Ombudspersons for good scientific practise appointed

The new ombudspersons at HZB have been appointed. from right to left, top: Manfred Weiss, Annette Pietzsch, bottom: Sebastian Fiechter and Michael Tovar. They will be happy to advise you on all questions regarding good scientific practice and the supervision of young researchers. Just get in touch with them!

The new ombudspersons at HZB have been appointed. from right to left, top: Manfred Weiss, Annette Pietzsch, bottom: Sebastian Fiechter and Michael Tovar. They will be happy to advise you on all questions regarding good scientific practice and the supervision of young researchers. Just get in touch with them!

Manfred Weiss, Sebastian Fiechter, Annette Pietzsch and Michael Tovar have been available to you as ombudspersons since 1 January 2023. They will be happy to advise you on all questions regarding good scientific practice at the HZB.

For Manfred Weiss and Sebastian Fiechter, this is their second term as ombudspersons. Annette Pietzsch and Michael Tovar have taken on the role of ombudsperson for the first time. All four have many years of experience in academic work. This mix of new and existing ombudspersons is intended to allow for both continuity and the change in ombudsperson ships required by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

The Scientific and Technical Council at HZB (WTR) recommended the four ombudspersons for appointment to the HZB management after carefully evaluating all proposals. The term of office of the ombudspersons begins on 1 January 2023 and ends on 31 December 2025.

Iver Lauermann and Yvonne Tomm retired as ombudspersons at the end of 2022 after their term of appointment ended. The HZB management and the WTR would like to thank the previous team for their dedicated and excellent work and wish the new ombudspersons a good start and much success! 

The team of ombudspersons will introduce themselves to the staff in the coming weeks.

Rules of good scientific practice at HZB

In 2021, the HZB revised its rules of good scientific practice based on the recommendations of the DFG (see News). The catalogue of rules not only contains statements on what careful scientific work should look like, but also addresses the responsible supervision and education of young scientists.

What are the ombudspersons for?

The ombudspersons are the first point of contact for dealing with possible scientific misconduct. They also advise on questions regarding the supervision of young academics. The ombudspersons act with the greatest possible confidentiality. To avoid bias, persons from different scientific areas of the HZB have been appointed for this purpose.

(sz)

  • Copy link

You might also be interested in

  • Understanding physics – with your own hands
    Interview
    13.06.2025
    Understanding physics – with your own hands
    Dirk Lohmann has been head of the school laboratory at HZB's Wannsee site since summer 2024. In this interview, he explains what matters most to him: encouraging young people to explore natural phenomena with their own hands.
  • Green hydrogen: MXene boosts the effectiveness of catalysts
    Science Highlight
    29.05.2025
    Green hydrogen: MXene boosts the effectiveness of catalysts
    MXenes are adept at hosting catalytically active particles. This property can be exploited to create more potent catalyst materials that significantly accelerate and enhance the oxygen evolution reaction, which is one of the bottlenecks in the production of green hydrogen via electrolysis using solar or wind power. A detailed study by an international team led by HZB chemist Michelle Browne shows the potential of these new materials for future large-scale applications. The study is published in Advanced Functional Materials.
  • Industrial Research Fellow at HZB: More time for discussions
    Interview
    12.05.2025
    Industrial Research Fellow at HZB: More time for discussions
    The South African chemist Denzil Moodley is the first Industrial Research Fellow at HZB. He is playing a leading role in the CARE-O-SENE project. The Fellowship program aims to further accelerate the development of an efficient catalyst for a sustainable aviation fuel. An interview about the CARE-O-SENE project and why it is so important for scientists from industry and public research to work together.