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Discover Matter to Life

Check out our new movie! 

Get ready to dive into the world of Matter to Life!

Check out our new movie! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ni1krz69Ug
Graphic with text "Become a Fellow of the Max Planck School of Cognition, Matter to Life or Photonics". A yellow circle that says “Apply Now” at the bottom right. In the left corner is a black and white picture of a woman looking at something unrecognizable in her hand

3rd Fellows Open Call

August 01, 2024
The Max Planck Schools invite outstanding and dedicated scientists to apply for this year's Fellows Open Call! We are looking for group leaders who will bring in their expertise and strengthen our program and mentor ambitious international PhD candidates in three interdisciplinary areas: Cognition, Matter to Life, and Photonics. more
Three female and three male students take a selfie. The scenery of Ringberg Castle can be seen in the background
We recently celebrated the Master graduation of our 3rd cohort of PhD candidates in style at this year’s edition of Ringberg symposium.
Read on and get an impression!  more

 

“Life is something that we participate in, unlike matter” 
Read the interview with MtL Fellow Thorsten Moos, to find his origin story, his take on the interplay of science and theology, role of AI in the future of ethics, and his impression on the Matter to Life program. more
PhD candidates sit around a table with Matter to Life Fellow Stefan Klumpp and discuss

MtL Spring Days 2024

February 26, 2024
Spring may evoke many things; blossoming flowers, chirping birds, return of the lush green, bountiful gush of water, or to the more physics inclined, a rigid elastic coil that can return to original form after compression. For us at the Max Planck School Matter to Life, spring is that time of the year when all of us dispersed and immersed in our studies across Germany come together to revel in our shared passion for science.  more
Path to the illuminated entrance of Ringberg Castle in the evening, there is snow next to the path
What is more enchanting than snow covered mountains and Christmas in the air against a backdrop of a majestic castle? Well if you ask the scientists and students at MtL, they would say an MtL seminar in this setting will seal the deal! This week-long event (Dec 11-15th) transformed the historical castle into a melting pot of futuristic ideas, discussions, and camaraderie, creating an unforgettable experience for all participants. more
Three Matter to Life PhD candidates and two female PhD candidates arm in arm in front of a banner for the Max Planck School Day 2023
The atmosphere was vibrant at the former industrial site in Berlin: Almost 200 participants came together on October 16 to celebrate the annual Max Planck Schools Day with this year's leading theme "The Role of (Fundamental) Science Amidst a Global (Climate) Crisis". Once again, the day provided fascinating insights into the research of the three Schools, exciting discussions and, above all, the opportunity to get to know each other and get together. more
Recap: MtL Fall Days 2023

Recap: MtL Fall Days 2023

September 21, 2023
From molecular marvels like DNA origami to the future of gene therapy with CRISPR, the MtL Fall Days 2023 in Munich were packed with insights and discussions. And with a blend of esteemed faculty talks, enlightening student presentations, and Oktoberfest celebrations, the event was a great mix of fun and learning. Read the full recap! more
Philipp Baur snorkeling in a cool pose, holding a bag to collect his samples
Read the interview with Philipp Baur, one of our first MPS MtL PhD students! You will get an insight into his experiences doing research within the MPS MtL, his academic path and his current activities, leading up to his thesis. more
Group picture of the around 50 attendees in the courtyard with cobblestone paving. In the back, you can see Ringberg Castle: An elegant historical building with a mix of medieval and modern architectural elements. The castle features a prominent stone tower, arched windows, and decorative facades with yellow and red accents. The participants are a diverse mix of men and women, most of them dressed in business casual attire. The weather is sunny, but some clouds can be seen in the sky.
Join us as we revisit the highlights from this year's enchanting symposium at the historical Ringberg Castle, where minds met amidst medieval walls to forge the future of science. Celebrate the achievements of our graduating Master's cohort and sneak a peek at the unique blend of research and festive relaxation that defined this unforgettable week. more
MPSP and MPS MtL Joint Location Visit
On May 11 and 12, we had the pleasure of having a two days joint event in Göttingen, bringing together some of the students of the MPSP (Max Planck School of Photonics) and MPS MtL. This event was a fantastic opportunity for our schools to meet, share knowledge, and explore each other's science labs. more
MtL Spring Days 2023

MtL Spring Days 2023

March 29, 2023
Our MtL Spring Days 2023 were two days of science, thought-provoking lectures and discussions around the topics of “Science in Matter to Life” and “Sustainability in Matter to Life” - this time in a multi-hub event format at the University of Göttingen and at the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS).

Read our recap to learn more!  more
Prof. Dr. Metin Tolan and Prof. Dr. Bernhard Eitel shake hands after signing the Matter to Life joint degree contract
On 2 February 2023, the joint degree contract for the study program Matter to Life was signed by the President of the University of Göttingen, Prof. Metin Tolan, and the Rector of Heidelberg University, Prof. Bernhard Eitel. Read the full article to learn how future MtL students will benefit from the joint degree!

Picture ©University of Göttingen/ Peter Heller more
Khanh Tran
"My experience as a Matter to Life URO candidate was truly one of the most enriching, memorable, and overall fun experiences of my life" says Khanh Tran about her internship in the lab of MtL Fellow Michael Boutros in the summer of 2022. Read the full interview to learn more about her experience! more
Matter to Life Students at the MtL Fall Days 2022 in Aachen
At the end of September, we spent the MtL Fall Days in Aachen, hosted by our local partner institution DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials.
These have been the first MtL Days in person and many students and Fellows met for the very first time! more
Irene Pellini with a large river in the background
Irene Pellini is an undergraduate student of Physics at L'Università di Torino, Italy and completed her MtL-URO internship in the lab of MtL Fellow Joachim Spatz in the summer of 2022. Enjoy reading her interview! 
  more
Participants of the Max Plancks Schools at the reception in the Harnack Haus Berlin
All three Max Planck Schools got together at the fourth annual Max Planck Schools Day on 5 September. Learn more here! more
Students, Fellows and coordinators of the Max Planck School Matter to Life standing in front of Ringberg Castle
We spent a productive week at Ringberg Castle at lake Tegernsee. But not only did we learn a lot, we also had a ton of fun! Read our recap here: more
Fellows Open Call 2022
The Max Planck Schools call on forward-thinking scientists in the interdisciplinary research fields "Cognition", "Matter to Life" and "Photonics" to apply for the positions as Max Planck Schools Fellows. Apply now and become a Fellow of the Max Planck Schools. more
Recap: MtL Spring Days 2022
Our annual Spring Days took place from 13 to 14 April. We spent two days learning about the research within our network and discussing Matter to Life. Read our recap here! more
New MtL Fellows!
We are happy to welcome two new members to our MtL Faculty: Stefan Diez from TU Dresden and Wolfram-Hubertus Zimmermann from University of Göttingen! Visit our Faculty page to learn more about their research interests. more
Online learning in a Pandemic: The Importance of a Community
Anne Pawsey, the teaching and e-learning coordinator of the Max Planck School Matter to Life, reports on how important it is to collaborate with the e-learning team of the Max Planck Schools and the wider community to meet the challenges for learning and teaching that were thrown up by the pandemic. Read the full article to learn more.

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“My experience as a Matter to Life URO candidate was incredible in all senses.”
Adrián Gutiérrez Cruz is a Bachelor student in nanotechnology and chemistry at Universidad de las Américas Puebla in San Andrés Cholula, Mexico. He did his MtL URO research internship in the lab of Karin Jacobs at Saarland University in summer 2021.
Check out the interview about his experience with the URO program. more
The Matter to Life faculty is growing!
New Fellows have been appointed and eleven scientists from various universities and research institutions will join the MtL faculty in October! We are looking forward to exploring answers to the questions in the interdisciplinary research field of MtL together and are more than excited to see what results the future will bring. more
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