Frank Mücklich

Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Mücklich is a leading materials scientist at Saarland University, where he holds the Chair of Functional Materials within the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology. He leads a research group dedicated to the investigation of micro- and nanostructures, surface functionalization, and 3D microstructure analysis. His work bridges experimental and theoretical approaches in materials science and engineering.

• Professor of Functional Materials, Saarland University (since 1995)
• Founder, European School for Materials Research (2008)
• Founder, Material Engineering Center Saarland (MECS) (2009)
• President (Science), German Society for Materials Science (2018)
• Member, German Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech) (2018)

His primary research interests include surface structuring, micro- and nanostructuring, plasma-material interaction, thin films, and advanced materials characterization techniques. He employs pulsed laser beams, electrical discharge machining, and statistical methods to manipulate and analyze material properties across micro, nano, and atomic scales. His co-authored book Statistical Analysis of Microstructures in Materials Science is a key reference in the field.

Frank Mücklich has received numerous national and international awards recognizing his contributions to materials science and engineering. His leadership extends beyond research into education and technology transfer, particularly through the Steinbeis Foundation and MECS.

• Georg Masing Memorial Prize (1994)
• Alfried Krupp Prize (1997)
• Werner Köster Prize (2007, 2010)
• Henry Clifton Sorby Award (2016)
• Berthold Leibinger Innovation Prize (2016)
• Heyn Commemorative Medal (2023)
• Albert Keil Prize (2023)

He advises graduate students and leads a dynamic research team focused on functional materials. His work is supported by collaborations with industry and academic institutions, and he plays a central role in advancing materials research in Germany through institutional leadership and innovation in materials engineering.

Prof. Mücklich established the Department of Functional Materials at Saarland University and continues to lead cutting-edge research through his working group and the Material Engineering Center Saarland (MECS), which functions as a hub for interdisciplinary materials research and industrial collaboration.