Otto Hahn Medal for Dr. Susanne Reischauer
Recognition
At its annual meeting in Göttingen, the Max Planck Society awarded the Otto Hahn Medal 2022 to the young scientist Dr Susanne Reischauer. The prize is awarded for outstanding scientific achievements during doctoral studies.
Dr. Susanne Reischauer is a chemist who worked at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces (MPIKG) in the group of Dr. Bartholomäus Pieber, in the department "Biomolecular Systems" of Prof. Peter H. Seeberger: "This important recognition should encourage Ms. Reischauer to continue her independent scientific career, as it is one of the highest honors a PhD student can receive". In her doctoral thesis, she developed new approaches for sustainable photocatalytic transformations using recyclable organic and inorganic semiconductor materials. "In recent years, visible photocatalysis has emerged as a powerful and sustainable method for organic chemistry," says Dr. Susanne Reischauer. When it comes to sustainability, nature is considered a source of inspiration for science. Through photosynthesis, plants use light energy to convert raw materials into chemical energy. "As a chemist, I am interested in discovering and developing new photocatalysts that address long-standing challenges in medicinal chemistry and drug discovery," she adds.
She is now a team leader and postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois, USA, where she combines her expertise in organic chemistry and materials chemistry to conduct research on catalysts for energy applications.
About the Otto Hahn Medal
Since 1978, the Max Planck Society (MPG) has awarded the Otto Hahn Medal to up to 30 young scientists each year. The prize is awarded for outstanding scientific achievements in the context of a doctoral thesis. The prize is usually awarded the following year during the annual meeting of the Max Planck Society.