From Cambridge to Bayreuth

Prof. Dr. Hannah Kurz brings exceptional expertise in the field of molecular functional materials. A native of Aalen, she studied Chemistry for her Bachelor’s degree and Materials Chemistry and Catalysis for her Master’s degree at the University of Bayreuth between 2012 and 2017. She then completed her doctorate in Bayreuth under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Birgit Weber at the Chair of Inorganic Chemistry IV. In her doctoral thesis, she explored the design of nickel and zinc complexes that exhibit light-emitting properties and how such systems could be used to develop light-emitting sensor materials. Her work resulted in the successful creation of three model systems and significant contributions to the fundamental understanding of photoluminescent sensor materials. For this achievement, Kurz was awarded the Bavarian Culture Prize in 2022.

In the same year, she began a postdoctoral position in the research group of Jonathan Nitschke at the University of Cambridge, England. As a Feodor Lynen Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, she investigated an innovative approach to creating coordination cages—molecular structures formed through coordination bonds between metal ions and organic ligands, which are referred to as "cages" due to the cavity within their interior. Kurz focused on the question of how particularly stable coordination cages could be produced through double-bridging, before returning to the University of Bayreuth as a junior professor in December 2024.

“I appreciated both the campus and the city of Bayreuth during my studies, and the Department of Chemistry at the University of Bayreuth stands out for its collaborative and interdisciplinary approach. I am very excited to implement innovative research projects in Bayreuth, such as developing heteroleptic coordination cages for sensory and photocatalytic applications. However, my immediate focus is on establishing my research group and inspiring students on campus about molecular and supramolecular functional materials,” Kurz says.