MPG General Works Council Committee holds meeting at MPL
The members of the Max Planck Society´s General Works Council Committee (GBR) from nine Max Planck Institutes came to the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) for a two-day meeting. Scientists at MPL did not want to miss this opportunity to introduce their basic research to the conference participants and to engage in a dialogue across institutes.

In a closed meeting, the General Works Council Committee compiled its annual report for 2024 and developed the annual plan for 2025. However, in order to provide the guests with more than just the physical setting for a meeting at the MPL, they were then able to take a tour of the institute and get closer to the lowest possible temperature in the laboratory. Dr Tobias Utikal, Senior Researcher in the Nano-Optics Division of MPL Director Vahid Sandoghdar, presented how the optical properties of individual molecules are investigated: In a specially designed microscope, the samples have to be cooled down to a hundredth of a degree above absolute zero.
After the tour to what is probably the coldest place in Middle Franconia, there was a lively exchange of ideas and further questions between the GBR and scientists at MPL. This also promptly led to the Technology Development and Service Unit (TDSU) for Nanofabrication opening its doors. Head of department Dr Irina Harder showed the guests the technical possibilities on site - especially the area of scanning electron microscopy and the Focused Ion Beam systems. TDSU´s technology is used for the production of nanostructures in the optical or photonic field, such as integrated photonics, photonic crystals, diffractive and refractive micro-optics and special optical coatings.
Guided through the building by Edda Fischer, Head of Communications, and Christoph Dormeier, Head of Front Office and Meeting Management, the visitors also learnt about the architectural and infrastructural foundations which make basic research at the MPL possible.