Paul Blom of Holst Centre Becomes Research Director at Max Planck Institute

Holst Centre announces that its scientific director, Paul Blom, has been appointed as a research director at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany. Blom begins his new role on Sept. 1, 2012, and will initially focus on setting up a new team specializing in the application of materials to organic electronics. He will remain affiliated with Holst Centre, acting as a part-time scientific advisor.

Blom joined Holst Centre as scientific director in September 2008. In his four years with the Centre, it has grown considerably in terms of people it employs, facilities and the number of external companies wanting to be involved in its shared research ecosystem. At the same time, Professor Blom has overseen the quality and reputation of its research rise to the point where a recent independent audit described it as being “considered the best activity in Europe, clearly differentiated from what universities do” – something he describes as a “real team effort.”

“The Max Planck Institutes are unique and world renowned – not just for the quality of their research but also for their working model which give scientists the freedom to explore topics at the very forefront of science through long-term programs. I am very proud that someone from the Netherlands and in particular from Holst Centre has been offered this prestigious position. It says a lot about the quality of research Holst Centre performs,” said Blom.

As an open innovation R&D institute, Holst Centre has always maintained close links with academia as well as industry. Many Holst Centre researchers also hold part-time positions at universities. For example, alongside his role as Holst Centre’s scientific director, Blom was also a part-time professor of molecular electronics at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands.

“Holst Centre’s links with academia are an essential part of maintaining its position as a world-class lab. Besides encouraging staff to take up part-time teaching roles, we are very active in presenting our work at leading conferences. In these ways, we stay in touch with young Ph.D. and post-doctoral researchers around the world, helping us recruit the very best people who will drive our research and reputation foreword in years to come,” Blom added.

Born in Maastricht, The Netherlands in 1965, Blom studied physics at the Eindhoven University of Technology (TUe). He stayed at TUe for his Ph.D. in semiconductors before joining Philips Research to investigate PolyLEDs and optical recording. In 2000, he was appointed professor of molecular electronics at the University of Groningen, a position he maintained on a part-time basis after he was named Holst Centre scientific director in 2008.