International diversity at Leibniz IPHT is more than just a number – it is at the heart of our research and our success. More than 450 employees from 38 countries work together to develop innovative solutions for global challenges.
Our success is based on the diversity of our minds, ideas and perspectives. We are committed to ensuring that our employees feel comfortable and are treated equally – no matter how old they are, where they come from, what they believe, how they live or define themselves, whether they are physically challenged or not. Through our many international partnerships and projects, we help push the boundaries of knowledge and make a positive difference in the world. We are proud to be a place where people of all backgrounds come together to advance science.
Discovering Through Diversity
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At Leibniz IPHT, researchers and technologists from a wide range of disciplines work together on light-based solutions for health and medicine, the environment, energy and safety. They are researching probes for cancer surgery and rapid tests for the detection of infectious diseases. They are analyzing how drugs work and using optical methods to detect plastic particles in water. They are investigating the role of light in the origin of life on Earth and developing new fiber lasers for medicine. They come from the fields of physics, chemistry and biology, and are engineers, microtechnologists and laboratory technicians. And they have come from all over the world to the international optics and photonics location of Jena: from Italy and South Korea, from Romania, India and Indonesia, from Taiwan and the USA, from Würzburg and Markersdorf in Thuringia.
Diversity is not only a strength, but also a necessity for scientific progress. To emphasize this, the Leibniz IPHT has launched the campaign “Discovering Through Diversity”. More than 450 people from 38 countries work at our institute. Some of them introduce themselves in a series of short films.
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Diversity gives us the opportunity to think differently. We can be proud of the fact that so many people with different backgrounds work together successfully at Leibniz IPHT.
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Popp, Scientific Director of Leibniz IPHT
We Stand for Open-mindedness
We are part of the Weltoffenes Thüringen initiative, the Diversity Charter and the #Zusammenland campaign. Together we send a clear signal against right-wing extremism and for freedom, diversity and a welcoming culture.
We stand for a society characterized by openness, tolerance and equal opportunities. Our goal is to promote a community where everyone is accepted and welcomed in their diversity. Our commitment to open-minded research not only reflects our deep convictions, but also sets the strategic course for a better future.
Only a society that values diversity and promotes equal opportunities can provide a fertile environment for innovation and cutting-edge research.
Equal Opportunity at Leibniz IPHT
Equal opportunities for women and men is a central concern of Leibniz IPHT.
The aim is to guarantee equal opportunities and possibilities for men and women to realize their individual career aspirations, regardless of their respective qualifications. This applies to all levels of the organization. Although women already make up a comparatively high proportion of the scientific staff within the Leibniz Association, the proportion of women in the higher scientific status groups is still low. The Leibniz Association has therefore set itself the goal of continuously and rapidly increasing the proportion of women in leadership positions. Leibniz IPHT welcomes the commitment of the Leibniz Association and is committed to implementing the goals within a reasonable period of time.
In recent years, structures have been created at Leibniz IPHT to specifically promote top female scientists and thus increase the proportion of female managers at the institute. For Leibniz IPHT, this means the targeted support of young female scientists during their undergraduate and doctoral studies. Suitable young female scientists are given a long-term perspective at Leibniz IPHT. They are given responsibility in order to prepare them for management positions and to bind them to the institute. This strategic approach is already bearing fruit. The leaders of several working groups have started their successful scientific careers at Leibniz IPHT and at the same time have acquired the necessary management skills.
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Women in Photonics
With the event series Women in Photonics, Leibniz IPHT is working to improve the networking between excellent young female scientists and managers from research institutions and companies.
The aim of the international workshop Women in Photonics is to bring together excellent female scientists at the beginning of their careers with female photonics experts in leading positions in research institutions and companies.
The workshop will focus on the following topics
- Optical Health Technologies – Diagnostics, Monitoring, Therapy
- Biomedical Microscopy, Bioanalytical Methods, Medical Chip Systems
- Biophotonics such as vibrational spectroscopy, fluorescence, OCT, PAT, etc.
The workshop is aimed at female postdocs and graduate students working in these research areas who wish to present their own work and establish new networks. Participants will have the opportunity to interact with experienced scientists from academia and industry and to develop strategies for a successful career.
Our Welcoming Culture
We want newcomers to feel at home from day one. Leibniz IPHT has a comprehensive Welcome Management System to ensure this. We support our new employees – especially those coming from far away – in all aspects of starting work at Leibniz IPHT.
All new employees are assigned “Welcome Guides”. Our Welcome Manager helps with communication with the authorities, finding accommodation and arranging language courses. We organize welcome meetings to get to know each other and exchange ideas, so that everyone can settle in quickly and feel at home.
I meet a lot of people from different countries and cultures, and I am happy when I can help them get off to a good start at the Institute. From my own experience, I know how important it is to have a contact person at the beginning of your stay abroad who can help you with small everyday problems as well as with bureaucratic issues.
Ulrike Döhmen, Welcome Manager at Leibniz IPHT
