Research Areas:
Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Prof. Reinhard Niessner obtained his diploma degree in Chemistry from the University of Freiburg in 1976 and PhD from the University of Dortmund in 1981. After becoming a lecturer in Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry in 1985, he served as a Professor for Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Dortmund from 1986 to 1989. He joined the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in 1989 for his current position as a Chair of the Institute of Hydrochemistry and Chemical Balneology.

Prof. Niessner’s research interests are within environmental analytical chemistry, especially devoted to applications of laser spectroscopy, nanoparticle characterization, and microarray technologies. The main subjects of interest are aerosols, hydrocolloids and biofilms, within hydro- and atmosphere. He is currently an associate editor of the American Chemical Society journal, Analytical Chemistry, and a member within the advisory or editorial board of Analytical Sciences, Annual Review of Analytical Chemistry, Microchimica Acta, Analytical & Bioanalytical Chemistry, Fresenius Environmental Bulletin, Talanta, International Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry and Toxicological & Environmental Chemistry.

Prof. Niessner received several highly prestigious awards including the Emanuel-MerckPrize for Analytical Chemistry in 1990, the Smoluchowski-Award for Aerosol Research of the Association for Aerosol Research in 1991, the Fritz-Pregl-Medal of the Austrian Society for Analytical Chemistry in 1996, and the Fresenius-Award for Analytical Chemistry of the German Chemical Society in 2000. He was a Titular Member in the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and served in the European Science Foundation and many national scientific organizations.