Doris Reiter: Physics pioneer conquers the international stage!

Doris Reiter: Physics pioneer conquers the international stage!

On May 26, 2025, the prestigious Emmy Noether Award was presented to Professor Doris Reiter from the Technical University of Dortmund. This honor has been presented by the since 2013 European Physical Society (EPS) awards and honors outstanding achievements by female researchers in the field of physics. The aim of the award is to encourage women to pursue careers in science and to increase their visibility.

This year, Prof. Reiter received the award for her groundbreaking contributions to theoretical photonics and quantum technology as well as for her innovative commitment to science communication. In addition to leading an independent research group focused on the theoretical description of the generation of high-quality photons for quantum communication, she has launched several initiatives.

Innovative projects and commitment to young talent

Her projects like this are particularly outstandingSUPER scheme, an excitation process with two laser pulses that increases photon yield and reduces environmental influences. This procedure has attracted international attention and opened a new research topic. This is another important projectQuanTour project, which was launched as part of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology 2025. Through a quantum light source that travels through Europe, she brings quantum physics closer to a wide audience.

Prof. Reiter, who has been working as an adjunct professor at TU Dortmund since 2022, also supervises the Dortmund Graduate School of Physics and is actively involved in the German Physical Society (DPG). Their approach of focusing on research as well as training and public relations shows their strong commitment to young scientists.

The importance of Emmy Noether for women in physics

The Emmy Noether award is named after the mathematician Emmy Noether named who made significant contributions to mathematics and theoretical physics. Noether, who was born in Erlangen in 1882, developed the Noether theorem, which describes the connection between symmetry and conserved quantities in physics. Her extraordinary achievements at a time when women were severely disadvantaged in science make her a symbolic role model for female researchers.

Noether emigrated to the USA in 1933 to escape the National Socialist regime, which excluded Jewish scientists. Despite the hurdles she faced, she left a significant legacy that continues to resonate in the fields of mathematics and physics today.

Prof. Doris Reiter's award not only strengthens the visibility of physics research at TU Dortmund, but is also part of the ongoing fight for gender equality in science. This struggle is underscored by the fact that women remain underrepresented in physics in Germany and worldwide. While the proportion of women among students in Germany has increased to 50%, the proportion of physics students is only around 30% according to current data.

The challenges facing women in physics are diverse, and the Matilda Effect describes how the achievements of women in science often do not receive the same recognition as those of their male colleagues. Nevertheless, the continued honoring of female researchers like Prof. Reiter shows that the landscape is gradually changing and female talent in physics is increasingly being recognized.