It is a great honor to present Hans Wilhelm und Helga Schüßler-Prize to Yifan Bo who is an exceptional young researcher whose achievements and spirit reflect the very best of FAU. She joined the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy in 2019 and quickly distinguished herself through outstanding scientific talent, intellectual curiosity, and creativity. Her doctoral supervisor describes her as one of the most impressive early-career scientists he has ever mentored — and the record speaks for itself.
Yifan Bo has already contributed to 23 scientific publications, gathering nearly 350 citations and an h-index of 9 — extraordinary accomplishments at this career stage. In nine of these papers, she served as first author, and she even co-authored a review article in Accounts of Materials Research — a distinction rarely achieved during a Ph.D.
Among her most remarkable contributions is a series of studies on down- and up-conversion materials, research that is both intellectually demanding and rich in real-world applications. Her investigations into intramolecular processes have already begun to open new avenues in photochemistry and spectroscopy — fields where her innovative methodology is setting new standards.
But excellence in science is only part of her story. Yifan Bo has also shown extraordinary leadership and intercultural engagement. She played a central role in organizing the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in Erlangen, helping to build bridges between cultures and communities. She has supported visiting scholars and postdoctoral researchers from China with empathy and commitment, ensuring they felt truly welcomed at FAU. In 2024, she successfully coordinated high-level Chinese scientific delegations and contributed to FAU’s outreach and recruitment activities in China — all with professionalism, warmth and vision.
Vita
zur Vita von Yifan Bo
alle FAU Awards 2025
It is a great honor to present Hans Wilhelm und Helga Schüßler-Prize to Yifan Bo who is an exceptional young researcher whose achievements and spirit reflect the very best of FAU. She joined the Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy in 2019 and quickly distinguished herself through outstanding scientific talent, intellectual curiosity, and creativity. Her doctoral supervisor describes her as one of the most impressive early-career scientists he has ever mentored — and the record speaks for itself.
Yifan Bo has already contributed to 23 scientific publications, gathering nearly 350 citations and an h-index of 9 — extraordinary accomplishments at this career stage. In nine of these papers, she served as first author, and she even co-authored a review article in Accounts of Materials Research — a distinction rarely achieved during a Ph.D.
Among her most remarkable contributions is a series of studies on down- and up-conversion materials, research that is both intellectually demanding and rich in real-world applications. Her investigations into intramolecular processes have already begun to open new avenues in photochemistry and spectroscopy — fields where her innovative methodology is setting new standards.
But excellence in science is only part of her story. Yifan Bo has also shown extraordinary leadership and intercultural engagement. She played a central role in organizing the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in Erlangen, helping to build bridges between cultures and communities. She has supported visiting scholars and postdoctoral researchers from China with empathy and commitment, ensuring they felt truly welcomed at FAU. In 2024, she successfully coordinated high-level Chinese scientific delegations and contributed to FAU’s outreach and recruitment activities in China — all with professionalism, warmth and vision.
Vita
zur Vita von Yifan Bo
alle FAU Awards 2025