Barbara AJ Lechner

Barbara AJ Lechner is a Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich (TUM). Appointed in October 2020, she leads research in surface science and nanomaterials characterization at TUM's Institute for Advanced Study (TUM-IAS). Her work focuses on understanding dynamic processes in functional nanomaterials under realistic conditions, particularly model catalysts exposed to reactive gas atmospheres.

Dr. Lechner received her Chemistry education at the University of Innsbruck, Austria, followed by a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Cambridge in 2012. Her postdoctoral work was conducted at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory under Prof. Miquel Salmeron before she joined TUM as a group leader at the Chair of Physical Chemistry.

Dr. Lechner's research centers on the dynamic restructuring of functional nanomaterials, particularly how model catalysts behave under reactive gas conditions. Using advanced scanning tunneling microscopy with high temporal and spatial resolution, she investigates how the structure of metal clusters and oxide supports changes in real-time. Her work with precisely defined small clusters allows examination of how highly reactive particle structures form, decay, and influence material function. This research has significant implications for catalyst design and optimization.

Analysis of Dr. Lechner's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on surface science and catalysis, with particular emphasis on in-situ characterization techniques. Her work spans fundamental surface processes on materials like iron oxide, titanium dioxide, and platinum surfaces, examining phenomena such as cluster sintering, surface reconstruction, and reaction mechanisms under realistic conditions. The integration of advanced microscopy techniques with controlled gas environments represents a distinctive approach in her research portfolio.

• ERC Starting Grant (2019)
• Fellow of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities as one of the members of their "Young Academy" (2018)
• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship (2017-2019)
• Max Auwachter Prize (2016)
• Humboldt Research Fellowship (2016-2017)
• Springer Thesis Prize (2013)

Dr. Lechner has secured significant research funding through prestigious grants including the ERC Starting Grant and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship. Her research group develops and applies advanced microscopy techniques to study dynamic processes in catalytic systems. She collaborates extensively with researchers across TUM and international institutions, particularly focusing on understanding the fundamental mechanisms that govern catalytic activity and material stability under operating conditions.

As a Rudolf Mößbauer Tenure Track Professor, Dr. Lechner leads a research group focused on the development and application of in-situ surface characterization techniques. Her laboratory employs scanning tunneling microscopy integrated with controlled gas environments to observe dynamic processes at the atomic scale. This approach allows her team to directly correlate structural changes with catalytic function, providing insights that could lead to more efficient and stable catalyst designs.