This year, the KeyLab at the University of Bayreuth was responsible for organizing the annual meeting of the student board within the Bavarian research network “Solar Technologies Go Hybrid”. The meeting took place on May 22nd and 23rd, 2025, and welcomed a diverse and international group of young researchers from all five KeyLabs to this event.
The program began with visits to several research facilities at the University of Bayreuth. Students explored the Bayerisches Zentrum für Batterietechnik (BayBatt), where they gained insights into interdisciplinary battery research spanning from materials science to complete energy systems. The center’s advanced analytical techniques for investigating battery materials under in-situ and operando conditions particularly impressed the visiting students.
The group then visited the Herzig Group, focusing on dynamics and structure formation, where researchers demonstrated their work on processing and characterization of thin films using X-ray scattering methods. Students learned about the group’s research on organic semiconductors and their application in organic photovoltaic cells.
Another highlight was the visit to the Lehrstuhl für Optoelektronik weicher Materie (Experimentalphysik II), led by Professor Anna Köhler. Here, participants discovered research on optical and electronic processes in organic semiconductors, with particular focus on understanding how these materials can be processed for cost-effective optoelectronic devices.
The academic visits concluded at the Lehrstuhl für Makromolekulare Chemie I, where Professors Johannes C. Brendel and Mukundan Thelakkat’s teams demonstrated their expertise in functional polymer synthesis and supramolecular structuring of hierarchically organized materials. The group also has an expertise in characterizing the polymers and their applications with XPS, UPS, OECT and OFET.
On the second day, students enjoyed a walking tour through Bayreuth’s historic city center before visiting Stäubli Tec-Systems GmbH for the industry component of the meeting. At Stäubli, the group toured facilities spanning the company’s divisions of Robotics, Fluid Connectors, and Textile technologies, gaining valuable insights into how fundamental research translates into industrial applications.
The evening program included dinner at Manns Bräu Bayreuth and attendance at the Maisel Weißbierfest, providing participants with an authentic taste of Bavarian culture and traditions.
The meeting successfully brought together young scientists from all five SolTech KeyLabs, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange in the field of solar energy research. The combination of cutting-edge research presentations and cultural experiences provided an excellent platform for networking and scientific discussion among the next generation of solar energy researchers.