Katrin Benkert develops sustainable materials at Siemens Energy’s R&D; SF6 elimination cuts grid greenhouse-gas footprint
Inside a materials science career: Where innovation begins with curiosity
by Aarti Betigeri Meet materials scientist Katrin Benkert, and see what a career in R&D looks like at the heart of the energy transition. Innovation doesn’t begin with a flash of genius. For Siemens Energy’s 2025 Inventor of the Year, Katrin Benkert, it begins with curiosity, collaboration and the persistence to keep searching for better solutions. Katrin Benkert can trace her fascination with materials science back to her childhood. With a father working in technical ceramics, Katrin has strong memories of the smell of the factory and laboratories: a mixture of machines, powder, dust and lubricants that clung to the air during weekend visits. She remembers watching huge machines press powder into small components, fascinated by the precision involved. The experience sparked her curiosity about how things are made. Decades later, as a materials scientist in Siemens Energy’s research & development organization, she focuses on developing and evaluating materials to eliminate sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), one of the power grid’s most potent greenhouse gases, from switchgear technologies. Her work on more sustainable electric power transmission and distribution technologies earned her Siemens Energy’s 2025 Inventor of the Year award. When people picture an inventor, they often imagine a lone genius having a eureka moment. Katrin sees innovation differently. For her, it’s rarely a single moment of inspiration. More often, it emerges through experiments, discussions and the willingness to challenge assumptions. “I’m curious, and I love difficult problems,” she says. “I like figuring things out, understanding why something works—or why it doesn’t.” Many problems stay with her long after the workday ends. “Usually, I don’t leave them when I leave work,” she says. “They come back in the evenings, at night, as small inputs.” New ideas often emerge while walking, reading, practicing yoga or simply giving her mind space to wander. Collaborating with colleagues from different disciplines also plays a central role. “If you have a team with different skills and backgrounds, ideas come from different angles. That’s one of the most important drivers of innovation.” Katrin’s father worked on the technical side of ceramics, which involves creating highly refined ceramics for mechanical, thermal and electrical uses. Inspired, Katrin went on to do internships in Canada and France, the latter at a ceramics factory in Limoges, the town synonymous with exquisitely crafted porcelain. There, she became fascinated by the precision involved, such as the exactness required in placing a handle on a porcelain cup or in glazing the plates. After completing her studies, she joined Siemens Energy, where she started working on piezoelectric ceramics. Over the following years, she moved across very different technological fields, including solid oxide fuel cells, corrosion in HVDC water systems, and, eventually, environmentally friendly switching technologies. “I’m more of an all-rounder than a specialist,” she says. That breadth of experience continues to shape her work. Rather than approaching problems from a single perspective, she enjoys connecting knowledge from different disciplines and applying lessons learned in one field to challenges in another. One of the things she values most about Siemens Energy is the trust she received early in her career. “From the beginning, I was given responsibility for my own projects. There were clear goals, but also the freedom to find my own way of achieving them.” Today, Katrin’s work contributes to replacing SF₆, one of the most potent greenhouse gases used in electrical equipment. Siemens Energy’s Blue portfolio replaces SF₆ with vacuum technology and clean air, helping reduce environmental impact while maintaining the reliability required by electrical grids. Her role involves planning experiments, evaluating materials, analyzing data and working closely with colleagues, suppliers and research institutes. What motivates her most is the possibility of creating technologies that address both technical and environmental challenges. If you see that the work you do has a real impact—is sustainable and resilient—and becomes part of products or processes, that’s incredibly rewarding. Materials scientist, Siemens Energy “We’re developing solutions that help make the energy system more sustainable without compromising performance and reliability.” As renewable energy becomes a larger part of the energy mix, electricity systems must become smarter, more flexible and more efficient. Katrin is excited to contribute to this transformation. “We are only at the beginning of a major change. It will be fascinating to see how the energy system evolves over the coming years,” she says. No day in Katrin’s working life is like the other. Some days are spent planning and running measurement campaigns or designing new test samples. Others are spent analyzing results, in dialogue with colleagues about the experiments and the next steps, as well as with suppliers and external research institutes if necessary. “I like the measuring and finding,” she says, “but sometimes that’s the hard part of it, finding the right solutions out of the measurements that we take. You have a result but then you have to find the right clue to go with that result. And then plan the next test that would either confirm the result you have, or try something else entirely.” That back-and-forth between the testing station and the lab is, for Katrin, an enormous part of the appeal of research and development. “Siemens Energy is a perfect match for me because I can combine hands-on work in the laboratory with analyzing the results at my desk, while also staying close to the products,” she says. “I enjoy working closely with colleagues and suppliers, discussing the results together, and seeing how our research makes its way into products and manufacturing processes.” Over the course of her career, this approach has resulted in 76 patents, while several of the projects she’s worked on have made their way into the company’s products and manufacturing processes. By its nature, research and development produces more dead ends than breakthroughs. Far from being dispiriting, this is an essential part of the process. For Katrin, numerous tests that don’t work are vital to direct researchers towards the solution. It can be frustrating, she admits, and dogged persistence is needed. Over her years at Siemens Energy, she has learned that solutions do eventually show up, so it is important to keep working and never give up. To Katrin, real failure is not a bad test result, but rather, not asking the right questions of the result, and losing sight of the original objective in pursuit of something more interesting. I like figuring things out, understanding why something works—or why it doesn’t. Materials Scientist, Siemens Energy She recalls one project where a test sample didn’t work out. Her boss asked her whether she was disappointed. She wasn’t. “Actually, I’m glad when the first test doesn’t work out, because if the first test works you just take it for granted, you don’t learn anything from it.” The failure forced the team to understand what had gone wrong and why, and they eventually found a way to work through. “That felt great,” she says. Away from work, Katrin enjoys spending time in the garden and nature, plays piano, practices yoga, sees friends, while also drawing strength from time spent alone. “I’m never bored alone, never.” It is often in these private, unfocused moments that she has moments of clarity. “If your head is too focused on getting an idea, that doesn’t always work. For me, it helps to be a bit more relaxed.” What does the future hold? Katrin believes AI is a genuine opportunity for scientists and engineers, and not a threat. “It’s still the people who ask the right questions, draw the right conclusions from the results and make the decisions,” she says. “AI can help us, but curiosity, creativity, and judgement remain human strengths—that can’t be replaced by AI.” She urges anyone contemplating a career in science or engineering to “go for it”. “It’s a highly diverse career that constantly challenges you and never becomes boring.” More than three decades after following her father through ceramics factories, Katrin still likes visiting manufacturing sites to see how new products are made. The difference is that some of the technologies being produced now contain ideas she helped create. About the author: Based in Australia, Aarti Betigeri is a journalist and member of the international Primafila Correspondents team based. A former South Asia correspondent, she writes on international affairs, policy, technology and people. Combined picture and videos credits: 12 Stars Media A materials scientist typically starts with a degree in materials science, materials engineering, chemistry, physics or a related engineering discipline. Entry from chemistry, physics or another engineering field is also common. For research-focused careers, many choose to pursue a PhD, building expertise in how materials perform and helping develop innovative solutions across industries such as energy, manufacturing and technology. A career in materials science combines hands-on lab work with analysis and long-term problem-solving. The field plays an important role in advancing new technologies and supporting the energy transition. Katrin Benkert recommends it to anyone weighing a career in science or engineering. At Siemens Energy, a materials scientist plans and conducts measurement campaigns, designs and tests material samples, and analyses results to improve performance and reliability. They also help develop more sustainable technologies, including SF₆-free switchgear solutions, supporting the energy transition through innovative materials and engineering expertise. Yes. Materials scientists play a key role in the energy transition because the materials used in grid equipment directly influence its efficiency, durability, safety and environmental impact. At Siemens Energy, they help develop and improve materials that enable more sustainable energy systems, supporting technologies that make power generation, transmission and distribution cleaner and more reliable.