Scientific Advisory Boards are the main instrument used by the Max Planck Society for the regular evaluation of its research facilities. A Scientific Advisory Board composed of internationally recognized scientists is constituted for each Institute; the board functions as an external advisory committee for those organs of the Max Planck Society which, in accordance with its statutes, are responsible for decisions concerning the development of the Institutes and of the Society as a whole. The regular evaluation of its Institutes is in the interest of the Max Planck Society and is conducive to the functioning of its system of self-control, enabling it to plan and assure the quality of its research activities independently. Furthermore, the evaluation process serves public accountability purposes with respect to the appropriate and effective deployment of the funding made available.

Prof Dr Alain Aspect, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, Palaiseau, France

Prof Dr Roy Glauber, Harvard University, Cambridge, USA

Prof Dr Günter Huber, Universität Hamburg, Institut für Laser-Physik, Germany

Prof Dr Atac Imamoglu, ETH Zürich, Institut für Quantenelektronik, Zürich, Switzerland

Prof Dr Satoshi Kawata, University of Osaka, LaSie, Osaka, Japan

Prof Dr Sir Peter Knight, Imperial College London, UK

Prof Dr Michel Orrit, Leiden University, Netherlands

Prof Dr Monika Ritsch-Marte, Medical University of Innsbruck, Austria

Prof Dr Orazio Svelto, Politecnico di Milano, Italy

Prof Dr Roy Taylor, Imperial College London, UK