Marcel Risch has been appointed Professor at the Freie Universität Berlin

Marcel Risch was appointed to a W2-S professorship in the Department of Physics at Freie Universität Berlin in August 2026. His research group has been transformed into the department 'Mechanisms of Sustainable Electrocatalysis'. Risch investigates the fundamental mechanisms of electrocatalytic reactions and, on this basis, develops knowledge- and data-driven strategies to improve electrocatalysts for the sustainable production of hydrogen, fuels and chemicals.

Marcel Risch joined HZB in 2019 from Georg-August University of Göttingen. With an ERC Starting Grant, he established his research group focusing on electrocatalysts for water splitting. The honours that Marcel Risch has received to date include the Hans-Jürgen Engell Prize from the International Society of Electrochemistry and the Carl Ramsauer Award from the Berlin Physical Society. He is also a Fellow of the Young Academy of Europe.

In addition, Marcel Risch does engage in science communication, explaining the societal relevance of catalyst research at events such as the Long Night of Science and Berlin Science Week, as well as in programmes for the young generation at the Museum of Transport and Technology in Berlin.

On his website, he writes: ‘Our interest is the elucidation of mechanisms of catalysis and corrosion of sustainable electrocatalysis for production of green hydrogen and chemicals with industrial relevance. Our projects include at least two of our core competencies: green electrocatalysis, synchrotron spectroscopy and digital electrocatalysis. We operate small research electrolysers and photoelectrochemical cells. Digital electrocatalysis using data-driven and AI-based approaches allow us identifying optimal operating conditions and materials composition. Insight from operando X-ray spectroscopy enables us to understand the origin of the identified optimum conditions and compositions. This is important for the knowledge-guided design of the next generation of stable and active catalysts. We are enthusiastic about communicating our work and shaping scientific agendas on sustainable electrocatalysis.