Prof. Dr. Boris Keil elected as new ProLOEWE spokesperson

The network of Hessian LOEWE research projects – ProLOEWE – convened in Wiesbaden on November 3 for its 14th ProLOEWE Board of Directors meeting.  Prof. Dr Boris Keil, scientific coordinator of the LOEWE research cluster ADMIT and holder of the LOEWE-Transfer-Professorship in "Brainmapping Technology" was elected as the new ProLOEWE spokesperson, together with Prof. Dr Anke Becker from Philipps University of Marburg as his deputy. The experienced researcher is spokesperson of the LOEWE research cluster TreeM and has already led ProLOEWE as the spokesperson for the past three years. She takes over this role from Prof. Dr Bernd Schmeck (spokesperson of the former LOEWE research cluster Diffusible Signals and a member of the LOEWE research cluster Habitat), who is stepping down from the spokesperson team.

Timon Gremmels, Hesse’s Minister for Science and Research, Art and Culture, once again welcomed the members of the Board of Directors in person this year. In his address, he emphasized the inestimable value of the LOEWE research funding programme for the State of Hesse. He stressed that colleagues from other federal states had already expressed their appreciatiob of this significant research policy instrument on more than one occasion. 

The Minister also expressed particular gratitude for the work of ProLOEWE: the network makes a significant contribution to raising the profile of basic research in Hesse far beyond the state’s borders. A new face at the meeting was Katharina Heil, who had taken up her new position as Head of the Research and Digitalisation Department at the HMWK the previous day. She took the opportunity presented by the meeting to introduce herself to the ProLOEWE Board of Directors. Impressed by the large gathering, she expressed her delight at being able to get to know everyone so directly and promptly at the start of her tenure.

Following the official proceedings – which included a stimulating question-and-answer session with the Minister and an in-depth discussion – the meeting turned its attention to upcoming projects. From 2027, the two new LOEWE projects, VEBITA and QuEnergy, will expand the network. The project leads introduced themselves during a round of introductions, as did the holders of the LOEWE professorships, who were attending the meeting for the first time this year.

ProLOEWE’s Managing Director, Tanja Desch, looked back on an eventful year 2026. She gave an impressive presentation on the network’s numerous initiatives, publications and intensive networking activities. She also provided an outlook for 2027 – a special year in which ProLOEWE will celebrate its 15th anniversary.

We look forward to working together and are eagerly anticipating the next 14 years of successful and strong work in support of cutting-edge research in Hesse!