The Department of Chemistry at the TUM School of Natural Sciences presented the Wilhelm Manchot Research Professorship 2024 to the internationally renowned scientist Prof. Rong Xu from Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. During a festive colloquium held on December 8, 2025, in the Hans Fischer Lecture Hall, the department honored her outstanding contributions to sustainable chemistry, particularly in the fields of photocatalysis, electrochemistry, and hydrogen technologies.
Ceremonial Opening and Welcome Addresses
The event began with a reception in the foyer of the Department of Chemistry before the Department Head Prof. Tom Nilges officially opened the ceremony. He welcomed numerous guests from academia, administration, and the student body, including TUM Vice President for Global Communication and Public Engagement Prof. Jeanne Rubner, President Emeritus Prof. Wolfgang Herrmann, and several emeriti of the faculty.
In her welcome address, Prof. Rubner emphasized the importance of the Wilhelm Manchot Research Professorship as a bridge between cutting-edge research and excellent teaching. She acknowledged scientific achievements of Prof. Xu, whose work in the field of sustainable energy conversion – for example, in water splitting – sets international standards. “We are proud to welcome such a creative and visionary scientist to TUM,” Rubner said.
Laudatory Speech: Cutting-Edge Research for a Sustainable Future
In his laudatory speech, Prof. Olaf Hinrichsen highlighted that Xu is an exceptional researcher whose work reaches far beyond the academic sphere. He outlined her career and commended her contributions to photocatalysis, CO₂ reduction, electrochemistry, and hydrogen production. Her research on solar-generated energy carriers and new concepts for low-carbon fuels, he said, is particularly pioneering. Hinrichsen also emphasized existing collaborations with TUM, such as in catalytic CO₂ conversion and the development of sustainable fuels.
Afterwards, Vice President Rubner formally presented the certificate for the Wilhelm Manchot Research Professorship 2024.
Academic Lecture by Prof. Rong Xu
Prof. Xu thanked TUM for the award and then delivered her lecture, “Catalyst Design towards Achieving a Sustainable Future.” She provided a comprehensive overview of her research on efficient catalysts for hydrogen production, storage, and transport.
A central focus was on liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs), which are considered a promising solution for transporting hydrogen safely and energy-efficiently. She presented new catalyst concepts that could help optimize the energy-intensive dehydrogenation process and promote the use of sustainable fuels. She also introduced new approaches to thermodynamic process optimization, such as heat recovery, machine learning, and alternative support materials like zeolites.
At the end of her talk, Prof. Xu thanked the department and all attendees. Prof. Nilges then officially closed the event.The evening concluded with a joint dinner at Spatenhaus an der Oper.
Further Information:
- Prof. Rong Xu at NTU: https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/entities/person/Xu-Rong
- Wilhelm Manchot Research Professorship: https://www.ch.nat.tum.de/en/ch/auszeichnungen-und-ehrungen/manchot-research-professorships/
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