HZB expert appointed chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Barcelona Research Centre
Prof. Dr. Susan Schorr © CCEM
Prof. Dr. Susan Schorr has been appointed to the newly established Scientific Advisory Board of the Barcelona Research Centre in Multiscale Science and Engineering and elected as its chair.
The Barcelona Research Centre in Multiscale Science and Engineering (CCEM) is part of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Barcelona. It is one of the world's leading centres for materials science, particularly in the fields of micro- and nanotechnology, nanotechnology and biomaterials. In 2024, the CCEM received the ‘Excelencia María de Maeztu’ accreditation of excellence. It promotes internationally renowned research institutes that contribute significantly to the further development of Spain as a centre of science and technology.
The CCEM's Scientific Advisory Board comprises a total of seven experienced scientists from Italy, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany.
Susan Schorr heads the ‘Structure and Dynamics of Energy Materials’ (SE-ASD) department at the Helmholtz Centre Berlin and is a professor in the Department of Earth Sciences at the Free University of Berlin. With her team at HZB, she researches fundamental structure-property relationships of materials for energy conversion, including novel materials for solar cells.
HZB expertise in advisory boards, committees and scientific commissions
Twenty-five scientists from HZB are currently involved in scientific advisory boards, supervisory boards or similar advisory bodies. There, they contribute their recognized expertise and critical assessments, which help to ensure well-founded decisions.
- Imaging Ellipsometry for Process Control of Thin-Film DevicesA German–Israeli research team led by Dr. Andreas Furchner has demonstrated how imaging ellipsometry enables non-destructive characterisation and quality control of microstructured MXene thin films during device fabrication. The authors used two complementary ellipsometry approaches for precise, multi-scale access to key material properties. The work positions imaging ellipsometry as a powerful platform for monitoring thin-film uniformity, device integrity, and functionality throughout processing, including critical lithographic steps. The study was published in Applied Physics Letters and selected as an Editor’s Pick.
- Cool vaccines in rural Kenya: solar solution has been awarded by UNIn May 2026, Tabitha Awuor Amollo is spending some weeks as a guest scientist at HZB, analysing perovskite thin films at BESSY II. The Kenyan physicist from Egerton University, Nairobi, was recently recognised for her achievements in research and teaching. For the development of a solar-powered refrigeration system for use in rural health centres, she has been awarded the 2026 Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)-Elsevier Foundation Award. An interview on exceptional projects and daily struggles of a scientist. Questions were asked by Antonia Rötger.
- BESSY II: How intrinsic oxygen shortens the lifespan of solid-state batteriesAlthough solid-state batteries (SSBs) demonstrate high performance and are intrinsically safe, their capacity currently declines rapidly. A team from the TU Wien, Humboldt-University Berlin and HZB has now analysed a TiS₂|Li₃YCl₆ solid-state half-cell in operando at BESSY II using a special sample environment that allows for non-destructive investigation under real operating conditions. Data obtained by combination of soft and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS and HAXPES) revealed a new degradation mechanism that had not previously been identified in solid-state batteries. They have gained some surprising insights, particularly regarding the harmful role played by intrinsic oxygen. This study provides valuable information for improving design and handling of such batteries.