After a three-year break due to the pandemic, the Summer School "Spectroscopy and Electronic Structure of Transition Metal Complexes" of Prof. Serena DeBeer, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion, and Prof. Frank Neese, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, finally took place again in the Science Park in Gelsenkirchen from September 24 to 29. The more than 93 participants, who had to qualify in advance through a selection process in the form of an application, spent six days gaining insights into spectroscopic methods and their theoretical calculations in lectures and practical teaching sessions.

In addition to learning how to use the quantum chemical program ORCA - developed by Prof. Neese and his co-workers - the participants also learn how to analyze data with different spectroscopic methods such as EPR, MCD, X-Ray, Vibrational and Mössbauer. The main goal of the Summer School is to familiarize the young scientists with the methods and to bring them up to date with the latest research.

Of course, the exchange between the students is also in the foreground. This takes place not only during the lectures and workshops, but also during the breaks and especially during the poster session, which the scientists have taken with great motivation and pleasure.