Physicist of the Month

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November 2025

Ursula Palfinger – Physicist at the MATERIALS Institute (Institute for Sensors, Photonics and Manufacturing Technologies) at JOANNEUM RESEARCH

About myself and my research

Even as a child, I was fascinated by how things work. Fortunately, my parents rarely stopped me from unscrewing a VCR or cutting open a floppy disk. I had an inspiring physics teacher at school, and in my environment, it was never questioned that a woman could pursue a technical career.

After graduating from high school, I studied physics (and a bit of astronomy on the side) at the University of Graz. My passion has always been in experimental work: preparing samples, making effects visible, taking measurements, and exploring outcomes. During my diploma thesis, I first encountered micro- and nanostructuring. In my subsequent doctoral studies – supervised by Associate Professor Dr. Joachim Krenn (University of Graz) and Dr. Barbara Stadlober (JOANNEUM RESEARCH) – I focused on new methods for fabricating ultra-fine structures for printable electronic components and on the growth of organic semiconductors.

I have now been working for nearly 25 years at JOANNEUM RESEARCH MATERIALS in Weiz, in the research group “Hybrid Electronics and Patterning,” as a physicist and project manager. We use micro- and nanoimprint processes to create structured surfaces. Depending on the size, type of structure, and material, these surfaces exhibit altered properties. For example, water may run off very easily or not at all; the surface may have more or less flow resistance due to its structure, or it may scatter, reflect, or focus light. The applications are diverse and can be found in lighting elements and displays (for glare reduction or shaping light distribution), in biomedical sensors (for optical readout or microfluidic transport), or even in aviation (to increase efficiency and save fuel).

Technically, my main area of responsibility is the replication of structures that, due to their complexity, can often only be initially produced on small areas. Using so-called step-and-repeat imprinting processes, these structures are scaled up to industrially relevant dimensions. I lead national and international research and industry projects in this field.

I am also the proud mother of two wonderful teenagers whose interests could hardly be more different. As parents, it is important to us to encourage them to believe that every subject and every future career path is open to them.

What can be done to achieve more equal opportunities in physics? 

Equal opportunities in scientific careers begin long before the first research project – namely, when children and young people start discovering the world, developing an interest in nature and technology, and encountering physics and chemistry at school. These subjects are often burdened with the prejudice of being complicated and dry. I believe this reputation may discourage girls more than boys, leading to early resignation. What’s needed are engaged parents, inspiring teachers, and well-equipped school facilities where students can work independently under guidance. Lots of hands-on experience and discovery, rather than just watching; learning necessary formulas not just by heart, but by truly understanding them.

Technical interest is also fostered by role models and opportunities for exchange (holiday programs, workshops, networks). In university and professional life, transparent selection processes, targeted support for young talents, and good work-life balance – even at higher career levels – are essential. This applies equally to women and men.

Research thrives on communication and teamwork. When diversity of talent is seen as a driving force and people are assigned roles based on their strengths, real momentum is created. The best ideas don’t emerge where everyone thinks the same, but where different perspectives meet constructively. Equal opportunity is therefore not a “nice-to-have,” but a real asset for physics and research and development in general.

In our research group – led entirely by women, which is still quite rare – this principle is truly lived, and the success speaks for itself. However, I have also sat in scientific symposia with 150 men and maybe five other women, where the low proportion of women in senior scientific positions becomes very apparent.

Women and men are equally suited for scientific and technical education and careers – in fact, they complement each other excellently in research teams. Especially in research, flexible working hours or flextime models can generally allow for a good work-life balance. However, leadership positions with technical and economic responsibilities still often come with all-inclusive contracts, high time commitments, and travel requirements, which can conflict with family life. Here, it would be desirable for scientific institutions and companies to be open to new models, such as shared leadership roles.

The higher the proportion of women in technical education and careers, the more we can drive further developments together. I definitely want to encourage young women with an interest in science to pursue this path and help shape the future.

“I am among those who think that science has great beauty. A scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician: he is also a child placed before natural phenomena which impress him like a fairy tale.” – Marie Curie (Nobel Prize winner in Physics, 1903, and Chemistry, 1911)

If you would like to find out more about Ursula Palfinger and her work, you find the link to her website profile at Joanneum Research here, her LinkedIn profile here, an article about her work on the BMIMI website here, and a link to the working group she is part of here.