Equal Opportunities

Apply now for the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers! The award 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, the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and University of Giessen) to establish and strengthen international collaborations.

The Workshop "From Bystander to Upstander" took place at Ulm University on 10 December 2024.

On 12th December, we had our Workshop "From Bystander to Upstander" at Ulm University given by Sabine Mariss.

The workshop gave an introduction how bystanders—those who witness situations where harm, discrimination, or injustice occur—have a unique opportunity to make a difference. By choosing to intervene, they can disrupt harmful behaviour, support those affected, and ultimately contribute to the creation of safer and more inclusive spaces.

In a combination of inputs, group discussions, exercises and roleplays ten participants have learnt about:

What is the bystander-effect and what are its consequences?
5 possible interventions: Distract, Delegate, Document, Delay, Direct
How to tackle possible obstacles that come in the way of helping
The concept of Nonviolent Communication (Marshall Rosenberg) – a powerful tool for courageous, respectful communication

Register Now! Fostering a culture of respect and inclusion in the workplace: Bystanders—those who witness situations where harm, discrimination, or injustice occur—have a unique opportunity to make a difference. By choosing to intervene, they can disrupt harmful behaviour, support those affected, and ultimately contribute to the creation of safer and more inclusive spaces.

Since being awarded the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers, Guimoar Hernández, Assistant Professor at Uppsala University, has been working closely with the group of Dr. Fabian Jeschull at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). As part of the collaboration, Isabell Lee Johansson, doctoral researcher in the group of Guiomar at Uppsala University has spent nine months at KIT (IAM-ESS), mainly working on polycarbonate materials, post-lithium salt and organic electrode materials.

POLiS PI apl. Prof. Dr. Christine Kranz has been invited to speak at the XXX Summer School „Nicolás Cabrera“ Energy Storage Systems to face the Climate Challenge: Sustainable development of Li ion batteries in Spain.

Also speaking at the Summer School is Maider Zarrabeitia, key researcher at Helmholtz Institute Ulm and in the Cluster of Excellence POLiS.

More information on the XXX Summer School "Nicolás Cabrera" Energy Storage Systems to face the Climate Challenge: Sustainable development of Li ion batteries and a full list of speakers can be found here.

As part of the collaboration with Kelsey Hatzell, Associate Professor at Princeton University and awardee of the POLiS Award of Excellence 2021, Ana Claus, PhD student at Princeton University, is currently on a 2,5 months exchange stay at Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) working in the group of Prof. Jürgen Janek and Prof. Marcus Rohnke. Shortly after her arrival, we have spoken to Ana to find out what she will be focusing on during her time at JLU and how important such a research stay abroad is for young researchers.

Kelsey Hatzell, Assistant Professor Princeton University, received the award in 2021 and recently came on a cooperation visit to Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). She is working on the ion transport in all solid state sodium batteries and works mainly with the research groups of Dr. Marcus Rohnke and Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek at JLU.

Kelsey Hatzell, Assistant Professor Princeton University, received the award in 2021 and recently came on a cooperation visit to Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). Together with the JLU POLIS PIs Prof. Jürgen Janek and Prof. Marcus Rohnke, Kelsey is working on novel reservoir-free sodium solid state batteries. Her PhD student Ana Claus is currently on a 2,5-months exchange stay at Justus Liebig University Giessen for the interface characterization between the solid electrolyte and the anode. Promising interlayers were tested to improve the Na deposition.

During the annual POLiS Conclave meeting, which took place on 18th and 19th June 2024 in Karlsruhe, the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers was awarded to Dr. Theresa Schoetz, Assistant Professor at The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA.

Dr. Schoetz is an electrochemist and chemical engineer studying novel materials, chemistries, interfaces and devices for energy storage applications, in particular electrochemical materials and design for batteries and supercapacitors. She obtained her Bachelor in Chemical Engineering at Brandenburgische Technische Universität, followed by her Master of Science in Electrochemistry and Electroplating at Technische Universität Ilmenau. In 2019 she received her PhD in Sustainable Infrastructure Systems (Engineering and Physical Sciences) at the University of Southamptopn, UK where she also spent two years as Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Electronics Frontiers. In 2020, Dr. Schoetz became Research Associate at the City College of New York, USA and since November 2023 she is Assitant Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA.

She is also engaged in the Women in STEM Association at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and will mainly be working with Prof. Dr. Dominic Bresser.

With around half a million euro, eight new research projects are being funded in the Cluster of Excellence POLiS. The new PIs from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the University of Ulm and the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) bring with them many exciting research interests and experiences and will further enrich the Clusters‘ research program.

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, the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) and University of Giessen) to establish and strengthen international collaborations.

For the fourth time, the Award of Excellence for Female Researchers was presented at the annual POLiS conclave. This year's recipient of the award is María Arnaiz, Associate Researcher at CIC energiGUNE in Spain. Until the end of July 2023, María Arnaiz is a visiting scientist at the Center for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW). Her work at ZSW focuses on the aqueous processing of positive electrodes for lithium-ion batteries.

María Arnaiz received her PhD in chemical engineering from the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) in Spain in 2019. As part of her PhD, she spent four months at Friedrich Schiller University (FSU) Jena, Germany, where she gained hands-on experience in the preparation and characterization of different electrolytes such as ionic liquids or alternative solvents. She also investigated their viscosity, conductivity, and thermal and electrochemical properties for later use in lithium and sodium ion capacitors. During a later one-month stay at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), she deepened her knowledge of other post-lithium technologies in the group of Dr. Sonia Dsoke.

In 2019, María Arnaiz was awarded the VI Antonio Aldaz Prize for the best PhD thesis in the field of electrochemistry by the Real Sociedad Española de Química (RSEQ).

Currently, María Arnaiz is deputy coordinator and leader of a work package of an EU-funded project. The research in this project focuses on the development of materials for sustainable sodium ion capacitors. She also regularly participates in STEAM activities at schools to raise awareness among future scientists. She is particularly keen on highlighting the role of women in science.

After having received the award María Arnaiz said: “I am very happy to receive this award as it not only recognizes my research until now, it also pushes my career development. Moreover, we are aiming to find gender equality on science-technology field, and this award helps to enhance the female presence on it.”

Dr. Anjass, research group leader at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm and research associate in the Cluster of Excellence POLiS, has been selected as a scholarship holder of the Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation. She will receive a monthly grant of 500 euros for one year.

After completing her bachelor's degree at Birzeit University and subsequently working as a teaching assistant, the native Palestinian emigrated to Ulm in 2013. Since July 2020, Dr. Anjass has been leading a research group at the Helmholtz Institute Ulm that focuses on the development of novel nanostructured materials and their use in areas of application of global socio-economic relevance such as energy conversion/storage or catalysis.

The Christiane Nüsslein-Volhard Foundation was established in 2004 and supports talented young female scientists with children to give them the freedom and mobility they need to pursue a scientific career.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Dr. Guiomar Hernández, awardee of the POLiS Award of Excellence, shares her thoughts on diversity and gender equity in science.

"Battery research is currently a hot topic with many parties trying to mitigate climate change, using renewable energy, and electrifying the transport sector. These are extraordinary challenges that only a diverse team of people with different mindsets and backgrounds can successfully solve. Diversity and gender equity in science is key to advance across innovation and technology."

Application for the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers is closed.

NASA has awarded an early career grant to Kelsey Hatzell to help develop new rechargeable batteries for solar powered orbital missions and missions to the surface of Mars. Hatzell, an assistant professor of mechanical and also POLiS Award winner, specializes in understanding interfaces between materials, a field that has direct applications to battery technology.

With the urgent need to lower CO2 emissions to mitigate climate change, most people would agree: The future will be electric. Batteries will play an important role in this future, and this is why Montaha Anjass’ work is so important.

POLiS is proud to announce the awardee for the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers 2022. The board of POLiS and a selection committee has selected Dr. Hernández from Uppsala University, Department of Chemistry. Dr. Hernández is an excellent researcher working in the field of of fluorine-free electrolytes for lithium and sodium-based batteries and carbonyl-based solid polymer electrolytes to understand the transport properties and coordination strength between polymers and different cations, in particular lithium, sodium and magnesium.

POLiS is proud to announce the awardee for the POLiS Award of Excellence for Female Researchers 2022. The board of POLiS and a selection committee has selected Dr. Hernández from Uppsala University, Department of Chemistry. Dr. Hernández is an excellence rseearcher working in the field of of fluorine-free electrolytes for lithium and sodium-based batteries and carbonyl-based solid polymer electrolytes to understand the transport properties and coordination strength between polymers and different cations, in particular lithium, sodium and magnesium.

Girls' Day is a nationwide day of action that aims to open up new perspectives for the future of girls. The aim is to motivate girls for technical and scientific professions. On this day, the girls get to know apprenticeship occupations and courses of study in IT, handicrafts, natural sciences and technology, in which women have so far been rather rarely represented, and they meet female role models in leadership positions.

The European Innovation Council (EIC) launched today the ninth edition of the EU Prize for Women Innovators. The Prize celebrates the women entrepreneurs behind Europe’s game-changing innovations, to inspire more women to follow their footsteps.

This International Women’s Day, 8 March, join UN Women and the world in coming together under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”, and call for climate action for women, by women.

Interdisciplinary Symposium for Women in STEM Field. The free virtual event on March 30-31 will address the question "Working digitally – curse or blessing?".

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