Britta Redlich will take over the lead of the Photon Science research division at DESY on 1 January 2025. The Professor of experimental physics was previously Director of the FELIX free-electron laser and the HFML high-field magnetic laboratory at Radboud University in Nijmegen (Netherlands).

Helmut Dosch, Chairman of the DESY Board of Directors, is looking forward to working together with her: “Britta Redlich´s experience and passion for research are an enrichment for DESY. With her appointment, DESY has gained a personality who shares and will drive forward our vision of cutting-edge research and technological innovation. I am convinced that she will provide decisive momentum for the future of Photon Science at DESY, in Europe and worldwide.”

Britta Redlich received her doctorate in chemistry from the University of Hanover in 1998 and initially worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Münster. In 2000, she went to the FOM Institute Rijnhuizen in the Netherlands with an Emmy Noether Programme from the German Research Foundation. She conducted research with the FELIX (Free-Electron Lasers for Infrared eXperiment) free-electron laser and was in charge of its operation from 2003. After the laser was transferred to Radboud University Nijmegen in 2013, she took on the role of Chairwoman in 2015, became Director of FELIX in 2018 and also Director of HFML (High Field Magnet Laboratory) in 2023.

Britta Redlich is a Senator of the Helmholtz Association for the Research Field Matter and a member of international consortia such as LEAPS, LaserLab Europe and FELs of Europe. Collaboration in these networks has expanded her expertise in the development and utilisation of state-of-the-art light sources.

Britta Redlich succeeds Edgar Weckert, who was DESY Director of Photon Science for 16 years and has returned to research with photons as Lead Scientist since 2024. Franz Kärtner, Lead Scientist at DESY and Professor at the University of Hamburg, headed the Photon Science division as Interim Director in 2024.

“For me, Hamburg and DESY are places where research, technology and innovation come together in a compelling way,” says Britta Redlich. “It is here that unique opportunities arise to answer important scientific questions and find solutions to societal challenges. It´s an incredible opportunity and challenge that I´m tremendously looking forward to.”

In her new position, Redlich plans to promote the continuous development of DESY’s light sources. “I am convinced that DESY´s Photon Science research field will develop rapidly with the constantly advancing sources such as PETRA III, FLASH and the European XFEL,” she says. The 4D X-ray microscope PETRA IV will play a key role in this. “It will make completely new insights into matter possible – a dream come true for every scientist.”

She also emphasises the importance of strategic partnerships: “The collaboration with the numerous partner institutions in Science City Hamburg Bahrenfeld, in particular the Hamburg universities as well as numerous northern German universities and far beyond, is invaluable. We will continue to cultivate and expand these important national and international collaborations.”