Herbert Gleiter is a world-renowned German materials scientist whose pioneering work has fundamentally transformed the field of nanotechnology. Born in Stuttgart in 1938, he earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Stuttgart in 1966 and quickly established himself as an innovative researcher in materials science. He currently serves as the Founding Director of the Herbert Gleiter Institute of Nanoscience at Nanjing University of Science and Technology, a position he has held since 2012, and as Director of the Herbert Gleiter International Research Institute of Liaoning Academy of Materials since 2023. His distinguished career includes leadership roles as Director of the Institute of Nanotechnology at Research Center Karlsruhe from 1998 to 2004 and as a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology since 2006. Professor Gleiter also maintains significant academic connections as a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies at City University of Hong Kong since 2015.
Professor Gleiter's groundbreaking research in the late 1970s opened the way to a revolutionary new area of Materials Science through his realization of synthesizing nanocrystalline materials where the volume fraction of interfaces approaches that of the crystallites. His seminal work established the foundation for modern nanotechnology by demonstrating that materials with crystal sizes on the nanometer scale exhibit fundamentally different properties than conventional materials. This pioneering concept has catalyzed the development of countless applications across materials engineering, leading to innovations in stronger, lighter materials with enhanced electrical, optical, and magnetic properties. His theoretical and practical contributions to nanoglasses and nanostructured materials have earned him international acclaim and numerous prestigious awards, including the Von Hippel Award from the Materials Research Society and the Gold Medal of Acta Materialia. Throughout his career, he has received more than 40 prizes and awards, including the Leibniz and Max Planck Prizes, recognizing his transformative contributions to the field.
Beyond his research achievements, Professor Gleiter has profoundly shaped the global nanotechnology community through his leadership in establishing major research institutions across multiple continents. He currently directs multiple institutes in China, including the Herbert Gleiter International Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences at Shenyang, reflecting his significant impact on China's scientific development and his role as a bridge between European and Asian research communities. With membership in ten national academies and five honorary doctorates, including his 2021 Honorary Doctorate in Physics from Lanzhou University, he has mentored generations of scientists and fostered international collaborations. His recent recognition as the 2020 Researcher of the Year by the International Association of Advanced Materials underscores his continued relevance and influence in contemporary materials science. His ongoing work promises further transformative discoveries as he guides the next generation of researchers toward innovative solutions for materials challenges in the 21st century.
