Plajer joined the University of Bayreuth in 2023 as Junior Professor of Macromolecular Chemistry, following an academic career that took him to Heidelberg, Cambridge, Oxford and Berlin. His research focuses on sustainable structural polymers and new functional polymer materials, with Bayreuth’s strong tradition and facilities in macromolecular chemistry providing essential foundations for his work. The multiple awards highlight the scientific excellence of his research while further strengthening Bayreuth’s visibility as a centre of international polymer science.
“I am very pleased that my own research ideas are being recognised. During a doctorate or postdoctoral phase, the supervisor strongly shapes the work; independent research is different. These awards also acknowledge my group, who carry out the research in the laboratory, as well as the University of Bayreuth, which has long been strong in polymer chemistry and makes this work possible,” says Plajer.
In March this year, Plajer will receive the prestigious ADUC Prize. Endowed with €4,000, the award is aimed at early-career chemists across Germany; it is therefore rarely given to researchers in polymer chemistry, who are significantly fewer in number compared to other subfields. Plajer is receiving the ADUC Prize for his innovative research integrating sulphur chemistry, catalysis and supramolecular self-assembly into a unified research concept, according to the award citation.
Already in November, Plajer received the GDCh MAKRO Fellowship, worth €2,000, which is awarded every two years by the Division of Macromolecular Chemistry as part of the Nachwuchsworkshop Hochschule. He impressed the expert jury with the presentation of his independent research and prevailed in the highly competitive workshop against other early-career group leaders from across the German-speaking world.
Plajer’s research is also visible internationally: the MRC Junior Researcher Award from Wiley is aimed at young scientists worldwide who are opening up new paths in polymer science with fresh ideas. The selection process is correspondingly competitive. In recent years, awardees have come from leading research institutions such as ETH Zurich or the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research—now, with Plajer’s success, the University of Bayreuth joins their ranks.
These awards clearly show the potential of Plajer’s still young field of research. At the same time, they strengthen the University of Bayreuth’s position as a place where pioneering ideas in polymer chemistry take shape.
