New HZB magazine "Lichtblick" has been published
In the new issue, we introduce our new commercial managing director. We also show how important exchange is to us: science thrives on fruitful exchange with others. But dialogue with the public is also very important to us. Art can also create enriching access to science and build bridges. All these topics are covered in the new issue of Lichtblick.
Click here for the online edition
Topics at a glance
A portrait of our Administrative director
The new Administrative Director, Saskia Vormfelde, took up her work in September – and brings more than just a knack for balance sheets to the table. You can read about what she has done so far and why she is looking forward to working at HZB in the cover story. > Portrait on the internet
What remains of the Helmholtz reviews in May?
Many colleagues were busy preparing for the programme-oriented research (PoF) reviews in the first half of 2025. In an interview, the two coordinators, Olaf Schwarzkopf and Tobias Sontheimer, talk about how the presentation was received by the reviewers. > Interview to read
The neuron accelerator brings art and research together
A place that invites brainstorming: artist Peter Sandhaus' neuron accelerator is designed to strengthen exchange and stimulate new ideas. The artwork has recently been installed in front of the entrance to the BESSY II building. > More about the artwork
Further topics
Good advice in the service of science: Sebastian Fiechter is a long-standing ombudsperson for good scientific practice and talks about the problems that can arise.
Why we are becoming more public: Dialogue and exchange on an equal footing help to build trust in science. That's why we approach people at many festivals.
The internationality of our employees: How international are we really?
- Susanne Nies appointed to EU advisory group on Green DealDr. Susanne Nies heads the Green Deal Ukraina project at HZB, which aims to support the development of a sustainable energy system in Ukraine. The energy expert has now also been appointed to the European Commission's scientific advisory group to comment on regulatory burdens in connection with the net-zero target (DG GROW).
- HZB wins HR Energy Award 2025 for recruitment campaignThe Helmholtz Centre Berlin (HZB) is breaking new ground in attracting talented young people to IT training. HZB was presented with this year's HR Energy Award for its "Go for IT! Recruitainment for IT training" campaign. Gamification elements make the application process more attractive and fairer for young people.
- Long-term stability for perovskite solar cells: a big step forwardPerovskite solar cells are inexpensive to produce and generate a high amount of electric power per surface area. However, they are not yet stable enough, losing efficiency more rapidly than the silicon market standard. Now, an international team led by Prof. Dr. Antonio Abate has dramatically increased their stability by applying a novel coating to the interface between the surface of the perovskite and the top contact layer. This has even boosted efficiency to almost 27%, which represents the state-of-the-art. After 1,200 hours of continuous operation under standard illumination, no decrease in efficiency was observed. The study involved research teams from China, Italy, Switzerland and Germany and has been published in Nature Photonics.