​​At the new Institute for Adaptive Mechanical Systems (IAMS) at the University of Stuttgart, the focus is on a new generation of walking robots and “soft robotics”. The researchers are developing adaptable robots inspired by natural movement patterns and made from innovative soft materials. The applications range from healthcare and industrial production to energy supply. At IAMS, students find an exciting environment that combines basic research with practical development and emphasizes collaboration. ​ 

Find out more here.

​​Central goals of the circular economy include closing material cycles, reducing waste, and permanently keeping raw materials in the economic system. Achieving this requires innovative technologies that open up new avenues for recycling. Gas fermentation is a promising technology; however, some aspects are still in the research phase. The biotechnological process uses exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide as feedstocks to produce valuable products and enable a new approach to industrial emissions. With his research, Ralf Takors, professor at the University of Stuttgart, wants to help gas fermentation reach market maturity. He explains what is important in this regard in a video interview.  

Professor Michael Saliba, Head of the Institute for Photovoltaics (ipv) of the University of Stuttgart, is one of the world’s leading researchers of perovskite. We met him to talk about this special class of material – currently regarded as a “rising star” among semiconductors.

Find out what makes perovskites highly efficient, cost-effective, lightweight, easy to produce, and a promising basis for new photovoltaic technologies in this video.

“As a child, I did my homework by candlelight,” says Dr. Afshan Jamshaid, who grew up in Mattani Peshwar, a small village in Pakistan without electricity. Today, the postdoctoral scientist is on a mission to change how we power our world. 

At the Institute for Photovoltaics at the University of Stuttgart, Afshan Jamshaid is advancing research on transparent perovskite solar cells — a cutting-edge photovoltaic technology combining high efficiency with low production costs and aesthetic versatility. Her work focuses on developing stable, high-performance transparent cells that can transform everyday surfaces, such as windows and building facades, into energy-generating elements. By enabling seamless integration of solar energy into urban environments, her research contributes to making sustainable energy more accessible and innovative in both architecture and daily life. 

“In my home country of Ethiopia, not everyone has access to electricity — but we have sunlight in abundance," says Dr. Asfaw Assegde. "Perovskite solar cells have huge potential to provide affordable, efficient power to off-grid communities." 

A chemist with extensive expertise in materials science, postdoctoral researcher Asfaw Assegde applies his skills to advancing the stability of perovskite solar cells from real-world operating conditions to extreme environments, including high-temperature scenarios reaching up to 200 °C. At University of Stuttgart´s Institute for Photovoltaics, his research focuses on compositional engineering, nanoscale characterization, stability improvement, and environmental sustainability — all aimed at developing solar technologies capable of delivering reliable power anywhere from rural communities to the most demanding climates on Earth.  

Over the course of their academic careers, Afshan Jamshaid and Asfaw Assegde have worked around the globe, from Japan to Belgium. What brought these two bright minds to Stuttgart — and what is it like to work in Germany as a postdoctoral researcher? In the video interview, they share insights into their life in Germany and reveal how they envision their future. Watch the video here.

Spanish physicist and computer scientist Carme Homs-Pons joined the University of Stuttgart for her PhD. At the Cluster of Excellence SimTech she is developing computer models that simulate the behavior of skeletal muscles. These models support surgeons in the amputation of limbs and thus improve the quality of life of amputees. In the interview, Carme talks about her everyday life as a PhD student, why the exchange in an international and diverse team is enormously valuable for her and about her fear of moving to Stuttgart, which vanished very quickly.
Read more about the reseach and watch the video here.

Professor Laura Na Liu and her research team at the University of Stuttgart have succeeded in controlling the structure and function of biological membranes with the help of “DNA origami". “This work is a milestone in the application of DNA nanotechnology to regulate cell behavior," Liu says. The system they developed in interdisciplinary teamwork of physics and biology may facilitate the transportation of large therapeutic loads into cells. This opens up a new way for the targeted administration of medication and other therapeutic interventions. Thus, a very valuable instrument can be added to the toolbox of synthetic biology.
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Once, as a postdoc, a Humboldt Fellowship enabled him to spend a research period at the University of Cambridge – a few years later an ERC Starting Grant has given his research vision a boost. Today, Professor Andreas Bulling is researching intelligent assistance systems at the University of Stuttgart, which are designed to provide people with the best possible support in areas such as medical diagnostics, care or as “everyday helpers”. In the future, they should even be capable of understanding and empathizing with others. Besides, Bulling puts a lot of his efforts in promoting doctoral students and postdocs in his Stuttgart research group.
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Over 1,300 attendees from European research, industry, and politics, with more than 60 sponsors and an extensive program on robotics and artificial intelligence (AI): The top-class European Robotics Forum (ERF) of euRobotics, the European Robotics Association, will take place in Stuttgart's Liederhalle from March 25-27, 2025. The Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft with the Fraunhofer institutes IPA and IAO, the University of Stuttgart and Cyber Valley are cooperation partners. The state capital Stuttgart and other partners also support ERF. Click here for the event and click here for more information.

Electronic computational devices have started to contribute significantly to the global energy consumption. Lukas Veldman, postdoctoral researcher and Humboldt Scholar at the University of Stuttgart, is pioneering the fundamental science behind future quantum technologies.The aim is to make data processing more energy-efficient by replacing the electric current used in today’s electronics by magnetic signals instead. To achieve this, he is investigating how magnetic molecules interact with each other and with their environment. Veldman deliberately chose the University of Stuttgart as his host institution. „Stuttgart offers an ideal environment for quantum researchers. I work here in a state-of-the-art laboratory and am part of a strong quantum community.” Click here for more information.

Dr. Julian Berberich, a control engineer from the University of Stuttgart, is researching methods to make quantum algorithms more robust. This would make quantum computers more resilient to environmental noise. To advance his research, Berberich has received a grant of 1.16 million euros from the German Research Foundation (DFG) to establish a new Emmy Noether Junior Research Group.

Read more here.