A new slogan for the MLZ

MLZ Logo Mitarbeiter Employees form the MLZ logo. © Wenzel Schürmann / TU München

Employees form the MLZ logo. © Wenzel Schürmann / TU München

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum has given itself a new slogan: “Neutrons for Research and Innovation” is what the cooperation between the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Forschungszentrum Jülich and Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) makes available to visiting scientists from all over the world. This was announced by MLZ spokesperson, Prof. Dr. Peter Müller-Buschbaum, on the occasion of the annual User Meeting in front of more than one hundred participants.

The roots of neutron research in Germany are in Garching. The first research reactor (FRM) in Germany was built there and operated from 1957 to 2000. The “builder” of the atomic egg was the physicist Prof. Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, after whom the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum and the research neutron source of the TUM were named.

neuer Slogan MLZ Guest scientists were asked to submit their ideas for the new slogan at the 2019 User Meeting. © FRM II/TUM

Guest scientists were asked to submit their ideas for the new slogan at the 2019 User Meeting. © FRM II/TUM

Research-enthusiastic cooperation
In 2004, in keeping with the pioneer’s spirit, Forschungszentrum Jülich and Technische Universität München signed a cooperation agreement in which they agreed to operate Jülich neutron scattering instruments at the Garching Research Neutron Source. In 2006, the branch of the Jülich Centre for Neutron Science (JCNS) could thus be founded at FRM II. After the Geesthacht-1 research reactor was also shut down in 2010, the north German materials researchers followed suit with the newly founded “German Engineering Materials Science Center” (GEMS) and also relocated their neutron scattering activities to FRM II.

The close cooperation between TUM, FZ-Jülich and HZG at FRM II in Garching culminated in the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum on 1 January 2011. The MLZ organises the scientific use of the FRM II neutron source.

Result of a great collaborative effort
The new slogan illustrates the common strategy, vision and mission of MLZ.

“The MLZ community participated strongly and creatively in the ideas process. Staff members, international guest scientists and participating committees contributed numerous great ideas,” reports Prof. Peter Müller-Buschbaum. In addition, the User Office surveyed the scientific users at the User Meeting in December 2019. Current topics such as “health”, “energy”, “technology” and “innovation” are the challenges of today’s society and were also strongly reflected in these submissions. In close consultation with the members of the Coordination Council, the MLZ Board of Directors has now finally decided on a new slogan.

For the first time, FRM II Director and MLZ spokesperson Prof. Müller-Buschbaum officially announced during this year’s User Meeting in December: “Neutrons for Research and Innovation. The new slogan was created within the MLZ community in a multi-stage process with many participants. The result is a great collaborative effort”.

In the spirit of the pioneer of neutron research, Prof. Heinz Maier-Leibnitz, the MLZ continues to drive research and innovation with neutrons from FRM II.