Theory Department - FHI der MPG
@thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
92 followers 150 following 130 posts
We focus on quantitative #modeling of #material properties and functions, especially in #catalysts and #energy conversion devices. Based in Berlin Dahlem. Website: https://www.fhi.mpg.de/th-department
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thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
👋Today we welcome Sebastian Rejman, starting as a #Postdoc in Christoph´s group working on Automation for Experimental #Catalysis Research. Sebastian did his #PhD at @utrechtuniversity.bsky.social and will defend his thesis 🔜!
When not at work, he enjoys powerlifting🏋️& playing guitar🎸!
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
👋Today we welcome Alexander von Rueden, who starts as a new #Postdoc in Vanessa´s group, working on "Atomic modeling of electrocatalysts". Alex obtained his #PhD in #ChemE from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and did research at PNNL too.
When not at work, he enjoys playing jazz piano🎹! 👋
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
3️⃣ Why it matters?

Leads to more accurate predictions of #surfacechemistry—key for better #catalysts, corrosion resistance, and materials design.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
2️⃣ What is new?

The authors use AI-powered simulations to explore many possible surface structures, not just a few ideal ones. This gives a more realistic view of how surfaces behave during oxidation.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
1️⃣ What is the paper about?

Modeling how Cu(111) surfaces oxidize, capturing the disorder and complexity that typical methods miss.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
3️⃣ What are the implications for the future?
#AI can speed up the discovery of advanced photoswitches with custom properties. It opens the door to faster and smarter molecular design in materials science, with potential impacts in fields like smart materials, sensors, and molecular computing.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
2️⃣ What is new?
- A trained recurrent #neuralnetwork (RNN) to deisgn light-sensitive molecules;
- Novel, diverse, and high-performing molecules;
- Some of the AI-designed molecules were synthesized and succesfully tested.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
1️⃣ What is the paper about?
It presents a generative #machinelearning model designed to create new spiropyran photoswitches — molecules that change structure under light. The goal is to improve their switching speed and addressability - how clearly the two forms can be controlled using light.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
3️⃣What are the implications for the future?
It shows that machine learning works much better when it follows the rules of #physics. This could revolutionize how we design materials for everything from batteries to medicines — with AI that respects the rules of physics.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
2️⃣What is new?
- Tools to better measure how well machine learning predicts NMR data;
- A large, realistic dataset to train and test models;
- Full shape and symmetry of the data gives much better results than treating each part separately — especially for predicting direction.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
1️⃣What is the paper about?
It explores how to make #machinelearning better at predicting complex physical properties used in #NMR spectroscopy by comparing two methods: one that understands the shape and symmetry of the data, and one that doesn’t.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
🥳 It´s #PAW2025 part two!

Postdocs are more than their research—habits, routines and personal rituals keep their engines running. Check out below 👇 what are some of the daily non-negotiables of our #Postdocs. Happy #PAW2025!

Share with us what are the little things that power your day! ✅
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
2️⃣ Held each year in the third week of September, #PAW features seminars, workshops, socials, and more—a chance to say thank you and to celebrate the people driving research forward. 💡🌍

Check out their fantastic program for this week paw-germany.de!

#PostdocAppreciationWeek #PAW2025 #PostdocLife
Postdoc Appreciation Week Germany – PAWde
Postdocs become the center and focus! It is a special week to highlight, recognise and celebrate all their contributions to research and academic life!
paw-germany.de
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
1️⃣ #PAW is a global celebration of #Postdocs and their vital contributions to #science and #innovation.
First launched in 2009 by the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA), #PAW has grown into an international event with institutions across the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Germany, and beyond.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
🥳 It´s #PostdocAppreciationWeek!

Postdocs are more than their research—habits, routines and personal rituals keep their engines running. Check out below 👇 what are some of the daily non-negotiables of our #Postdocs. Happy #PAW2025!

Share with us what are the little things that power your day! ✅
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
👋 Today we welcome Bowen Cheng, new #PhDstudent in Hendrik´s group working on "High Throughput Enabled Optimization of #machinelearning for Property Targeted Spiropyran Design".
Bowen obtained his MChem degree from the Trinity College @ox.ac.uk and when not at work he enjoys playing 🎸 and cooking! 👋
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
3️⃣What are the implications for the future?
This study highlights the need for new ML frameworks that can handle electrostatics and charge transfer accurately, key for simulating complex systems in the future.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
2️⃣What is new?
While promising, ML-based charge equilibration models still face issues like spurious charge transfers and overpolarization, even with enhancements—highlighting gaps in current methods.
thdept-fhi-mpg.bsky.social
1️⃣What is this paper about?
The paper explores #machinelearning (ML) potentials with charge equilibration (kQEq) models for atomistic simulations, focusing on how well they handle charge distribution and long-range electrostatic interactions in molecular systems.
#compchem #chemsky #physicssky