Townhall meeting with president of the Max Planck Society Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer
May 11, 2026 - MPI for Solid State Research and Intelligent Systems hosted a town hall meeting with an open Q&A session with Prof. Dr. Patrick Cramer, president of the Max Planck Society.
President Cramer outlined the Max Planck Society's key strategic priorities for the years ahead.
What should guide research within the Max Planck Society — the pursuit of technological advancement or financial gain?
According to Cramer, neither: the central mission of research within the MPS should not simply be technological dominance or financial profit, but excellence itself. Europe — and the MPS by proxy — can play a central role in the global scientific dialogue that also sees major world powers such as the United States and China sitting at the same table.
President Cramer emphasized the importance of multilateralism in science.
While political landscapes may shift, science must remain open and accessible, building bridges between countries rather than erecting walls.
The efforts of the MPS are directed precisely toward this goal: investing in partnerships based on scientific excellence with a global outreach — including collaborations in China, Taiwan, and South Korea — while simultaneously strengthening the existing networks, with the launch of the new international alumni program.
Of course, a large organization such as the MPS also carries important societal responsibilities and must tackle them head-on. Two major priorities are gender equality and climate sustainability.
The Max Planck Society has recently made significant progress in the former, with 58% of the newly appointed directors being women.
Sustainability and climate action also remain key infrastructural priorities for the Society. Several institutes are already equipped with photovoltaic systems, while broader efforts are underway to transition toward 100% green electricity. New computing centers are also being designed to reduce energy consumption and improve efficiency.
Artificial intelligence will also play an increasingly important role in fundamental research, serving as a powerful tool to support scientists in their work. This will also be the case for the Accelerated Materials Discovery Laboratory (AMDL), which will be build in Stuttgart.
Furthermore, Cramer discussed how the quality of scientific research is naturally reflected in its technological and economic impact. The Max Planck Society ranks among the leading German research organizations when it comes to spin-offs — not only in number, but also in overall value.
Finally, the meeting also served as an opportunity for employees of MPI FKF and IS to raise questions directly with the head of the organization. Patrick Cramer took questions from the audience, a great way to engage directly with the directing board of the MPS and a clear commitment to an open dialogue aimed at improving working life within the institutes.
