Emeritus Scientific Members
The institute's high standing is due in no small part to its renowned Emeritus Scientific Members. Jos Lelieveld, Stephan Borrmann, Albrecht Hofmann and Meinrat O. Andreae are still active researchers.
Jos Lelieveld, Director of the Atmospheric Chemistry Department from 2000 to 2025
Jos Lelieveld was born in 1955 in The Hague. He studied in 1984 natural sciences at Leiden University. From 1984 till 1987 he worked as a research associate at Geosens B.V. Afterwards he started in 1987 his position as research scientist at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry until 1993. In 1990 he did his PhD in Physics and Astronomy at Utrecht University. In 1993 he became Professor of Atmospheric Physics and Chemistry at the University of Wageningen and Utrecht until 2000. Jos Lelieveld was appointed Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in 2000. He retired in August 2025. He began a part-time professorship in 2008 at the Cyprus Institute in Nicosia, Cyprus, and continues in this role today.
Jos Lelieveld was an atmospheric scientist and his research interests included ozone photochemistry and the atmosphere's self-cleaning mechanism. He investigated the role of reactive gases and aerosols in biogeochemical cycles and in the climate. His research also focused on air quality, climate change and the health of the planet. He and his team developed highly sensitive instrumentation to measure trace gases to uncover the photochemical reaction chains.
Stephan Borrmann, Director of the Particle Chemistry Department from 2001 until 2025
Stephan Borrmann was born in 1959 in Mainz.1991 he completed his PhD in physics focusing on Experimental Meteorology at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. From 1998 to 2000 he headed the Research Group for aerosols of the Institute of Chemistry and Dynamics of the Geosphere at Research Centre Jülich GmbH. In 1999 he completed his habilitation in the field of meteorology. In 2001 Stephan Borrmann was appointed Director of the newly founded Cloud Physics and Chemistry Department. (The Department was renamed in 2005, becoming the Particle Chemistry Department). At the same time, Mr. Borrmann was appointed Professor of Experimental Meteorology in the Physics Department of Mainz University. The department's research focused on physical and chemical processes in clouds, with a particular focus on polar clouds in the border region between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
Meinrat O. Andreae, Director of the Biogeochemistry Department from 1987 until 2017
CV
Born on May 19, 1949 in Augsburg. Study of mineralogy/geochemistry Karlsruhe and Göttingen Univ., doctorate in oceanography at Scripps Inst. of Oceanography (1977), Assistant Professor of Oceanography (1978-1982), Associate Professor (1982-1986), Professor of Oceanography Florida State Univ. (1986-1987), Director and Scientific Member at the Max Planck Institute of Chemistry (1987 - 2017).
Albrecht W. Hofmann, Director of the Geochemistry Department from 1980 until 2007
Albrecht W. Hofmann (born in 1939) was appointed Director of the newly founded Geochemistry Department in 1980. His department researches large-scale geological processes, such as the formation of continental and oceanic crusts, the chemical differentiation of the Earth's mantle and the circulation of present-day and former oceans. The department uses mass spectrometric measurements of isotopic abundancies to determine the absolute age of rocks. It also uses isotopic abundancies and trace element contents to determine the origin of volcanic lava from the Earth's mantle or crust and studies the long-term processes used by the Earth's mantle to recycle old crust. The department also performs experiments to study the pressure, temperature and other physical-chemical properties in fusions and mineral transformations that take place deep inside the Earth. Albrecht Hofmann retired in 2007.