HZB magazine lichtblick - the new issue is out!
In his search for the perfect catalyst, HZB researcher Robert Seidel is now getting a tailwind – thanks to a ERC Consolidator Grant. In the cover story, we explain why the X-ray source BESSY II plays an important role for his research.
Bernd Rech has just started his second term of office. What are his plans? In this interview, he reveals the role that basic research plays, but also why a good working atmosphere is important to him. Read more on page 8.
Click here for the online issue
Topics include:
- p. 4 Robert Seidel - In search of the perfect catalyst
- p. 3: Three questions for Thomas Frederking
- p. 8: Interview with Bernd Rech on his second term of office
- p. 12: Opening of HiPOLE in Jena
- p. 16: Science meets art - two projects presented
- p. 20: One year after the cyber attack - what have we learnt?
- p. 26: Research on the neutron instruments continues
- p. 28: New dual leadership for BESSY II
- p. 30: Recipe from all over the world
We hope you enjoy reading this issue! As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions for topics.
Your editorial team
- Beyond Global Maxima: My ISSP Journey in BerlinBeing accepted into the 2026 International Summer Student Program (ISSP) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin was one of the best pieces of news I have ever received. I still remember waking up in the middle of the night, checking my email, and reading the acceptance letter. It didn't feel real.
- Finding the Stories Behind ScienceI've always thought about the correlation between art and science, and how art can symbolize science in ways that add to it and make it more than just the trials or the data you try to interpret.
And you can see this through a spin coater.
A machine designed for thin-film coating can create something that resembles a beautiful flower.
And that's where my story begins.
- From Curiosity to ContributionEvery morning begins the same way. I put on my lab coat, prepare my electrochemical setup, and wait for the first measurement of the day to appear on my screen. Even though I have repeated the procedure many times over the past weeks, I still find myself wondering: Will today's experiment behave differently from yesterday's?
That question has quietly become my favourite part of my internship at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin.