Sabine Wurmehl

Dr. Sabine Wurmehl is the head of the Department of Synthesis and Crystal Growth at the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden), Germany. She has held this leadership position since 2015, overseeing research on functional intermetallic materials, unconventional superconductors, and frustrated magnetic systems. Prior to becoming department head, she led an Emmy Noether research group at IFW Dresden from 2010 to 2015. Her work bridges materials synthesis, crystal growth, and advanced physical characterization to understand structure-property relationships in quantum materials.

Dr. Wurmehl received her chemistry education at the University of Mainz, Germany, earning her Diploma in 2002 and her Doctorate (Dr., summa cum laude) in 2006 under the supervision of Prof. C. Felser. Following her PhD, she conducted postdoctoral research at TU Eindhoven in the Netherlands (2007-2009) before returning to IFW Dresden as a postdoc (2009-2010).

Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of quantum materials, particularly exploring the relationship between crystal structure and physical properties. She specializes in growing high-quality single crystals of complex materials including iron-based superconductors, Heusler compounds, and frustrated magnetic systems. Her work employs nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study ferromagnetic materials and other advanced characterization techniques to probe electronic and magnetic properties. Dr. Wurmehl has made significant contributions to understanding unconventional superconductivity, frustrated magnetism, and the physics of intermetallic compounds.

Dr. Wurmehl's publication record demonstrates consistent leadership in condensed matter physics, with over 200 publications spanning two decades. Her recent work shows increasing focus on complex quantum materials, particularly iron-based superconductors and Heusler compounds, with emphasis on crystal growth techniques, structure-property relationships, and nematic phenomena. She has developed expertise in advanced characterization methods including ARPES, neutron scattering, and ultrafast spectroscopy to probe electronic structure and dynamics.

• IFW research award (2014)
• IFF research award of the IFW Dresden (2012)
• Emmy-Noether fellowship of the DFG (2010)
• Research fellowship of the DFG (Eindhoven, Netherlands) (2007)

Dr. Wurmehl has supervised an extensive research group since 2010, mentoring 14 postdoctoral researchers, 14 PhD students, 8 diploma and master students, and 12 additional students. She has secured significant research funding through the Emmy-Noether program and other competitive grants, enabling her to establish a world-class crystal growth facility at IFW Dresden. Her group collaborates extensively with international partners, including institutions in the Netherlands, Poland, Japan, and the United States.

At IFW Dresden, Dr. Wurmehl leads the Synthesis and Crystal Growth Department, which houses specialized facilities for growing high-quality single crystals of complex quantum materials. Her team employs various crystal growth techniques including the optical floating-zone method, flux growth, and solid-state synthesis to produce materials for fundamental research on superconductivity, magnetism, and topological phenomena. The department serves as a central resource for the Dresden physics community, providing high-quality crystals for numerous collaborative projects.