News

Professor Regina de Vivie-Riedle passed away

10 Jul 2024

Regina de Vivie-Riedle, born in Wuppertal in 1958, passed away after a long, serious illness on June 20, 2024 at the age of 66.

After studying chemistry at the Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn, Regina de Vivie-Riedle received her doctorate from the University of Bonn in 1987 under Professor Sigrid D. Peyerimhoff. This was followed by a post-doctorate at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics in Garching (1988 - 1990) and at the University of Colorado, Boulder, USA (1991 - 1992). Supported by a habilitation scholarship from the German Research Foundation, she worked as a research assistant at the Institute for Physical and Theoretical Chemistry at the Free University of Berlin from 1994 to 1997, where Regina de Vivie-Riedle completed her habilitation in theoretical chemistry in 1997.

After a position as C3 group leader at the Max Planck Institute for Quantum Optics, Garching (1997-2002), Regina de Vivie-Riedle was an adjunct professor of theoretical chemistry at the Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich from 2002 until the end of her life.

De Vivie-Riedle's research focused on the numerical description of chemical dynamics using quantum dynamic methods. Early on, de Vivie-Riedle was involved in pioneering topics such as the quantum mechanical control of chemical reactions using light fields and quantum computing based on molecular systems. Her research has provided profound microscopic insights into the dynamics of chemical reactions. During her career, de Vivie-Riedle has been instrumental in shaping the field of theoretical femtochemistry in Germany.

Regina de Vivie-Riedle not only made outstanding scientific achievements in the field of theoretical chemistry and quantum dynamics, but also provided outstanding support to the faculty over many years as Dean of Studies and Women's Representative. Her legacy will endure through the numerous publications and the generations of chemists she has trained and inspired. In Regina de Vivie-Riedle we have lost a great, highly esteemed colleague who inspired us both scientifically and personally. We will sorely miss her.