A Look Back at the 2025 Faculty Christmas Celebration
An inspiring colloquium, new faces, and an emotional farewell: On 9 December, the Faculty of Chemistry celebrated its traditional festive gathering.
The event kicked off with a high-profile Faculty Colloquium featuring guest speaker Nicola Armaroli. As a Research Director at the Italian National Research Council (CNR) and member of the Italian National Academy of Sciences, Armaroli addressed one of the most pressing issues of our time: “The Great Energy Transformation.”
Armaroli highlighted the immense technological and societal challenges of the global energy transition. He explained why electrification through solar and wind power—combined with modern storage technologies—will play a key role. His lecture also explored critical aspects such as the decarbonization of transport, the complexities of hydrogen technology, and the availability of mineral resources for converters and accumulators.
Punsch in the Courtyard and New Faculty Members
During the break, the Dean’s Office team brought a festive atmosphere to the outdoors, serving hot punch in the courtyard and providing an opportunity for staff and colleagues to catch up.
The second part of the event focused on new appointments at the Faculty. Two faculty members, both of whom took up their positions on 1 October, introduced themselves to the community with short presentations: Elisa Tomat, who has taken over the Professorship for Inorganic Chemistry, and Dominik Kopczynski, who bridges the gap between computer science and analytics as Assistant Professor (Tenure Track) for Data Science in Mass Spectrometry-Based Omics.
An Emotional Finale by the Choir
The Faculty Christmas Choir provided the musical highlights, once again ensuring a festive mood. However, this year’s performance carried a special significance: Franz Jirsa, who has shaped the choir for many years, will enter his well-deserved retirement next year and is stepping down as choir director. As a token of gratitude and recognition for his years of dedication, the Dean presented him with a bouquet of flowers to great applause.
A Festive Gathering
To round off the day, roasted chestnuts, baked potatoes, chili, and a selection of Christmas cookies invited everyone to stay and celebrate. In a relaxed atmosphere, members of the Faculty enjoyed the festive afternoon together before heading into the final weeks of the semester.
The Faculty of Chemistry wishes all staff, students, and friends a Merry Christmas, restful holidays, and a successful start to the New Year!
(All Photos © Faculty of Chemie / David Loibnegger)
Impressions
In his research, Nicola Armaroli focuses on molecules and materials for solar energy conversion and the transition toward sustainable energy models.
His lecture, "The Great Energy Transformation," filled the historic Carl Auer von Welsbach lecture hall.
Human-induced global warming calls for a profound transformation of the global energy system – a gigantic technological, economic, and societal challenge.
During the break, the Dean’s Office team served Christmas punch in the faculty courtyard.
Bioinorganic chemist Elisa Tomat joined the faculty in autumn 2025 from the University of Arizona to take over the Professorship for Inorganic Chemistry.
Dominik Kopczynski, who started a tenure-track position at the Institute of Analytical Chemistry, also presented his research. He the proceeded to demonstrate his musical talent as a member of the faculty choir.
Led by chemist and opera singer Franz Jirsa, the choir – composed of faculty members – once again provided a festive atmosphere.
The audience was also invited to join in and sing along to classic holiday carols.
Dean Christian Becker thanked Franz Jirsa, who is stepping down as choir director after many years, for his long-standing dedication.
The Faculty of Chemistry wishes everyone happy holidays and all the best for 2026!