Michael Rohwerder

PD Dr. Michael Rohwerder is a Research Professor and Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials in Düsseldorf, leading the Department of Interface Chemistry and Surface Engineering. His research focuses on corrosion mechanisms, advanced coatings, hydrogen embrittlement, and materials science. He holds a diploma in physics from the University of Hamburg (1992) and a PhD from the University of Düsseldorf (1997). After postdoctoral work at the University of Texas at Austin, he joined the University of Erlangen and later the Max Planck Institute, where he coordinates the Department since 2014. His work includes developing self-healing coatings, cryogenically processed alloys, and novel Kelvin probe techniques for corrosion analysis. He received the Christian Doppler Laboratory Award (2008) and declined a Full Professorship at Ohio State University due to a counter-offer.

• Education:
• Physics Diploma (1992), University of Hamburg
• PhD in Physics (1997), University of Düsseldorf
• Research Interests:
• Corrosion science and delamination
• Smart coatings and self-healing materials
• Hydrogen diffusion and embrittlement
• High-temperature oxidation and alloy design
• Awards:
• Christian Doppler Laboratory Award (2008)
• Grants/Labs:
• Scientific coordination of the Department of Interface Chemistry and Surface Engineering
• Development of the Scanning Flow Cell (SFC) and advanced Kelvin probe techniques