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31.03.2026 | Susanne Harling and Andreas Adolf are retiring
Two influential figures in the field of inorganic chemistry are retiring after many years of dedicated service. Susanne Harling most recently oversaw CHN analysis for the Department of Chemistry and, through her reliable and competent work, played a key role in shaping day-to-day research activities. Andreas Adolf was considered a central pillar of the Experimental Chemistry lecture series and was an indispensable part of the popular Christmas lecture for many years. During a ceremony, Professors Kickelbick and Seschkewitz honored the extraordinary, long-standing dedication of both colleagues. Particular emphasis was placed on their great dedication to teaching and research, their open and approachable manner, and the high regard in which they were held within the inorganic chemistry research groups. The Department of Chemistry extends its heartfelt thanks for their outstanding collaboration and wishes Ms. Harling and Mr. Adolf all the best for this new chapter in their lives.
27.02.2026 | Strong ranking for Saarland University
TIME ranks Saarland University #144 worldwide and #10 in Germany (TIME World's Top Universities of 2026). Great recognition and way to go!
06.02.2026 | Chemists from Saarland University create iconic aromatic molecule with silicon
Congratulations to Ankur from the Scheschkewitz group on his fantastic work on the stable all-silicon analog of the iconic cyclopentadienide published today in Science (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aed1802). After almost half a century of pursuit by chemists worldwide, silicon aromaticity takes a big leap forward. According to experimental and computational evidence, the five-membered ring of the pentasilacyclopentadienide walks the edge between resonance and equilibrium. Kudos to those undergraduate students who always “claimed” that both are the same. In a mind-boggling twist of fate, the group of Takeaki Iwamoto (Sendai, Japan) obtained precisely the same compound as we at Saarland University, only by a different route, now published in the same issue as our results (https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aed0168)
18.12.2025 | Chemistry Christmas Lecture: A Journey Back in Time to the Age of Alchemy
The large chemistry lecture hall was filled to capacity when this year's Christmas lecture took guests on a fascinating journey into the world of alchemy. Led by Prof. David Scheschkewitz, the team presented spectacular experiments that were once intended to fulfill alchemists' dreams of gold – including the transformation of base metals into “silver” and “gold.” Of course, the traditional explosions were also part of the show, leaving the audience amazed. A special moment was the farewell to Andreas Adolf, the long-time laboratory assistant for experimental chemistry and creative mind behind the Christmas lectures of recent years, as he entered his well-deserved retirement. The new team that will organize the Christmas lecture in the future consists of laboratory assistants Dana Barghoud, Ajda Plohl, Vanessa Grabowski, Henrike Waller, and Leonie Wirtz.
17.12.2025 | Joining forces for clean water: Pioneering project strengthens water protection in Saarland
The Department of Inorganic Chemistry at Saarland University and the Ministry for the Environment, Climate, Mobility, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection (MUKMAV) are continuing their long-standing successful collaboration. With the completion of the previous project and the start of a new five-year joint project in mid-2026, research into assessing the condition of Saarland's waters will be intensified. One focus is on the effects of new requirements under the EU Municipal Waste Water Directive and the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Saarland. In addition to established real-time measurements using mobile measuring stations, automatic samplers will also be used to detect organic and inorganic micropollutants (“emerging pollutants”) from diffuse and point sources. In addition, the project is dedicated to the analysis of small catchment areas in order to answer specific environmentally relevant questions. With this project, the partners are making a decisive contribution to the sustainable development and protection of Saarland's waters.
17.12.2025 | Defibrillators can save lives: Installation in the Chemistry Lecture Hall Building C4.3
Defibrillators are true lifesavers in an emergency. In the event of sudden cardiac arrest, every minute counts, and the rapid availability of an automated external defibrillator (AED) can be crucial. Thanks to the commitment of Prof. Guido Kickelbick and Dr. Oliver Janka, who initiated the installation, and the support of company doctor Prof. Elke Ochsmann, such an automated defibrillator has now been installed in the chemistry lecture hall building C4.3. With this measure, Saarland University is responding to a general call to provide AEDs in public places in order to bridge the gap until the emergency services arrive. Operating an AED is simple and designed with laypeople in mind: in an emergency, immediately dial 911, begin chest compressions, fetch the defibrillator, and follow the device's voice instructions. The installation of the device is an important step toward increasing safety on campus and saving lives in an emergency.
09.12.2025 | EU awards two million euros to chemists at Saarland University
The Munz research group has been awarded the prestigious Consolidator Grant by the European Research Council (ERC). With total funding of €2 million, new methods for the direct incorporation of carbon atoms into molecules will be developed over the next five years. Future applications lie in the fields of optoelectronic materials for solar cells and OLEDs, molecular synthesis for pharmaceutical applications, and quantum materials.
Link to press release: Diamanten aus Dreck? EU fördert Chemiker der Saar-Universität mit zwei Millionen Euro | Universität des Saarlandes
Colloquium of the German Chemical Society (GDCh)
Semester program of the GDCh Colloquium in the summer semester 2026
Inorganic colloquium in the summer term 2026
As part of the Inorganic Colloquium, several interesting lectures will be offered again in the summer term, to which guests are very welcome. You can find the programme HERE.