From 12 to14 May 2025, the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA, led by Professor Dr. Sukit Limpijumnong, NSTDA President, together with senior executives including Dr. Somboon Sahasithiwat, Executive Vice President for R&D Management; Associate Professor Dr. Toemsak Srikhirin, Executive Director of the National Metal and Materials Technology Center (MTEC); and Dr. Uracha Ruktanonchai, Executive Director of the National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), undertook an official visit to Forschungszentrum Jülich (FZJ) in Jülich, Federal Republic of Germany, at the invitation of the institute. FZJ is one of Germany’s premier research organizations under the Helmholtz Association.
The purpose of the visit was to strengthen the cooperation between NSTDA and FZJ, which has been ongoing since 2014, and to explore opportunities for expanding collaboration with other science and technology organizations in Germany. The visit aimed to promote the exchange of knowledge, foster research and innovation, and support the development of scientific personnel in both countries.
The NSTDA delegation was received by Professor Dr. Ulrich Schurr, Director of the Institute for Bio- and Geosciences (IBG) at FZJ. Discussions covered key topics such as Germany’s research ecosystem, research funding structures, integration of research infrastructure, and mechanisms for translating research results into industrial application. NSTDA presented its strategies for applying research to address national economic and societal needs.
As part of the visit, the annual meeting of the FZJ–NSTDA Joint Steering Committee was convened to review progress of ongoing joint projects and to identify new areas of collaboration for 2025. The discussions emphasized cooperation in the areas of bioeconomy, energy, capacity building for researchers in Thailand, and international policy dialogue.
The NSTDA delegation also visited several research centers under FZJ and its partners, including:
- Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C): Specializing in high-resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy for materials research at the atomic level.
- Institute for a Sustainable Hydrogen Economy: Conducting research and development in hydrogen-based chemical energy carriers such as methanol, dimethyl ether, ammonia, and liquid organic hydrogen carriers, with applications ranging from basic research to industrial demonstrations.
- Photovoltaics Program (IMD-3), Institute of Energy and Climate Research: Engaged in the development of thin-film photovoltaic technologies and related materials, including amorphous silicon and perovskite-based solar cells.
- RWE Power: Germany’s largest electricity producer, managing lignite mining operations and conducting large-scale land recultivation for multiple uses including agriculture, forestry, wetlands, and recreational areas, while supporting a transition to renewable energy.
- Next Generation Processes and Products Biorefinery (NGP2 Biorefinery), RWTH Aachen University: Focused on biomass conversion technologies for sustainable bioeconomy applications, with pilot-scale capabilities supporting process development and scale-up.
NSTDA’s collaboration with Forschungszentrum Jülich began in 2014 with a shared focus on applied research in areas such as modern agriculture and related technologies. Over the years, the partnership has produced concrete outcomes, including the establishment of the NSTDA–Jülich Joint Laboratory, doctoral scholarships for NSTDA researchers, and joint research projects such as IRRIGATION 4.0, DIRECTION, Magik Growth, and PiñaFibre. These successes reflect the strength of their academic collaboration and exemplify the effective utilization of both organizations’ resources and expertise to address contemporary global challenges.