Claudia Felser

Claudia Felser is Director at the MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids in Dresden. She studied chemistry and physics at the University of Cologne, earning her doctorate in physical chemistry in 1994, followed by research positions in Germany and France. In 2003, she became a full professor at the University of Mainz, where she also founded the first NAT-LAB, promoting science education for female students — an initiative recognized with the Order of Merit of Rheinland Pfalz.

Felser is renowned for pioneering work on Heusler compounds and topological materials, connecting crystal structure and electronic properties to design materials with novel functionalities. Her collaboration with physicist A. Bernevig has led to breakthroughs in identifying magnetic and topological materials. She has received two ERC Advanced Grants, the APS James C. McGroddy Prize, the Europhysics Prize, the Max Born Prize, the Liebig Medal, the von Hippel Award, and International L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Award for Europe among others.

She is a Fellow of several international scientific societies and a member of the German academies Leopoldina and acatech, the Royal Society, as well as the U.S. National Academies of Engineering (NAE) and Sciences (NAS).