8 April 2025
Recognizing Exceptional Commitment in Supervision
Excellent supervision is the cornerstone of outstanding academic education. To recognize and promote exemplary mentorship, the IMPRS & MCQST Supervision Award was established. This initiative recognizes exceptional commitment in the supervision of doctoral candidates and postdocs within the MCQST community. By highlighting outstanding supervision, we seek to raise the standards of good supervision and emphasize its crucial role in fostering academic and professional growth.
Good supervision is defined by several key factors, including transparency in responsibilities, regular and constructive communication, a supportive and inclusive research environment, assistance in securing funding and publications, career development guidance, and adherence to DFG research integrity guidelines. A full list of criteria can be found on our website.
Survey and nominations from the community
At the end of 2024, all doctoral candidates and postdocs in MCQST and IMPRS-QST were invited to participate in an anonymous survey assessing supervision quality within the community. Based on the responses, candidates had the opportunity to nominate their supervisors. A panel consisting of PhD and Postdoc Representatives, along with members of the IMPRS & MCQST office, evaluated the nominations and selected two outstanding mentors.
The first-ever IMPRS & MCQST Supervision Awards were presented to Frank Pollmann and Michael Wolf at the MCQST General Assembly in January 2025. Their dedication and impact as mentors were reflected in heartfelt nominations:
On Michael Wolf: “His dedication, kindness, and unwavering support have been invaluable throughout my PhD journey. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had him as my mentor.”
On Frank Pollmann: “Frank Pollmann has built a group centered on strong values, prioritizing both the well-being and scientific growth of his students. Under his supervision, I have learned not just about being a good scientist, but also about being a good person.”
About the Awardees
Frank Pollmann is Professor of Theoretical Solid-State Physics at the TUM School of Natural Sciences. His research group explores problems in condensed matter theory using quantum information concepts to better understand quantum many-body states and develop efficient numerical simulation methods for correlated quantum systems.
“I’m truly honored to receive this award. More than anything, it reflects the amazing team I get to work with every day. Science thrives on collaboration, and I feel incredibly lucky to mentor and learn from such talented and motivated researchers.” says Prof. Pollmann.
Michael Wolf is Professor of Mathematical Physics at the TUM School of Computation, Information and Technology. His team focuses on the mathematical foundations of quantum theory, with research spanning quantum channels, quantum Shannon theory, quantum spin lattices, and quantum measurements.
"A PhD is never just about science—it's about persistence, growth, becoming part of a community, learning to ask the right questions, and recognizing the boundaries of one's own and others' knowledge. As a supervisor, it's a profound privilege to witness and guide this journey." mentions Prof. Wolf.
Congratulations to the awardees for their outstanding contributions to the academic community!