dmind | Polis

She is one of the most influential scientists in her subject and is working on solutions to a key question for the future: Professor Birgit Esser, a chemist, conducts research into sustainable battery materials and is the Ulm spokesperson for the POLiS cluster of excellence. The city of Ulm has recognised her scientific excellence with the 2026 Science Prize, which was formally presented by Lord Mayor Martin Ansbacher on Schwörmontag.

The POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers is given annually to an outstanding female early and mid-career researcher working in one of the scientific topics of the POLiS Cluster. It entails up to 70,000 € for one or several research stays at one of POLiS participating institutions (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Ulm University and Justus Liebig University Giessen) to establish and strengthen international collaborations.

Last but not least, we had the pleasure of hosting the biggest of all our Kick-Offs! For the Kick-Off Meeting of Research Unit Sodium-Ion Batteries, we brought together more than 70 researchers from Ulm University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Justus Liebig University Giessen.

The large number of working groups was reflected in an intense morning session of presentations, which helped the young and new doctoral researchers to get information on the multiple and intersecting topics and on useful characterization devices and facilities available within the Cluster. We were also glad to welcome Prof. Linda Nazar, who joined us online from Canada!

A big thank you to everyone for the help with the organization – we are confident that the debates and get-together afternoon sessions will generate future fruitful collaborations. Looking forward to the next steps to promote the new generation of Na-Ion Batteries!

Another week, another Kick-Off! Today, we hosted again more than 40 researchers from Ulm University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Justus Liebig University Giessen for our Kick-Off meeting of Research Unit A.2: Potassium, led by Fabian Jeschull.

We were pleased to participate in the “Langer Abend der Wissenschaft” (Long Night of Science) at Ulm University, presenting an interactive exhibit on the role of batteries in the energy and mobility transition.

At our POLiS stand, visitors explored how electrochemical energy storage is becoming a key enabler of a sustainable energy system. From buffering fluctuating renewable electricity to powering future electric mobility solutions, batteries play a central role in decarbonizing both the energy and transport sectors.
The “Langer Abend der Wissenschaft” attracted around 2,000 visitors and offered a diverse programme with numerous exhibits, lectures, and hands-on demonstrations from across the Ulm University. The event provided an excellent opportunity for the public to engage directly with current research and to experience science in an accessible and interactive way.

We thank the Ulm University for hosting this inspiring outreach event and for providing a platform where cutting-edge research and society can meet directly.

Most recently, we brought together more than 40 researchers from Ulm University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Justus Liebig University Giessen for our Kick-Off meeting of Research Area B: Data Science, Simulation Chain & Acceleration. From robust AI models and digital twins to high-throughput characterization and multiscale simulations, the discussions highlighted the strong interdisciplinary momentum within the team.

A big thank you to everyone for the inspiring pitches, interactive sessions including speed dating and World Café, and engaging conversations. Looking forward to the next steps and future collaborations in RA B!

Research Unit A.4 (Chloride) also held its Kick-Off Meeting in Ulm with participants from Justus Liebig University Giessen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Ulm University.

After outlining the successful work in POLiS I and current challenges in the field, we brainstormed ideas for future collaborative projects, with active contributions from PIs, postdoctoral researchers and doctoral researchers. We then opened the floor to focused and productive discussions on how we can combine our strengths and work together towards anionic full cells.

We look forward to the next Kick-Off Meetings taking place soon.

We have hosted the Kick-Off for Research Unit A.3 – Multivalent Cells in Ulm which brought together around 60 researchers from Ulm University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Justus Liebig University Giessen to discuss future research directions.

We explored the current challenges and opportunities of electrochemical storage concepts based on multivalent ions from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. Talks by Axel Groß, Zhirong Zhao-Karger, Simon Fleischmann and Birgit Esser sparked insightful discussions on multivalent charge carriers, electrode architectures, and electrolytes for next generation multivalent ion batteries.

The first Kick-Off Meeting of Research Area C (Sustainability) successfully took place in Karlsruhe recently.

The first Kick-Off Meeting of Research Area C (Sustainability) successfully took place in Karlsruhe.

Around 30 researchers from Ulm University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Justus Liebig University Giessen met in Karlsruhe and discussed planned activities for the upcoming years. Our mission is to gain a comprehensive technology assessment of new EES concepts from raw materials to recycling to guide the choice of materials and components in early design phases and evaluate the competitiveness of full cells in higher development stages.

Prussian Blue analogues are promising, low-cost cathodes for sodium-ion batteries, yet their complex mixed-valent and polymorphic nature challenges predictive modeling. This study provides a transferable density functional theory calculation framework for Prussian Blue analogues in sodium-ion battery applications by systematically benchmarking six representative exchange–correlation functionals across three sodiation states and two structural modifications (cubic and rhombohedral).

Excited to share this interview with one of our spokespersons Prof. Jürgen Janek on the future of solid-state electrochemistry and next-generation batteries.

At E-world energy & water 2026 in Essen, the Geladen podcast recorded a new episode live in front of an audience on February 11. In the podcast lounge, the focus was on one of the key challenges of the energy transition: the lack of grid connection for new renewable energy projects.

The guest was Jerome Fischer from Omexom Germany. Together with the podcast team, he discussed why the expansion of wind and solar energy often fails not because of a lack of projects, but because of the grid infrastructure, under the title “Grid connection bottleneck – do we need a change of strategy?”

The discussion focused on several key questions:

Why many new wind and solar parks are currently not being connected to the grid
How existing grid connection points can be used more efficiently
What role hybrid systems and storage solutions could play in the future
Whether a fundamental strategic change of course is necessary for grid connection

The live recording at the industry trade fair offered the audience on site insights into the current challenges facing the grid infrastructure and possible solutions for accelerating the energy transition. The episode is available on the Geladen podcast here: https://youtu.be/6JCSCd0wZ3w?si=whhptI6Q2rHpLkSm

As of 2026 and with the beginning of the new funding period of the Cluster of Excellence POLiS, the GS-EES will transition into an EES Academy. This EES Academy will not only continue all aspects established within the GS-EES – which will remain an integral part of the EES Academy – but also extend its offers to postdoctoral and junior faculty scientist.

The Environmental Foundation (Umweltstiftung) of Sparkasse Karlsruhe and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are awarding Dr. Johanna Naumann the Sparkassen Environmental Award (Sparkassen Umweltpreis) 2025 for her doctoral thesis “Electrochemical Cell Modeling of Hierarchically Structured Electrodes in Lithium-Ion Batteries.” The award ceremony will take place in summer 2026.

Johanna Naumann completed her doctoral thesis at the Institute for Applied Materials – Mechanics of Materials and Interfaces of KIT. There, she was a research assistant in the Cluster of Excellence “POLiS – Post Lithium Storage” and an associate doctoral candidate in the DFG Research Training Group “SiMET – Simulation of Mechanical-Electrical-Thermal Processes in Lithium-Ion Batteries.”

The subject of Johanna Naumann's doctoral thesis was modeling and simulation of electrodes for lithium-ion batteries with so-called hierarchically structured positive electrodes, in which the secondary particles have a designed internal porosity. Such electrodes, which exhibit improved rate capability and cycle stability, are being developed in Dr. Joachim Binder's group at the Institute for Applied Materials – Energy Storage Systems of KIT. As an essential basis for the physical understanding and optimization of such electrodes, Dr. Naumann conducted and evaluated extensive simulation studies using a specially developed mathematical model. In doing so, she provided crucial support for the experimental work. Johanna Naumann's doctoral thesis thus makes an important contribution to the urgently needed improvement of electrochemical energy storage for the energy transition.

Our designated spokesperson Prof. Jürgen Janek from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) is once again among the “Highly Cited Researchers” in 2025, making him one of the world's most frequently cited scientists. The list of the world's most cited scientists is published annually by Clarivate. As in previous years, Prof. Janek is listed in the overarching “Cross-Field” category due to the highly interdisciplinary nature of his research work. He conducts research in the field of physical solid-state chemistry, specifically solid-state electrochemistry and solid-state reactions. Janek is Professor of Physical Chemistry at Justus Liebig University Giessen and Managing Director of the Giessen Center for Materials Research. Janek also heads the joint BELLA laboratory of KIT and BASF SE at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. Publications from January 2014 to December 2024 were used for the current evaluation – a paper is considered “highly cited” if it ranks among the top 1% of citations in its field. With this honorary title, Janek once again underscores his leading role in battery research.

Researchers from POLiS were able to experience firsthand how scientific ideas become market-ready technologies during a visit to InnovationLab GmbH Heidelberg. The exchange focused on technology transfer—the bridge between basic research and industrial application. The guests were welcomed by Michael Kröger, Managing Director of InnovationLab. In his introduction, he highlighted what makes the Heidelberg Lab so special: here, scientists, start-ups, and industry partners work under one roof to . The subsequent tour of the modern laboratories – including clean rooms, printing technologies for flexible electronics, and pilot production lines – was particularly impressive. This infrastructure shows how innovative ideas can be turned into concrete applications that later go into series production. The discussions focused on how materials research and energy storage technologies can interact with industrial innovation. After all, – the central goal of the POLiS Cluster – requires not only new materials, but also ways to produce them efficiently and safely. Such encounters demonstrate the importance of . POLiS benefits from the experience of its industry partners, while companies benefit from the latest scientific findings – a mutual gain that can significantly accelerate the transfer from laboratory idea to market-ready product. Collaborations such as this bring us a step closer to the goal of sustainable, high-performance energy storage – and make the future of battery technology a little more tangible.

Battery researcher Prof. Dr. Maximilian Fichtner, spokesperson for the POLiS Cluster of Excellence, has been awarded the international Dr. Barbara Mez-Starck Prize 2025. The award ceremony took place on October 21, 2025, at the Dr. Barbara Mez-Starck House at the Ulm University.

The Dr. Barbara Mez-Starck Foundation honors outstanding scientific achievements in the fields of chemistry and physics with this award. This year, the prize is endowed with 25,000 euros for the first time – a clear signal from the foundation that it wants to further strengthen basic research at the Ulm University.

In his laudatory speech, Prof. Dr. Axel Groß highlighted Fichtner's pioneering contributions to battery research: “Maximilian Fichtner has made a significant contribution to advancing the development of batteries beyond lithium and has identified new approaches in the field of multivalent systems. His work has contributed significantly to our understanding of electrochemical energy storage.”

In addition to his scientific excellence, the foundation also emphasized Fichtner's commitment to science communication. Through lectures, media appearances, and numerous appearances on the Geladen podcast, he helps make complex topics such as energy storage and sustainable technologies accessible to a broad audience.

In his acceptance speech, Fichtner underscored the importance of curiosity and collaboration in research: “Research success is always a team effort. This award honors not only me, but also all my colleagues who work every day on the future of sustainable energy systems.”

The award ceremony was part of a celebration that included the unveiling of a work of art in honor of Dr. Barbara Mez-Starck. The sculpture by Frankfurt artist Jasper Bamberger reflects the founder's life's work—the famous Starck catalog—and addresses the human urge to gather and pass on knowledge.

The ELLIPSE 2025 Conference (Electrolytes and Interfaces in Post-Li Batteries) brought together over 120 leading scientists and industry experts for two days of intense discussion and collaboration on the future of electrochemical energy storage. As a satellite meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry, the event showcased pioneering research on next-generation battery chemistries, electrolytes, interphases, and advanced characterization techniques.

Hosted in Ulm, the two-day program featured talks from world-renowned researchers including Jürgen Janek (Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen), Yang Shao-Horn (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Alexandre Ponrouch (Institut de Ciència de Materials de Barcelona, ICMAB-CSIC), and Øystein Gullbrekken (NTNU), among others. Their presentations covered topics ranging from modeling of solid-electrolyte interfaces to operando analysis of complex electrochemical processes.

The first day concluded with a vibrant poster session highlighting 45 contributions from emerging researchers. The Poster Awards, sponsored by rhd instruments GmbH & Co. KG, recognized outstanding scientific achievements and innovative methodologies:

Tommaso Mavolo (Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen) – In-Situ Characterization of SEI Formation at the Sodium Metal / PEO:NaTFSI Interface Using ToF- and Orbitrap-SIMS Analysis
Laurin Derr (Karlsruher Institut für Technologie) – Time-Resolved Analysis of Entropy Production During Sodiation of Hard Carbon
Bingbing Li (Tohoku University) – Revealing the Interfacial Reaction Mechanisms in Lithium–Oxygen Batteries by In Situ EC-AFM at Single-Layer Graphene

Reflecting the growing momentum in post-lithium research, ELLIPSE 2025 demonstrated the collaborative spirit driving the next generation of sustainable and high-performance energy storage solutions. As participants departed, one message resonated clearly: the future of batteries depends not only on new materials, but on a deeper understanding of the interfaces that power them.

POLiS is making a strong impression at the 76th Annual Meeting of the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE), held this week in Mainz. The event brings together leading researchers and industry experts from across the globe to explore the latest advances in electrochemical science and sustainable energy technologies.

Numerous members of POLiS and its Graduate School Electrochemical Energy Storage (GS-EES) are actively contributing to the scientific program, presenting both talks and posters that reflect the cluster’s interdisciplinary expertise. Their contributions span a wide range of topics — from sustainable battery materials and electrochemical engineering to in-situ characterization methods that push the boundaries of energy research. Moreover, the conference was organized by POLiS PI, Prof. Ulrike Krewer.

Among the highlights are presentations by Kelsey Hatzell, Theresa Schoetz, and Hasna Aziam, all recipients of the POLiS Award of Excellence, who are sharing their latest research findings with the international electrochemistry community.

Visitors to the conference can also meet POLiS representatives at their exhibition booth, where the team is showcasing the cluster’s ongoing projects, partnerships, and opportunities for collaboration. Attendees are invited to learn more about the future of energy storage and how POLiS is shaping the next generation of post-lithium technologies.

Prof. Dr. Siegbert Schmid has been granted the International Excellence Fellowship of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT).

Prof. Dr. Siegbert Schmid has been granted the International Excellence Fellowship of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). He currently is professor at The University of Sydney and will be spending time at the Institute for Applied Materials – Energy Storage Systems (IAM-ESS) at KIT led by Prof. Dr. Helmut Ehrenberg who is also POLiS spokesperson and Principical Investigator.

The annual POLiS Conclave took place from June 23 to 23, 2025 in the heart of Karlsruhe. Around 130 scientists from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Ulm University and Justus Liebig University Giessen as well as international guest scientists met for two days to discuss the latest research trends in battery research and get an insight into the second funding period of the Cluster.

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