Dual leadership at Fraunhofer IAF: Dr. Patricie Merkert and Prof. Rüdiger Quay take over as institute directors

As of April 1, 2024, the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF is managed by a dual leadership for the first time: Dr. Patricie Merkert, previously Managing Director for Innovation & Technologies at the E.G.O. Group, and Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Quay, who has been Acting Director of the institute since 2022, now form the management team of the Freiburg research institute.

“I am very much looking forward to leading Fraunhofer IAF collaboratively with Prof. Quay in the future and to positioning it in the best possible way for current and upcoming challenges. My vision is to create an inspiring environment in which ideas can flourish and ground-breaking research is driven forward,” says Dr. Patricie Merkert.

“Fraunhofer IAF has been successfully researching and developing micro- and optoelectronics as well as quantum technologies for decades in order to bring them into application. Together with Dr. Patricie Merkert, we are taking responsibility for ensuring that Fraunhofer IAF employees can continue to conduct cutting-edge international research,” states Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Quay.

From industry to research — Dr. Patricie Merkert

After completing her doctorate in materials science, Dr. Patricie Merkert went into industry: At CeramTec and Mann+Hummel, she was responsible for development, business development and innovation. Most recently, she was Managing Director at the E.G.O. Group, where she headed the Innovation & Technologies department.

Passion for research and science — Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Quay

Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Quay has been a scientist at Fraunhofer IAF since 2001. He has been Deputy Director of the Institute and responsible for the management of the business fields since 2018. In August 2020, he was appointed to the Fritz Hüttinger Professorship for Energy-Efficient Radio-Frequency Electronics at the Institute for Sustainable Technical Systems (INATECH) at the University of Freiburg. Prof. Quay took over as Acting Director of Fraunhofer IAF in January 2022 when Prof Dr Oliver Ambacher stepped down after 14 years as institute director.

About Fraunhofer IAF

The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF is one of the world's leading research institutions in the fields of III-V semiconductors and synthetic diamond. Based on these materials, Fraunhofer IAF develops components for future-oriented technologies, such as electronic circuits for innovative communication and mobility solutions, laser systems for real-time spectroscopy, novel hardware components for quantum computing as well as quantum sensors for industrial applications. With its research and development, the Freiburg research institute covers the entire value chain — from materials research, design and processing to modules, systems and demonstrators.

Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF

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