Robert Göstl

Prof. Robert Göstl is a W3 Professor for Sustainable Macromolecular Chemistry at the University of Wuppertal. Previously, he led a junior research group at the DWI - Leibniz Institute for Interactive Materials and conducted postdoctoral research at Eindhoven University of Technology (2016) and Humboldt University Berlin (2009–2014). His research focuses on mechano-responsive (bio)materials, combining organic chemistry with materials science to develop responsive polymers for applications in sustainability, drug delivery, and biomedicine.

Education: Dipl.-Chem. (2011) and Ph.D. (2014) in organic chemistry from Humboldt University Berlin. Research highlights include designing photoswitchable molecules (e.g., furylthienylethenes) and ultra-sensitive mechano-fluorescent probes. He holds awards such as the Dr. Hermann-Schnell Fellowship (2022) and the Reimund Stadler Prize (2022).
Awards include membership on editorial boards for ACS Polymers Au and recognition as an Emerging Investigator (Royal Society of Chemistry).

Research interests span mechanochemistry, sustainable polymer degradation, and biomimetic systems. Current projects include European Soft Matter Infrastructure (EUSMI) and MultiGlue (multiselective bonding). His team includes PhD students focusing on polymer mechanics and bioapplications. Notable recent work involves ultrasound-activated polymer networks and in vivo mechanochemical studies.