"The Ruhr Area is a region of opportunity. I was given opportunities here that I could not have had anywhere else," said Prof. Dr. Martina Havenith at the award ceremony.
For the development of internationally leading research institutions in the Ruhr region
"From an industrial to a knowledge region: the Ruhr region is mastering this transformation also thanks to the work of Prof. Dr. Martina Havenith over many years. She thinks science through to concrete application and links it with business. Her expertise makes her an international player in the scientific Champions League. The new Ruhr region benefits immensely from this charisma," says Prof. Dr Julia Frohne, Managing Director of Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH.
The Business Award Ruhr was introduced by the Board of Trustees of the Business Metropole Ruhr. The board of trustees consists of representatives of well-known companies from the Ruhr Area under the patronage of Thomas Eiskirch, Lord Mayor of the City of Bochum. The prize is aimed at personalities who have made an outstanding contribution to the Metropole Ruhr. Havenith is being honoured for her invaluable contributions to the development of internationally leading research institutions within the Ruhr Area.
Promoting the Metropole Ruhr worldwide through scientific excellence
Martina Havenith, Professor of Physical Chemistry, founded the Cluster of Excellence 'Ruhr Explores Solvation' (RESOLV) in 2012, where researchers from five institutions in the Metropole Ruhr collaborate to understand how the solvent is involved in the control, mediation and regulation of chemical reactions. She is the director of the ZEMOS research building, where over a hundred scientists from around the world are working on the next breakthroughs in Solvation Science. Additionally, she assumed the role of director of the newly established Research Center Chemical Sciences and Sustainability of the University Alliance Ruhr in 2022, bringing together the universities of Bochum, Dortmund, and Essen-Duisburg for collective research.
Havenith's remarkable research efforts significantly strengthen the international profile of the Ruhr Area. The research field of Solvation Science, pioneered by the RESOLV Cluster of Excellence, showcases the outstanding research within the Ruhr Area on a global scale. Leveraging her expansive network, Havenith facilitates international collaboration, bridging the Ruhr Area with leading research institutions worldwide. Her dedication has played a significant part in the transformation of the once industrial landscape into a premier hub for cutting-edge research.