Helmut Schäfer

Dr. Helmut Schäfer is a Senior Scientist and Research Group Leader at the Institute for Chemistry of New Materials, University of Osnabrück, Germany. His work focuses on synthesizing and characterizing inorganic functional materials for heterogeneous catalysis in energy applications, particularly water electrolysis for sustainable hydrogen production. Affiliated with the Physical Chemistry working group, he has held key roles since 2009.

• Education
  • Diploma in Chemistry (1998), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg
  • Doctorate in Inorganic Chemistry (2001), Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg

Research Interests
His research spans the development of steel-based alloy electrocatalysts, surface engineering for energy conversion systems, and functional material design for catalytic processes. The work bridges material science, electrochemistry, and sustainable energy technologies.

Academic Roles

• Senior Scientist/Research Group Leader (2018–present), University of Osnabrück
• Senior Scientist/Member of Faculty (2017–present), University of Osnabrück
• Scientific Co-worker (2009–2017), University of Osnabrück
• Research Scientist (2001–2009), German Aerospace Center (DLR) Cologne