Birgit Weber at the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)
Birgit Weber at the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena) - After two decades of research and teaching in Munich and Bayreuth, chemist Birgit Weber has returned to the place where her scientific career began. "It feels like coming home to a community that is both familiar and inspiringly new," describes Weber the feeling of being back. "Jena has remarkably developed, yet the essential scientific curiosity at this location has remained," she says about the science hub from today's perspective. Iron as Favourite Element. In her research, Weber focuses on so-called 3d metals, i.e., the lightest transition elements in the periodic table. These elements are commonly found in nature, are affordable, and comparatively environmentally friendly. "My favourite element is iron," says the chemist, "because the coordination chemistry of iron offers diverse and sustainable application possibilities - from smart contrast agents to efficient photocatalysts for hydrogen production." To this end, she utilises various properties of these compounds: "The magnetic properties of such iron complexes can be very effectively influenced, for example, by changing the temperature," she explains.
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