Researchers working with Rüdiger Berger
Team at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research
from left to right and up to down: Franjo Weber is a chemist. He is working on his PhD in the field of Scanning Force Microscopy on solid state battery materials supported by MPGC. His work is co-supervised by Prof Jürgen Janek. Helma Burg supports various Scanning Force Microscope service measurements at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research and takes care of the equipment in our laboratory. Dr. Nikolaus Knorr is physicist and he is a PostDoc in the field of and drop sliding electrification within the framework of ERC DynaMo. Leonard Ries supports various Scanning Force Microscope service measurements at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research and takes care of equipment. Fiona Berner is a physicist and she is working on her PhD thesis in the field of scanning drop adhesion forces within the CRC 1194. Xiaotang Shi is a material scientist, she is working on her PhD in the field of Scanning Force Microscopy on battery materials and was awarded with a CSC stipend. Me (Rüdiger). Zhongyuan Ni is working on his PhD thesis in the field of drop forces and drop sliding electrification. Zhongyuan Ni was awarded with a CSC stipend and works within the ERC. Yassin Riyazi is a mechanical engineer with a strong background of machine learning. He is working on his PhD in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Peter Stephan (TU Darmstadt) in the field of machine learning concepts for analysis of drop sliding behavior within the framework of ERC DynaMo.
In case you are interested to join my group, please contact me under berger@mpip-mainz.mpg.de --- You can perform your Bachelor or Master thesis in my group. Your application must include a CV, a specific motivation letter and your university/school certificates.
Former group members
Benjamin Leibauer worked as a PhD student and PostDoc in the field of adaptive surfaces within the German Priority Programm 2171. In 2026 he started to work at STARKE & SOHN GmbH MINERALÖLWERK
Xiaomei Li: She made her PhD and a PostDoc in our group. After a PostDoc at ETH, she is now working at the South China University of Technology in Guangzhou (China) as an assistant professor at South China University of Technology in Guangzhou (China).
Chirag Hinduja: He made his PhD and a PostDoc in our group. Now he is working as PostDoc at the National Institute of Aquatic Resources, Technical University of Denmark.