"DESY is a very special place"

Ms. Heinemann, you first visited DESY while you were still in school. What was that experience like?

Honestly, I didn't understand much. In our advanced physics class, we mainly focused on mechanics and electromagnetism. From there, it's quite a leap to particle physics! But I especially remember how enthusiastic the professor was when explaining and demonstrating everything to us. It was really impressive.

The fact that you took advanced physics shows that you were already enthusiastic about physics, so you didn't need inspiration.

That's right. I've always loved math and done a lot of calculations, but I didn't find it appealing to calculate just for the sake of it. I preferred to solve problems with practical relevance. On top of that, we had an inspiring physics teacher. After school, however, I was unsure about what to do next. I had a lot of respect for physics, but after a gap year as an au pair in Spain, I decided to pursue it.

Now, let's jump forward to the present. Of course, you were already familiar with DESY before taking up your position as chair. What has surprised you since then?

It's quite clear that the staff is what makes DESY such a special place. By that, I mean not only the scientists but also those who work in administration or engineering. It says a lot that people here refer to themselves as "Desyans." The sense of identification is strong, and staff turnover is low. At a recent management meeting, people were asked to line up according to how long they had been with the company...

...you were the one with the least seniority at DESY, weren't you?

(Laughs.) I was among those with the fewest years of service, but I'm not exactly new, either. I wrote my doctoral thesis here, and I returned from the U.S. eight years ago. There were people who had actually been working at DESY for 38 years. That's a good sign.

That sounds like there isn't much left for you to do.

If you mean that we are in an extremely good position, then you are right. However, that doesn't mean it's boring. On the contrary, we have many research and construction projects that need to be completed. Our goal is to remain a world leader, which can only be achieved through continuous development. The largest of these projects is called PETRA IV.

The new synchrotron radiation source is still in the planning stage.

It is incredibly important for Europe. PETRA IV will certainly take up most of my time in the coming years—first, to ensure its selection and funding by the federal government, and second, to ensure its implementation within the budget and schedule. Upgrading the synchrotron radiation source to the fourth generation will enable us to achieve almost one thousand times more than with the current facility in both basic research and innovation and transfer to industry.

You already have PETRA III, one of the world's best X-ray light sources.

PETRA III was the world's best X-ray source ten years ago, but it was surpassed in Europe by the ESRF five years ago. Now, there are also superior facilities in the US and China. Many other facilities, such as those in the UK and France, will soon match or exceed PETRA III's quality.

Why do we need such an X-ray source in Germany?

Our goal is to have the world's best facility because it is essential for continuing to attract the best scientists to DESY and Germany. PETRA IV will enable nanofocus, which can be used to study biological processes in organs in real time and under real conditions, for example. It will also provide unique insights into quantum materials and semiconductor development. Entire microchips can be examined at the nanoscale in just a few days. This is a process that would take almost three years at PETRA III today. PETRA IV will be the only comparable facility in Europe, and it is necessary to keep pace with international competitors in China and the United States. In particular, when combined with the new possibilities offered by artificial intelligence, the data obtained with PETRA IV will enable revolutionary developments in research and innovation.

You spent many years conducting research at the University of California, Berkeley, in the United States. Do you think DESY can benefit from the current uncertainties in the US science system?

I firmly believe that science around the world will suffer if funding is cut in the US. Any weakening of the US scientific system affects the entire global scientific community. However, it is also important to develop programs that offer opportunities to exceptional American talent. Postdoctoral positions are particularly likely to be cut as a result of the cuts, so it would be good to offer more opportunities here.

Have you started concrete talks yet?

Of course, I have many close contacts from my time in the US over the past ten years. I am also grateful that the Helmholtz Association has launched an initial program allowing us to offer positions in Germany. Whether these individuals will return to the US or stay in Europe remains to be seen, but it would be a tragedy if they were lost to science.

How did your time in the U.S. impact your academic career?

It shaped me in many ways. There is greater agility and a greater willingness to take risks. I was impressed by the flat hierarchies, with which I wasn't familiar in Germany at the time. I first moved to the US in the late 1990s. Of course, I was also impressed by the "go big or go home" attitude.

You had started a promising career in the United States. What drew you back to Europe?

Two things were important. First, there was the Helmholtz Recruitment Initiative, as the program was called at the time. It offered me good financial opportunities. Second, I found it appealing that all of the democratic parties in Germany engage in rational discussions about science. It's different in the US. The polarization between the two parties affects science there as well, although particle physics is less affected than climate research. Ultimately, however, there is often no rational discussion there. Here in Germany, science has become much more international thanks to the Pact for Research and Innovation. This has led to a significant improvement in quality. Consequently, the gap between the U.S. and Germany is much smaller today than it was in the 1990s.

In your new role, you won't be doing much research yourself. Will you miss it?

I am learning an incredible amount right now, particularly outside of my narrow field of expertise. This suits me very well. I have always found many things exciting, so specializing too much has always felt restrictive to me. Now, I am learning a lot of new things, hearing about what many people are working on, and helping them with their research. It feels like I am in paradise.

That certainly applies in other respects too: HSV has just been promoted to the Bundesliga, and you've been a fan for decades. Did you see the decisive game?

Of course! I watch the games with my father on television whenever possible. He's 91 years old now, and soccer nights have been a tradition in our family for a long time. We celebrated the promotion together after the victory.