic contacts, we achieved results that outperformed benchmarks from over 30 years ago by an order of magnitude. That’s when I realized SMT could revolutionize the world as a sustainable, energy-efficient way to produce semiconductor microchips. We’re now working on transferring and further developing it for other semiconductor systems—already in close cooperation with an industry partner in our region.

Best advice you ever received from a colleague?

The best advice came from a mentor during my postdoc at Stanford University in 2005, Prof. Yoshihisa Yamamoto: “Make it simple, practical, and elegant.” That’s been my guiding principle ever since—searching for creative and sometimes unconventional ways to improve existing technologies and develop new methods. It was a driving force that ultimately led me to SMT.

Best innovation of the 21st century?

There isn’t a single innovation, but rather a sum of many developments in recent years: the rise of renewable energies and technologies like video conferencing, which enable close scientific exchange across continents. For us scientists, this is essential and fosters important global collaboration with great potential for research and innovation.

Your lifehack for generating new ideas?

Classic: relaxed exchange with colleagues and students over a cup of coffee. Our red sofa on the upper floor of building 02.6 is my favorite creativity spot. There, you can develop and discuss new ideas or talk science, or even chat about everyday life to mentally recharge.