To Potsdam by chance
The fact that he would one day work at the University of Potsdam was not planned in advance. “I actually ended up here by chance,” he says. As a postdoc in the U.S., he had already received an offer from industry near Philadelphia. “I really would have liked to accept it.” But then his partner at the time, now his wife, got a job in Switzerland. Shortly afterwards, he received an email from his former thesis supervisor offering him a position at the University of Basel, with plenty of freedom to pursue his own ideas. This led to the founding of the Taubert research group with a doctoral student at the University of Basel. When the University of Potsdam advertised a junior professorship shortly afterwards, Taubert thought, “Yes, why not?” The job posting sounded interesting and thematically fitting. His wife immediately agreed to go with him. What began as a pragmatic decision became a long-term center of their lives.
What distinguishes Taubert scientifically is less a clearly defined focus than a profile that has evolved over the years. Physical and inorganic chemistry, geosciences and environmental sciences, polymers and hybrid materials, biomaterials, ionic liquids, and now water research. Topics that have not replaced one another but rather complemented each other. “My scientific path is not linear,” he says. “Things converge.” Earlier work suddenly becomes relevant again, ideas from his doctoral research reach into current projects. He does not view research as a succession of crazes but as a long-term process in which knowledge accumulates.
His Chair of Supramolecular Chemistry describes this approach well. At its core is the interplay of many building blocks, from which new functions emerge. “A single molecule can’t do much on its own. However, when combined, something new and useful emerges.” At the same time, Taubert speaks openly about how his current work is deeply rooted in applied materials chemistry. This clarity in dealing with technical terms and boundaries makes his research accessible, both within the university and in collaboration with external partners.
Music as a balance
In addition to research and teaching, Taubert is particularly committed to the university itself. He organizes conferences and workshops, builds networks, mentors early-career researchers, and brings different disciplines together. These are activities that are indispensable in everyday academic life but rarely the focus of attention. “At some point, I updated my CV and realized just how much I’d actually accomplished.” For him, the 2025 Transfer Prize was not a goal but rather recognition of this long-term commitment and motivation to continue.
Taubert finds balance in music. He began playing the trumpet at an early age, an instrument that has accompanied him for many years. During periods of intense academic work, music temporarily receded into the background but later consciously returned to his everyday life. Today, he plays regularly again. For him, it is more than a hobby. Music demands concentration, creates distance from daily work, and opens up a different space for thought. “It takes your mind off work,” he says, “because you’re completely absorbed in the notes.” Here, too, a motif emerges that characterizes his academic work: the interplay of many voices, listening to each other.
Taubert deliberately understands the term “transfer” in a broad sense. This includes industry partnerships, but also school visits, the annual Children’s University at the University of Potsdam, and public lectures. Collaborating with companies provides access to a wider range of funding opportunities. Moreover, research in such projects is geared toward real-world conditions and focuses on the market, which requires thinking outside the box. For him, this is not only a very exciting aspect but also a necessary one. “My chemistry is everywhere. But if you don’t explain it, it remains invisible.”
His research revolves around water
He often uses his own biography as a counterexample to common assumptions. “I almost got kicked out of high school because of my math grades,” says Taubert with a smile. “You don’t need perfect grades. But you have to be willing to invest time and stick with it.” Today, water is at the center of his research. A topic of global significance, but also one that is biographically significant for Taubert. Environmental issues such as forest dieback and chemical accidents preoccupied him from an early age. He recalls the Sandoz disaster of 1986 as a moment that had a lasting impact on his own environmental awareness. The fire at a chemical warehouse on the Rhine also brought his daily life to an abrupt halt: windows were closed, the family stayed indoors, and school was canceled. For a long time, it was unclear how dangerous the situation actually was. Looking back, Taubert places this experience within a childhood that was strongly shaped by encounters with nature. For him, the accident was an early experience that demonstrated how directly industrial environmental hazards can affect one’s own living environment. His work feels like a gradual return to these questions. How do we manage resources? What responsibility does science have toward society and the environment?
For the future of the university, Taubert hopes for even more thematic collaboration and fewer rigid disciplinary boundaries. Research and teaching should be based more on common issues than on formal responsibilities. It is an attitude that runs through all of his work, full of movement, ideas, and connections.
Andreas Taubert has been a Professor of Supramolecular Chemistry at the University of Potsdam since 2006.
The Supramolecular Chemistry research group investigates sustainable materials for environmental and water applications. A particular focus is on biochar and activated carbon obtained from regional organic waste such as coffee grounds or orange peels. These carbon-based materials are being developed and studied for the removal of pollutants from water. In addition, the group is working on hydrogel and composite materials based on biopolymers, which can also be used for water treatment.
This article appeared in the university magazine Portal - Eins 2026 „Inklusion“.