Prof. Dr. Erica Lilleodden

Prof. Dr. Erica Lilleodden has been director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Microstructure of Materials and Systems IMWS since February 2022. In her research work she is primarily concerned with the nano- and micromechanics of materials such as metals, ceramics and composites. This serves to deepen our understanding of the application behavior of such materials, especially with regard to deformation, dislocation, fatigue and defect formation up to fracture. Her research also contributes to the tailor-made development of materials with specific properties for high-performance applications and multi-scale material systems.
Following her studies in materials science at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities and her Ph.D. at Stanford University, her professional career has included positions at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), and most recently as Head of the Department of Experimental Materials Mechanics at the Helmholtz Center hereon. From 2014 to February 2022, she was Professor of Experimental Nano- and Micromechanics at the Institute for High-Performance Ceramic Materials at the Hamburg University of Technology.
Her scientific publications to date include more than 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. She is a regularly invited speaker at high-profile international meetings and symposia, has been a lecturer since 2002, and is on the review panel for renowned journals such as Science, Nature, and Nature Materials.
Video interview with Prof. Dr. Erica Lilleodden on taking office.