From September 21–24, 2026, the Baltic Sea Catalysis Institute and the Collaborative Research Center 1615 “SMART Reactors” jointly invite doctoral and postdoctoral researchers to a Summer School on Catalysis at Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH).

Focusing on applied and industrial catalysis, the summer school will explore how catalysts can be developed and integrated into reactor systems to address the challenges of the energy and resource transition. Over the course of a three-day lecture program, experts from academia and industry will present insights into heterogeneous, homogeneous, bio-, and electrocatalysis, alongside emerging technologies such as SMART reactors, machine learning, and operando spectroscopy under industrial conditions.

In addition to the scientific program, participants will have ample opportunities for networking and social exchange. The program also includes an excursion to either Hywax in the Port of Hamburg or the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Additive Manufacturing Technologies IAPT in Hamburg-Bergedorf.

We look forward to welcoming you to Hamburg!

Monday, 21st September 2026

• Start of registration: 11:30 a.m.
• Start of Summer School and lectures: 1:00 p.m.
• Networking event (self-pay basis): 6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, 22nd September 2026

• Start of lectures: 9:00 a.m.
• Dinner lecture: 4:45 - 6:45 p.m.

Wednesday, 23rd September 2026

• Start of lectures: 9:00 a.m.
• End of lectures: 4:15 p.m.

Thursday, 24th September 2026

• Excursion: 10:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• End of Summer School: 1:30 p.m.

Here, you can find a preliminary program. The full program will be made available as soon as possible.

You can find the registration form soon here (for CRC 1615 and OLK members only).

Registration is open until 15th July 2026 and free of charge.

Several accomodation options are available within walking distance from the conference location:

Altstadthotel Harburg
Panorama Hotel
Hotel Harburger Hof
B&B Hotel Hamburg-Harburg
Hotel Jeta
Kleines Hotel Heimfeld

The Baltic Sea Catalysis Institute (in German "Ostsee-Lehrverbund Katalyse") is the youngest of several joint Catalysis Institutes for a multi-perspective teaching of all aspects of modern catalysis science (in German: “Lehrverbünde”) of the German Catalysis Society (GeCatS). It covers the following areas:

• Reaction Engineering
• Biocatalysis and Biotechnology
• Homogeneous Catalysis
• Heterogeneous Catalysis
• Electro, Photo & Plasma Catalysis
• Kinetic & Spectroscopic Methods
• Research Data Management

The "Ostsee-Lehrverbund Katalyse" was initiated by several working groups from Kiel University, the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis, Rostock, the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP) Greifswald, the University of Greifswald, and the University of Rostock, and includes today also the University of Hamburg and the Hamburg University of Technology. It is open for other institutions in northern Germany to join.

The Lehrverbund’s curriculum offers an advanced training block course to Master and PhD students and is comprised of three parts that are scheduled in an alternating fashion every third year: Part A (summer 2025 in Kiel) on fundamental catalysis science, Part B (summer 2026 in Hamburg) on industrial catalysis applications, and Part C (summer 2024 in Rostock) on analytics and spectroscopy in catalysis.

Prof. Raimund Horn
(Hamburg University of Technology – Hamburg, Germany)
e-mail : horn(at)tuhh.de

Summer School Organization: CRC 1615 SMART Reactors / Prof. Raimund Horn
(Hamburg University of Technology – Hamburg, Germany)
e-mail : sfb1615.office(at)tuhh.de
Phone: +49-40-42878-4260