A celebratory colloquium was recently held at the Department of Chemistry and Biology in honor of Prof. Dr. Hans Jörg Deiseroth. The renowned chemist has also played an active role in higher education policy at the University of Siegen for decades, serving on the University Council until 2023.

Prof. Dr. Hans Jörg Deiseroth can look back on a long and distinguished career as a researcher, teacher, doctoral advisor, author, Vice Dean, Dean, Vice Rector, Senate member, and University Council member at the University of Siegen. An active, engaged, and always dedicated academic, he recently celebrated his 80th birthday. He has been highly regarded in his many roles for his "critical yet always benevolent attitude," as the chair of the local GDCh group noted.

In his honor, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) organized a celebratory colloquium at the University of Siegen. Numerous colleagues attended to congratulate Prof. Deiseroth and to discuss current topics in inorganic chemistry. The colloquium focused on novel material combinations and the recovery of critical inorganic resources, under the title: "From Novel Material Combinations to the Recovery of Critical Inorganic Resources." The keynote lecture was delivered by Prof. Dr. Klaus Müller-Buschbaum from Justus Liebig University Giessen. Notably, his father was Prof. Deiseroth's doctoral advisor, highlighting a special personal connection.

Prof. Deiseroth studied chemistry in Giessen and Kiel from 1964 to 1970. From 1985 to 1991, he served as Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Siegen, before moving to the University of Stuttgart, where he held a professorship in Inorganic Solid-State Chemistry for three years. In 1995, he returned to the University of Siegen to take up a chair in Inorganic Chemistry. He served as Vice Dean and Dean of the Department of Chemistry and, from 1998 to 2002, as Vice Rector for Research and Young Scientists.

From 1999 to 2008, Prof. Deiseroth was a reviewer for inorganic chemistry at the German Research Foundation (DFG) and, from 2004 to 2008, spokesperson for the DFG review board on chemical solid-state research. He was also a member of the advisory board of the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids.

Appointed to the University Council in 2009, Prof. Deiseroth continued to help shape the university’s development even after his retirement in 2011, remaining in the role until 2023.

The Teaching Award 2025 was presented to Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karsten Kluth during the Academic Annual Celebration of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of Siegen. The award honors outstanding dedication to academic teaching and exceptional achievements in student supervision and mentoring.

As Prof. Kluth was abroad at the time of the ceremony, the award was handed over retrospectively in his office by Tom Becker and Leon-Alp Bender from the Mechanical Engineering Student Council.

Notably, this is the second time Prof. Kluth has received the Teaching Award – a testament to his consistently high-quality teaching and long-standing commitment to students in the faculty.

Prof. Kluth has served for many years as Head of the Department of Ergonomics and as Chair of the Mechanical Engineering Examination Board. In the laudatory speech, particular emphasis was placed on his approachability, his solution-oriented mindset, and his exceptional dedication to students. He was described as “more than a lecturer – an institution within the Department of Mechanical Engineering.”

His impact is not defined by grand gestures, but by countless small, often unseen moments: an open ear that goes beyond formal duties, a readiness to help that results in practical solutions, and communication grounded in mutual respect. Prof. Kluth not only takes student feedback seriously, but sees it as a valuable opportunity for personal and professional development – always with humor, respect, and a deep commitment to student well-being.

The student feedback speaks volumes: gratitude, respect, and appreciation for a lecturer who conveys not only knowledge, but also values – with an integrity that sets an example.

The faculty warmly congratulates Prof. Kluth on this well-deserved recognition.

As part of the PhD Research Forum 2025, Dr. Bastian Mohr, programme officer at the German Research Foundation (DFG), visited the Center for Sensor Systems (ZESS) at the University of Siegen. The purpose of his visit was to engage in discussions with the Principal Investigators (PIs) of the interdisciplinary DFG-funded research unit "Learning to Sense."

Since Prof. Dr. Jörg Himmel, representative of the VDI Siegen District Association, was also present on that day, the opportunity arose to take a joint tour of the nearly completed INCYTE research building. The guests were accompanied by Prof. Thomas Seeger and the University of Siegen’s Vice Rector for Research and Early Career Researchers, Prof. Dr. Andreas Kolb.

A special thank you goes to Prof. Dr. Peter Haring Bolívar, who personally guided the group through the impressive building and provided detailed insights into its architectural and technical features. Designed by the architectural firm KRESINGS, the new facility will soon enable cutting-edge research at the intersection of sensor technology, information science, and artificial intelligence—strengthening the University of Siegen’s profile as a center of innovative research.