Inaugural Lecture PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Steffen Neumeier!
On 11 November 2025, PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Steffen Neumeier gave his inaugural lecture in the Bernhard Ilschner Lecture Hall at the Department of Materials Science at FAU.
Under the title “The hotter, the better – The enduring quest for superior superalloys”, Dr. Neumeier took the audience on a journey into the world of materials that carry airplanes into the stratosphere, enable rocket launches, and function reliably even in the hottest regions of modern gas turbines. He showed how much our mobility, energy supply, and space travel depend on materials that must withstand temperatures beyond 1,000 degrees, immense rotational forces, and aggressive environments—and why every additional degree of operating temperature represents a research breakthrough that reduces consumption and increases efficiency.
His focus on the close interplay between microstructure and material properties became particularly clear, demonstrating how understanding material changes under heat, load, and time paves the way for new, more powerful alloys.
On 2 December 2024, Dr. Neumeier was ceremonially presented with his habilitation certificate. His academic career has been shaped by intensive research, international collaboration, and multiple awards for scientific excellence.
The department warmly congratulates PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Steffen Neumeier on his habilitation and extends its thanks for an inaugural lecture that not only offered deep insights into a highly relevant field of research but also impressively illustrated how much the future of modern technology depends on the advancement of such exceptional materials.