Prof. Dr. Christina Scheu
Curriculum Vitae
Obituary
Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials mourns the loss of Christina Scheu
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Christina Scheu, head of the independent research group “Nanoanalytics and Interfaces” at the Max Planck Institute for Sustainable Materials and professor at RWTH Aachen University. Christina Scheu passed away on 29 September 2026 after a serious illness.
With her passing, the institute has lost an outstanding scientist, a dedicated mentor and a warm-hearted colleague. Over many years, she not only shaped research at the institute, but also supported young scientists with great commitment throughout their careers.
Research for the energy transition
Christina Scheu’s research focused primarily on materials for the energy transition. She investigated thermoelectric materials that convert waste heat into electricity, catalysts that split water to produce green hydrogen, and materials for fuel cells and batteries.
Among the techniques she used was high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, which allowed her to examine materials down to the atomic resolution and understand how their internal structure and chemical composition influence their properties. She was particularly interested in interfaces, grain boundaries and other defects - regions within a material that can significantly affect its electrical, thermal and catalytic performance. Her research therefore not only helped explain why certain materials perform particularly well or lose performance over time, but also revealed ways of tailoring their properties and extending their lifetime.
Scientist and mentor
Christina Scheu’s commitment extended far beyond her research and her responsibilities as a group leader and professor. She supported the members of her research group with great care and personal dedication. It was important to her that young researchers not only succeeded scientifically, but also had the opportunity to grow personally. She was always ready to share her advice and experience and supported them with great passion – even after they had left to the next positions.
Supporting women in their professional and personal development was particularly close to her heart. As a mentor, she helped female scientists at the institute prepare for job interviews and supported them as they navigated academic appointment procedures and took the next steps in their careers.
Scientific career
Christina Scheu was born on 11 December 1965 in Limburg an der Lahn and studied physics at the Technical University of Darmstadt. She completed her PhD in 1996 at the former Max Planck Institute for Metals Research in Stuttgart and the University of Stuttgart. After a postdoc at the Technion in Haifa (Israel) and several positions as a research group leader in Stuttgart (Germany) and Leoben (Austria), she accepted a professorship at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in 2008. In 2014, she joined the Max Planck Institute in Düsseldorf, where she established the “Nanoanalytics and Interfaces” research group. In the same year, she also became a professor at the Faculty of Georesources and Materials Engineering at RWTH Aachen University.
With Christina Scheu, we, the scientific community, her collaborators and her students have lost not only a dedicated scientist, but also a warm-hearted colleague and dear friend who cared deeply about the people around her and, in particular, the members of her group.
Our deepest sympathy goes to her family and to all those who were close to her.
If you wish to express your condolences publicly, please write to: rco@mpi-susmat.de (Research Coordination Office). Your contribution will be published on this page.
"With great sadness, I learned about the passing of Christina Scheu. As one of the many students Tina guided throughout her career, I enjoyed the project work and the cooperation with her and her group. Additionally, I am honored that Tina was the second supervisor of my PhD thesis and thus had significant impact on my personal scientific career. While I am sad that the scientific community has lost an inspiring and supportive member, I am comforted that Tina's work and passion live on in her scientific legacy.“ Michael Meischein, former member of the MDI chair at the Ruhr-University Bochum
"I was deeply shocked and saddened to learn of Tina's passing. I had the privilege of spending a year in Germany as a visiting researcher in Tina's group. Throughout that year, her care and kindness were like a gentle spring breeze, bringing warmth to my life far away from home. As a mentor, Tina gave me invaluable support in my research. She generously recognized my efforts and always found sincere and encouraging words that gave me confidence. She also shared her experiences as a woman in science, including the challenges of gender bias and balancing a scientific career with family responsibilities. Her honesty and resilience gave me valuable guidance. Beyond being a mentor, Tina was also a dear and patient friend. Knowing that I had brought my daughter to Germany, she showed great care for my family and even invited us to her home for a barbecue. Her warmth made us feel truly welcome. When I left Germany in August last year, Tina and her husband were planning to visit China. I was looking forward to showing them our university and Shanghai. Remembering those plans makes her passing even more difficult to accept. I will always remember Tina as an outstanding scientist, an encouraging mentor and an exceptionally kind person. My deepest condolences go to her husband, family, colleagues and students. With deepest sympathy", Huixin(Helen) Xiu, a former visiting scholar in Tina's group
„Liebe Tina, „Was würde Tina jetzt tun?“ Diese Frage stelle ich mir immer wieder. Dein Rat und Deine Tipps sind mir im Gedächtnis geblieben und haben mir schon oft geholfen, meinen eigenen Weg zu finden.
Du warst und bleibst ein großes Vorbild für mich. Deine taffe, beherzte Art werde ich in Erinnerung behalten. Das, was ich von Dir lernen durfte, möchte ich weitergeben und in Deinem Sinne der nächsten Generation junger Wissenschaftlerinnen zur Seite stehen. Ich werde oft an Dich denken. Danke für alles, was Du mir mitgegeben hast. Deine Lili“, Lilian Vogl, former member of Structure Nano-/Micromechanics department
"Tina, I keep thinking of your smile and laughter. It hurts to know that we will not sit down and talk together again. I admired not only your insight as a scientist, but also the patience and generosity with which you shared your knowledge. Your warmth and enthusiasm made sharing ideas with you a real pleasure. You showed me how kindness and a genuine love of science can inspire those around us. Thank you for your encouragement, your friendship, and the many happy moments we shared. Knowing and working with you meant a great deal to me. I miss you dearly." Xuyang (Rhett) Zhou, former MPI member
"Christina Scheu was so much more than an amazing boss to me. She was a mentor, a guiding light, an inspiration, and one of those rare people who leave a mark on your heart forever. Throughout the years, she was always there for me, not only in my scientific career but also in my personal life. She supported me through my happiest moments and stood by me through some of my darkest ones. She believed in me, encouraged me to grow, guided me even as I stepped into senior positions, and reminded me of my own strength when I needed it most. Having her support throughout all these years helped shape the woman and scientist I am today. She taught me, through her words and actions, to stand up for what I believe in, to fight for what I deserve, and to never let anyone or anything dim my light. Even while facing her own incredibly difficult battle, she still found the strength and generosity to celebrate my achievements, encourage me, and send her love to Marc, Max, and our little one on the way. That was Tina: always thinking of others, always giving, always making people feel seen and valued, even when she was going through so much herself. I will forever be grateful that our paths crossed. I will carry her words with me, and I hope to honour her legacy by supporting others the way she supported me, by believing in people the way she believed in me, and by being that light for someone else when they need it most. Thank you, Tina, for believing in me, for standing by me, for guiding me, and for reminding me that I should never be afraid to shine. You will always be my guiding light. Your kindness, your strength, and your belief in me will stay with me forever. Rest in peace, dear Tina. You will be deeply missed, never forgotten, and always loved.“ Alba Garzón Manjón, former member, now Assistant Professor UAB (Barcelona, Spain).
"Tina, you showed us how to live life to the fullest, recognising and celebrating every small and big win of all of us, eternally optimistic and driven, working hard and forever cheerful, selfless and always there for your students. You were a girl's girl, the backbone of all the women researchers you mentored. The department of SN felt more like family than a workplace because of you. Your tenacity and grit was as powerful as the love and warmth you carried. Fate may have had other plans, but you will live in every single life that you have touched with your kindness, you are not gone...you will never be!“ Nagamani Jaya Balila, former member, Department of Structure and Nano-/Micro-mechanics of Materials
“We still find it hard to believe that Christina is no longer with us. We received an email from her just one week before her passing, and we still think about it almost every day. It is difficult to accept that it was our last exchange. We truly appreciated her kindness, dedication, and support for young researchers. Her passing is a great loss for all of us. Our heartfelt condolences go to her family, friends, and colleagues. She will be deeply missed and always remembered. May she rest in peace.“ Jamil Ur, MGICIAN Doctoral Network, IFW Dresden, Germany
"The warmth that both of you had shown, I've not seen something close to that anywhere. Very personal loss, Tina was indeed our academic mother. To me you have not left, but constantly around, in my work, in my thoughts, always protecting me. A bit of your work will be continued until the day I serve science. May all the infinite kindness and affection both of you have shown to all, bring your dear ones back to fine soon. My deepest prayers." Maya K. Kini, former member of Structure Nano-/Micromechanics department
“It is still so hard to believe that you are no longer with us. The news of your passing was truly shocking and heartbreaking. It feels like only yesterday that we were having lunch together at the Aquarium, sharing conversations and laughter. Somehow, it still feels as though you have just gone away for a little while and will soon be back, smiling as always, bringing everyone together and encouraging us all to dance at the Christmas party. You were not only a wonderful professor, but also someone who felt like both family and a friend to us. You always greeted us with a warm smile, shared funny stories and little moments of joy, and often put your arm around us with such genuine warmth and affection. You made everyone feel welcome and cared for. I will always remember how passionately you encouraged and supported women. Dear Tina, your kindness, warmth, laughter, and wonderful spirit will always stay with us. You brought so much joy to the people around you, and you will be deeply missed. Thank you for all the beautiful memories. Rest in peace, dear Tina.With love and fond memories.“ Kaili Feng, MPI member
“Tina, I wish to thank for everything that you have given me and those around me – from a career advice to sharing some of your knowledge, from a laugh to a dance.
I will always miss you, your smile and your wit, your kindness and your presence.
With Tina’s passing, our field has lost a great scientist.
The world has lost an absolute legend of a human being.
Me. I lost a friend.” Baptiste Gault, former MPI member
“It breaks my heart that you never know when you are going to see someone for the last time. Had I known it earlier, I would have told her how much her sweet words of encouragement meant to me, when all I could ever do was constantly doubt myself. I still remember the day I first met her. Her cheerful laughter made me realize that I was at the right place, and that I had made the right decision of flying thousands of kilometers across the globe to pursue a PhD. With her, the world became a safe place and I no longer had to be on my guard. I remember our afternoon meetings in her office, surrounded by all kinds of sweets and gifts from her colleagues all over the world. Even on the day when I saw her for the last time, her words were full of support and reassurance. It is so painful that she is no longer there. My thoughts and deepest condolences go out to her family and to her colleagues.” Jisun Lee, MPI member
“Losing my supervisor feels like losing the foundation I was built on. Christina was, to me and to so many others, a symbol of resilience, passion for science, strength, and compassion. She was a remarkable mentor with a beautiful soul and a kind and caring nature, someone who never let go of her passion, even until the very end. Her dedication to science and, above all, to her students will remain an inspiration to me. Christina’s legacy will live on through every member of her group, through the paths she helped shape, and through all the successes and achievements of the people she supported and inspired. As long as we carry forward what she taught us, a part of Christina will always live on among us.
Thank you, Tina, for everything you taught us. You’ll forever be in our hearts and never forgotten. With love and remembrance.” Rasa Changizi, former MPIE member