Leitartikel

GDCh and ACS are delighted to announce a new chapter in their longstanding relationship: the launch of dual membership.Both societies are committed to advancing chemistry for the benefit of society, supporting the next generation of scientists, and fostering scientific exchange across boundaries. This dual membership collaboration reflects our shared belief that scientific progress is strengthened when communities are connected across borders.This opportunity brings together two respected scientific communities with complementary strengths and meaningful benefits to our members. GDCh maintains strong connections throughout Germany and Europe, including research institutes and chemical companies, while ACS engages with academia, industry, and government across the U.S. and beyond. Together, our societies provide opportunities to build and expand professional horizons and collectively be leaders in the global chemistry community.Science is increasingly international, and many collaborations begin through professional networks and scientific meetings. The true value of international collaboration lies not only in shared resources, but in the relationships, perspectives, and discoveries that emerge when scientists connect across borders. Dual membership broadens access to events, colleagues, perspectives, and emerging developments throughout the chemical sciences.Professional societies, like GDCh and ACS, play an essential role beyond conferences and publications; they support career development, recognize excellence, foster leadership, and help shape the future of the chemistry enterprise. Dual membership will enable chemists to benefit from and contribute to both communities. This opportunity is particularly meaningful for students, early-career researchers, and emerging leaders. As scientific careers increasingly transcend borders, access to professional networks in multiple regions will broaden perspectives and help create lasting professional relationships.Dual members will also be able to participate in ACS‘ International Chemical Sciences Chapter (ICSC) community. Through the establishment of an ICSC in Germany, members can leverage local hubs that connect scientists, educators, and students with the global ACS network.Last, but certainly not least, membership in both GDCh and ACS enables access to the divisions in research areas across continents. Both organizations have committees, divisions, mentoring programs, and outreach initiatives, and dual membership allows these communities to converge.To best support members, ACS and GDCh are offering dual membership at a reduced fee, lowering barriers to international engagement and collaboration. This reflects our shared commitment to expanding access to professional networks, scientific exchange, and career development opportunities.This three-year program represents the first partnership of its kind for ACS with another scientific society. It provides an opportunity for both organizations to learn how societies can work together in new ways and, if successful, may serve as a model for similar collaborations in other regions of the world.By strengthening ties between our organizations, we are creating new opportunities for collaboration, innovation, and professional growth that will benefit our members, the broader scientific community, and the future of chemistry itself. Together, ACS and GDCh are investing in stronger connections, deeper collaboration, and a more globally engaged future for chemistry—and we look forward to welcoming our new dual members.Stefanie Dehnen, Past President of the GDCh (and ACS member); Rigoberto Hernandez, President of the ACS (and GDCh member) Photo: Rigoberto Hernandez<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmunlbh0qeal707t6j0zlf82w" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264160688_gra_0001_a_8985d7a8a7.png">

Meinungsbeitrag

A Shared Commitment to Global Chemistry

Schlaglicht Forschen in der Fremde

Die Unesco, die Organisation der Vereinten Nationen f&uuml;r Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur, gibt an, dass auf der Welt etwa 9 Millionen Forschende arbeiten. Darunter sind knapp 10 % Chemiker. In den G20-L&auml;ndern arbeiten 89 % aller Wissenschaftler, ihnen stehen 93 % der weltweiten Forschungsausgaben zur Verf&uuml;gung und sie produzieren 91 % aller Publikationen. Etwa 65 % aller Forschenden sind alleine in China und den USA t&auml;tig. Der Nature Index (Ausgabe 2025) listet die f&uuml;hrenden Forschungsnationen &uuml;ber alle Disziplinen hinweg in der Reihenfolge China, USA, Deutschland, Vereinigtes K&ouml;nigreich und Japan; in der Chemie tauschen die letzten beiden Nationen die Pl&auml;tze.
Diese wenigen Zahlen zeigen, dass es zwei gro&szlig;e Nationen gibt: China und die USA; China hat seit einigen Jahren die USA deutlich als Wissenschaftsnation Nummer 1 abgel&ouml;st. Es folgen als mittlere Nationen Japan und L&auml;nder aus der EU, w&auml;hrend der Rest der Welt nur etwa 15 % zur globalen Wissenschaft beitr&auml;gt. Im Globalen S&uuml;den hat man die Bedeutung der Wissenschaft f&uuml;r die Zukunft erkannt. Auffallend ist dort das Engagement in der KI-Forschung, wo man sich Teilhabe an den Gewinnen dieser Entwicklung verspricht. Die Dynamik dieser L&auml;nder sollte uns hinsichtlich unseres Status als Wissenschaftsnation besorgt machen.
Deutschlands dritter Platz ist tendenziell gef&auml;hrdet, da unsere Leistung in der Spitzenforschung zur&uuml;ckgeht. Positiv f&uuml;r unser Land wirkt sich das massive staatliche Engagement f&uuml;r Forschung in der Breite vieler Disziplinen aus &ndash; mit dem Ziel, neue Technologien zu entwickeln.
Dieser Ansatz ist so attraktiv, dass Deutschland in der internationalen Zusammenarbeit auch mit den gro&szlig;en Nationen einen Spitzenplatz einnimmt. Die Durchdringung der deutschen Forschungslandschaft mit internationalen Talenten auf breiter Front zeigt, dass wir aus Sicht der Welt ein attraktives &Ouml;kosystem &bdquo;Wissenschaft und Forschung&ldquo; betreiben.
Gute Wissenschaft beginnt mit der Spitzenleistung Einzelner. Die personenbezogene F&ouml;rderung, wie sie etwa die Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung mit Tandems deutscher und internationaler Spitzenforschender betreibt, ist daf&uuml;r ein entscheidender Baustein. Exzellente Leistung und ihr langfristiger Nutzen werden durch die Freiheit der Forschenden erm&ouml;glicht. Internationalit&auml;t ist dabei eine unabdingbare Eigenschaft guter Forschung. Erkenntnisgewinn braucht kritisches Hinterfragen aus unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln; besonders das Zusammenarbeiten Forschender mit verschiedenen Hintergr&uuml;nden vor Ort ist ein zentraler Erfolgsfaktor. Verschlechtern sich diese Bedingungen, leidet die Qualit&auml;t der Wissenschaft.
Gerade die Chemie bei uns kann sich das nicht leisten. Wissenschaft wie Industrie stehen vor Herausforderungen, die mit blo&szlig;en geografischen Verlagerungen nicht zu bek&auml;mpfen sind. Die n&ouml;tige &bdquo;neue Chemie&ldquo; gelingt nur durch breite internationale Zusammenarbeit. Sie muss Rohstoffwandel, erneuerbare Energietr&auml;ger sowie milit&auml;rische und &ouml;konomische Resilienz bew&auml;ltigen. Ohne Diversit&auml;t in den Disziplinen sowie bei den Menschen wird das nicht gelingen. Werben wir f&uuml;r unsere Freiheit und gew&auml;hrleisten wir die Sicherheit unserer gemeinsamen Forschungsleistungen durch geschicktere Ma&szlig;nahmen als durch Abschottung. So nutzen wir unsere Position in der Welt f&uuml;r kreative L&ouml;sungen durch international vernetzte Wissenschaft.
Prof. Robert Schl&ouml;gl ist Pr&auml;sident der Alexander-von-Humboldt-Stiftung.<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmtin5rj8lwcg07ulclj57tbh" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264160541_gra_0001_a_b79b5130f5.png">Foto: Humboldt-Stiftung / David Ausserhofer

Wissenschaft ist global

Ein Leitartikel von Markus Gro&szlig;e Ophoff und Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel
Die Diskussion um per- und polyfluorierte Alkylverbindungen (PFAS) ist von hoher Dynamik gepr&auml;gt. Auf der einen Seite stehen vielf&auml;ltige Anwendungen, auf der anderen erhebliche Umweltprobleme und Altlasten. Seit dem Regulierungsvorschlag der europ&auml;ischen Chemikalienagentur Echa im Jahr 2023 hat sich die Debatte weiter intensiviert.
In der GDCh sind unterschiedliche Perspektiven vertreten: aus Beh&ouml;rden, die den Vorschlag erarbeitet haben, sowie aus Wissenschaft und Industrie. Der interne Diskurs wird im Thinktank PFAS geb&uuml;ndelt, der dem fachlichen Austausch dient, und seit diesem Jahr durch eine vom Vorstand eingesetzte PFAS-Kommission erg&auml;nzt, die die externe Positionierung verantwortet.
Im Thinktank arbeiten mehr als sieben Fachgruppen und Arbeitsgemeinschaften aus der Analytischen Chemie, Fluorchemie, Lebensmittelchemie, Makromolekularen Chemie, Umweltchemie &amp; &Ouml;kotoxikologie sowie Wasserchemie zusammen. Die Bandbreite der Disziplinen verdeutlicht die unterschiedlichen Bewertungsans&auml;tze innerhalb der GDCh. Gerade hierin liegt eine St&auml;rke: die F&auml;higkeit, divergierende Sichtweisen auf wissenschaftlicher Grundlage zusammenzuf&uuml;hren.
Ein wichtiger Impuls war eine zweit&auml;gige PFAS-Tagung in Berlin [Nachr. Chem. 2025, 73(7&ndash;8), 84]. Erfolgsrezept war es, durch Vorschl&auml;ge aus dem gesamten Thinktank unterschiedliche Beitr&auml;ge einzubinden und sich auf konkrete fachliche Fakten zu konzentrieren.
Inhaltlich zeigt sich die Ambivalenz der PFAS deutlich: Die au&szlig;erordentlich stabile Kohlenstoff-Fluor-Bindung erm&ouml;glicht unter anderem Materialien, die temperatur- und chemikalienbest&auml;ndig sowie wasser- und &ouml;labweisend sind. Gleichzeitig f&uuml;hrt diese Stabilit&auml;t dazu, dass PFAS in der Umwelt kaum abgebaut werden. Negative Umweltwirkungen werden oft erst sp&auml;t sichtbar. Ein Beispiel ist Trifluoressigs&auml;ure, die aus etlichen PFAS entsteht und in dieser Ausgabe der Nachrichten ab Seite 36 n&auml;her behandelt wird.
Diese Ambivalenz erfordert differenzierte Strategien. Besonders dringlich ist es, umweltoffene Anwendungen im Consumer-Bereich zu reduzieren, etwa bei K&auml;ltemitteln, Textilmembranen oder Impr&auml;gnierstoffen. Hier sind bereits Alternativen verf&uuml;gbar.
In anderen Bereichen braucht es fundierte Bewertungen und technische Innovationen. F&ouml;rderprogramme, um PFAS-Alternativen zu entwickeln und die Analytik zu verbessern, sind zentral.
Die GDCh bietet den Rahmen, PFAS-Bewertungen und -Alternativen auf wissenschaftlicher Grundlage zu diskutieren. Dabei ist es notwendig, unterschiedliche Positionen auszuhalten und konstruktiv einzubinden. Die GDCh kann hier Br&uuml;cken bauen. Verschiedene fachliche und berufliche Hintergr&uuml;nde wertzusch&auml;tzen ist daf&uuml;r die Voraussetzung.
So kann die GDCh wertvolle Hinweise in den aktuellen politischen Diskurs einbringen. Alternative Regulierungskonzepte oder pointierte Lobbyarbeit sollte man aber nicht erwarten. Kernkompetenz der GDCh ist es, Zukunftskonzepte f&uuml;r nachhaltige Chemikalien und entsprechende Forschung voranzubringen. Das Leitmotiv &bdquo;Rethinking Chemistry&ldquo; kann Orientierung geben und zu L&ouml;sungsans&auml;tzen im Umgang mit PFAS beitragen.
Hon.-Prof. Markus Gro&szlig;e Ophoff (links), Hochschule Osnabr&uuml;ck, und Prof. Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel, FU Berlin, sind Ansprechpartner des GDCh-Thinktanks PFAS.<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmr056rjwa1cs07t8w91t3icf" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264159452_gra_0001_a_58589a60fd.png"><img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmr056uoaa1dj07t833s2pq7d" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264159452_gra_0002_a_87b0e99929.png">

Rethinking PFAS – Wissenschaft ist die Basis

Chemistry connects disciplines and translates discovery into application. Yet there is an uncomfortable truth: while chemistry itself evolves rapidly, chemistry education often does not.For more than two decades, the Bologna Process and the Tuning initiative have shaped chemistry education across Europe. The European Chemistry Thematic Network (ECTN) played a leading role in this transformation by defining core knowledge, competences, and outcomes for chemistry degree programmes. Through the collaboration of more than one hundred universities, chemical societies, including the GDCh, and partners from accreditation bodies and industry, a shared European framework for chemistry education emerged. This achievement strengthened academic quality, student mobility, transparency, and mutual recognition across the European Higher Education Area.However, the scientific and societal context of 2026 differs profoundly from that of 2000. Climate change, energy transition, health crises, sustainability, geopolitical conflict, migration, and cybersecurity are reshaping Europe and the world. Simultaneously, artificial intelligence, automation, and data science are rapidly becoming integral parts of chemical research and industrial innovation. Failing to reflect these developments risks leaving future graduates insufficiently prepared for the scientific environment they will encounter.This is precisely why the updated Core Chemistry framework developed by ECTN is both necessary and future-oriented. Rather than replacing the original Tuning philosophy, it extends and modernizes it. The new framework recognizes that excellent chemistry education must combine strong disciplinary foundations with broader competences that are increasingly indispensable in contemporary science and society.Sustainability, ethical awareness, digital literacy, responsible use of artificial intelligence, teamwork, inclusion, and communication are central competences for the modern chemist. Chemistry graduates must not only understand molecules and reactions, but also appreciate how chemistry interacts with society, policy, technology, and the environment.Importantly, this updated framework is not an attempt to impose rigid uniformity across Europe. One of the greatest strengths of European higher education lies in its diversity of institutions, traditions, and educational cultures. The purpose of Core Chemistry is instead to provide a common reference framework that supports flexibility while maintaining academic coherence and high standards.The broader question is therefore not simply what chemistry students should learn, but what kind of chemists Europe will need in the coming decades. If chemistry education remains static while science and society evolve rapidly, the gap between education and reality will continue to widen. Continuous reflection and renewal are therefore not optional; they are essential responsibilities for the academic community.The presentation of the updated Core Chemistry framework at the forthcoming EuChemS Congress in July in Antwerp is a timely invitation to continue this European debate. It calls on universities to rethink how they prepare chemists for a complex, interconnected world. Chemistry will shape Europe’s future; chemistry education must equip graduates to do this responsibly.Prof. Sanjiv Prashar, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Spain, General Secretary of the European Chemistry Thematic Network <url href="https://ectn.eu"><a href="https://ectn.eu" target="_blank">https://ectn.eu</a></url><img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmpozbosvhe7g07t4kqvcvo1f" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264159458_gra_0001_a_83119e0ae7.png">

Core Chemistry for an Ever‐Changing World

In a world where geopolitical tensions are rising and nationalistic rhetoric is increasingly gaining ground, the scientific community must stand firm as a beacon of unity and collaboration. Science, by its very nature, knows no borders. The challenges we face today, from climate change and the urgent need for a sustainable energy transition to resource scarcity and health crises, are fundamentally global. They cannot be solved in isolation behind closed national borders. Now, more than ever, international scientific collaboration is not just a strategic advantage; it is a necessity for continued prosperity.
For decades, the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) has championed this unified approach, bringing together more than 140 000 chemists from national societies across the continent to speak with one voice. The connection between EuChemS and the GDCh exemplifies exactly how national societies can dramatically amplify their impact by working together. By pooling our knowledge, resources, and policy influence, we can advise European policymakers, advocate for safe and sustainable chemistries, and foster a truly borderless environment for the next generation of researchers.
This spirit will be the beating heart of the 10th EuChemS Chemistry Congress (ECC10), which will take place in the historic and vibrant city of Antwerp, Belgium, from July 12 to 16, 2026. Hosted by the Royal Flemish Chemical Society (KVCV), ECC10 is set to be the largest and most prestigious chemistry and life sciences congress on the European continent this year. Here, we will come together not just to present data, but to forge the collaborations that will define the future of our discipline.
We have received over 1500 abstracts from researchers representing 73 different countries. This diversity guarantees a world-class scientific program that spans eight comprehensive core themes &ndash; ranging from &bdquo;Energy, Environment &amp; Sustainability&ldquo; and &bdquo;Catalyzing New Chemistry Solutions&ldquo; to the rapidly evolving field of &bdquo;Computational Chemistry &amp; AI: The Power of Data&ldquo;.
However, ECC10 goes beyond traditional academic sessions: recognizing that Europe&rsquo;s strategic autonomy and economic future depend on a robust industrial base, we are proud to host a dedicated Industry Day. This initiative is designed to bridge the critical gap between groundbreaking academic research and real-world industrial application. As recently emphasized during the European Industry Summit in Antwerp, Europe cannot simply regulate itself into prosperity; it must innovate itself into the future. Chemistry is the indisputable engine of that innovation.
We are also deeply committed to nurturing the leaders of tomorrow through the extensive European Young Chemists&rsquo; Network (EYCN) Early-Career Program, and we will celebrate outstanding achievements across our field. We are particularly proud that the GDCh will award its prestigious August Wilhelm von Hofmann Medal during the congress. This is a wonderful testament to the seamless integration of German chemical excellence within the broader European scientific landscape.
We cordially invite all members of the GDCh to join us in Antwerp this July. Let us show the world: When European chemists work together, there is no limit to what our community can achieve.
Thomas Vranken &ndash; Co-Chair of the 10th EuChemS Chemistry Congress (ECC10) and Secretary-General of the Royal Flemish Chemical Society (KVCV)<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmokywamqgbwc07tbal258ecm" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264158677_gra_0001_a_45c5f1fe25.png">
Tom Kinzel &ndash; GDCh Executive Director<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmokywds2gbyb07tbq8i2ytpw" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264158677_gra_0002_a_643a39b45e.png">

Chemistry Beyond Borders

Be entirely serious about science if you like. But recognize that, perhaps, your seriousness is not entirely sensible.
Dudley Herschbach, recipient of a 1986 Nobel Chemistry Prize, often delights in explaining that a sense of humor can be core to a career in science. Every scientist, he says, knows that most of the things they try will fail. Having a sense of humor about that fact can help a person better enjoy (and when necessary endure) their career.
In 1991, with help from Dudley and other scientists, I created the annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, which honors research so surprising that it makes people first laugh, then think. The prizes are also a sneaky way to help non-scientists become curious about science, and help scientists become curious about things outside their specialty.
During the past 35 years, many Ig Nobel prizes have dealt with chemistry. Here are some of them:
Jan Zalasiewicz explained why many scientists like to lick rocks. Subsequent to winning the prize, he has given many talks about how rock-licking was part of the birth of chemistry as a distinct profession. Rotem Naftalovich and colleagues tested whether eating Teflon [polytetrafluoroethylene] is a good way to increase food volume and hence satiety without increasing calorie content. Moral and medical questions about a Teflon-heavy diet &mdash; and who knows, maybe the diet itself &mdash; could invigorate professional philosophers. They and their predecessors have been dully chewing on a bunch of old questions (what is consciousness, etc.) for thousands of years.
Edward Cussler and a colleague conducted an experiment to settle the longstanding scientific question: can people swim faster in syrup or in water? The colleague was an Olympic-class swimmer. Mayu Yamamoto developed a way to extract vanillin &mdash; vanilla fragrance and flavoring &mdash; from cow dung. He chose to not commercialize this discovery, sensing that the marketing hurdles would be too high to overcome.
There are more. So many more. The full list is at <a href="https://www.improbable.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.improbable.com</a>.
For chemists wary of doing something offbeat that propagandists might ridicule, maybe it&lsquo;s time to relax. The biggest professional propagandists have shifted their firepower away from abstruse, small targets. They now mainly attack big, famous, literally better things.
A prime example of this change is in the USA, the country that for decades led the world in science influence. The current president of that loud nation and the current heads of its government research institutes &ldquo;make fun of&ldquo; vaccines. If they can &mdash; and yes, they do! &mdash; ridicule the very idea of life-saving vaccines, your highly-specific chemical research topic is not worth their self-valued attention.
A very different worry still nags at German-speaking scientists, who are (one German chemist insisted to me) &ldquo;notoriously considered humorless&ldquo;. In 2016, Willibald Ruch and Sonja Heintz, at the University of Zurich, published a paper in Europe&lsquo;s Journal of Psychology in which they conclude that German styles of humorous conduct &ldquo;differed from&ldquo; those of other groups. Some people might find that a funny thing to conclude.
Marc Abrahams founded the Ig Nobel Prize in 1991 and is since then the master of ceremonies at the annual celebration.<img alt="image" src="https://eu-central-1.graphassets.com/Aype6X9u2QGewIgZKbFflz/cmncvk1ydwd2q06upe7r7s7th" data-strapi-src="https://cdn.gdch.de/prod/nadc20264157932_gra_0001_a_6c57518b06.png">Foto: Auke-Florian Hiemstra

Kategorie

Leitartikel

Meinungsbeitrag

A Shared Commitment to Global Chemistry

Meinungsbeitrag

Wissenschaft ist global

Meinungsbeitrag

Rethinking PFAS – Wissenschaft ist die Basis

Meinungsbeitrag

Core Chemistry for an Ever‐Changing World

Meinungsbeitrag

Chemistry Beyond Borders

Meinungsbeitrag

The serious case for not taking science too seriously