Menu Expand

Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field

Cite BOOK

Style

Kohse-Höinghaus, K. (2025). Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field. GNT Publishing GmbH. https://doi.org/10.47261/1568
Kohse-Höinghaus, Katharina. Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field. GNT Publishing GmbH, 2025. Book. https://doi.org/10.47261/1568
Kohse-Höinghaus, K (2025): Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field, GNT Publishing GmbH, [online] https://doi.org/10.47261/1568

Format

Burning for Science – A Woman in a Technical Field

Kohse-Höinghaus, Katharina

Lives in Chemistry – Lebenswerke in der Chemie, Vol. 11

(2025)

Additional Information

Book Details

Pricing

Abstract

KATHARINA KOHSE-HÖINGHAUS was born in Germany’s industrial Ruhr area in 1951. Science fascinated her early on—this never changed and propelled her life into a stellar academic career. After studying chemistry, she cut her own path from atmospheric chemistry to combustion science.

Constantly she created new trails between physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering to explore combustion, pollutant emissions, and new analytical techniques.

Challenges like a dual-career family and raising funds for cross-border science led to many out-of-the-box initiatives, including science education for kids and students.

Katharina is famous for never running out of fuel: She became the first female President of the International Combustion Society and of Germany’s Bunsen Society, served on numerous boards and received many awards. Her trailblazing life for women in STEM worldwide is remarkable and her engaging story will be enjoyed by all!

Info & Downloads: l-i-c.org/1137

Table of Contents

Section Title Page Action Price
Lives in Chemistry 3
Published Titles in This Series 4
Imprint 6
Table of Contents 8
1 Why I Wrote This Book 11
1.1  The scientific life 17
1.2  The networking life 18
1.3  The mentoring life 20
1.4  Three lives and three core subjects 24
2 Curiosity and How One Step Led to Another 27
2.1  The starting point 31
Detection of radicals by resonance fluorescence 32
The vacuum ultraviolet laser 34
2.2  From atmospheric reactions to combustion 39
My first laser lab for flame studies 40
Saturated laser-induced fluorescence 43
Quantitative measurements of OH and CH radicals 46
Quantitative detection of H and O atoms 48
Combustion in a technical context 51
2.3  From combustion physics to engineering 52
My Stanford project: ammonia reactions 54
A shock tube coupled with lasers 55
Laser measurements of NH2 and ammonia kinetics 59
2.4  From combustion reactors to laser spectroscopy 64
Laser measurements of reactive species and temperature 66
Returning to Germany 68
Our own contribution to the LIF versus CARS debate 71
Atoms and diamonds 75
2.5  From familiar to uncertain territory 78
The habilitation question 79
Family and career issues 80
Expanding my research in Stuttgart 84
Habilitation and Heisenberg Fellowship 87
2.6  Returning to physical chemistry 92
The transition phase: establishing my new labs as a professor 93
Diagnostics with picosecond and nanosecond lasers 97
New processes and techniques 102
A two-pronged approach: laser diagnostics and mass spectrometry 105
2.7  From table-top experiments to synchrotrons 108
Molecular-beam mass spectrometry 108
Synchrotron experiments: a breakthrough in combustion diagnostics 113
Biofuel and low-temperature combustion 117
Photoelectrons, photoions, and microwaves for combustion studies 122
2.8  From flames to materials 125
New collaborations for surface and particle analysis 127
CVD with gas-phase precursors 128
Opportunities with pulsed-spray evaporation CVD 129
A new attempt at soot nanoparticle characterization 133
2.9  From methods to perspectives 135
3 Networks, Organizations, and Participation 137
3.1  Research and funding 140
Collaborative programs 141
Reviews, policies, and decisions 143
Funding strategies and perspectives 146
3.2  Academic governance, participation, and science-based advice 151
University functions 152
Science and Humanities Council 155
Academies 161
3.3  Conferences, networks, and scientific discourse 166
Gordon Research Conferences 166
Discussion meetings and workshops 171
National conferences and world congresses 173
3.4  Professional societies and leadership 178
The Bunsen Society and ‘First Chairwoman’ 179
International Combustion Institute 184
First European president 188
3.5  Combustion chemistry in different environments 195
Early experiences in China 196
Combustion Research in China 197
Special memories and occasions 200
Developments in combustion research 203
Research and visits in Saudi Arabia 206
Further stations 211
4  Sharing the Passion for Science 213
4.1  Science for schools 215
A new hands-on science lab for schools: teutolab 217
From the regional to the international scale: teutolab on tour 224
4.2  Motivation for students: unusual insights into current research 228
Chemistry showcase: Weekly Feature and HighChem up Close 229
Interdisciplinary campus radio program: Science Live 230
Meet the scientists: Direct Views into cutting-edge research 234
4.3  Encouraging careers in science 241
Energy conversion: interdisciplinary teaching 242
Publishing: the student journal BiNaturE 245
Female role models and networks: Women in Combustion 249
5  Looking Back 257
Appendix 265
Words of thanks 267
Vita 269
Chemistree 270
Holographs 272
Documents 278
Publications 290
Glossary 303
Links and literature 307
Image Sources 310
Index 312
Reactions / The Series 315