Wenke Weinreich appointed second director at Fraunhofer IPMS, Germany; Strengthens leadership in 300 mm wafer tech
Fraunhofer IPMS Appoints Wenke Weinreich as Second Director
August 3, 2026 Page 1 | 3
Press release — Institute expands leadership team Fraunhofer IPMS Appoints Wenke Weinreich as Second Director The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is expanding its leadership team: Wenke Weinreich has been appointed the institute’s sec- ond director, effective immediately. In her new role, she will be working alongside Institute Director Harald Schenk and guiding the institute’s strate- gic and scientific direction. At the same time, she will take on the professor- ship in Functionalized Microelectronics for Heterogeneous Systems at the Dresden University of Technology. With Weinreich, Fraunhofer IPMS adds a widely recognized expert in advanced 300 mm wa- fer fabrication. She has extensive leadership experience at Fraunhofer IPMS, where she has served as deputy director since 2022. She also led the Center Nanoelectronic Technologies (CNT), one of Germany’s leading hubs for 300 mm microelectronics. The center’s industry- standard 300 mm clean room is central to research and pilot production in advanced CMOS, FEOL/BEOL process modules, memory technologies, quantum computing and new sustainable material systems. “Microelectronics is critical to Germany’s competitiveness and Europe’s technological sover- eignty,” says Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. “By appointing Weinreich, Fraunhofer IPMS is making a strategic investment in a future-critical field with ma- jor relevance to technology and industry. With many years of experience translating research findings into practical industrial applications and her proven expertise in microelectronics, she will play a key role in accelerating and boosting the development of innovative microelectron- ics solutions and bringing them into real-world use for industry and society.” “Fraunhofer IPMS combines outstanding research infrastructure with a highly motivated team and a clear mandate to innovate,” says Weinreich. “My goal is to draw on my experience in 300 mm wafer technology, clean room management and bridging research and industry to help drive the institute’s continued technological and strategic development.” Harald Schenk looks forward to continuing to work with Weinreich. “With her experience in strategic institute development, her research excellence and her extensive network within the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, she will help drive Fraunhofer IPMS’s continued growth and shape its future.”
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