Ruth Bieringer becomes President of the GDCh
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Dr. Ruth Bieringer, Vice President Technology & Innovation – Material Technology at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies, will become President of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) effective January 1, 2026. During her two-year term, she aims to intensify the dialogue with political decision-makers and advocate for fact-based scientific information.
Dr. Ruth Bieringer
Freudenberg Sealing Technologies
Ruth Bieringer was elected as the future president of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) with one abstention at the GDCh Executive Board meeting on October 1, 2025. She succeeds Professor Dr. Stefanie Dehnen from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), who held the office for a two-year term. Dr. Carla Seidel, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, and Dr. Susanne Rehn-Taube, Deutsches Museum Munich, were elected vice presidents, also starting in January 2026. The Executive Committee also includes Dr. Franz von Nussbaum, Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Berlin, as treasurer, and Stefanie Dehnen as Immediate Past President for the first year.
The president-elect aims to intensify dialogue with policymakers and other stakeholders. "Humanity is facing profound social and scientific challenges, and we as scientists must play a central role in solving them," says Ruth Bieringer. "It is particularly important to me that political decisions are made on the basis of sound scientific findings, and that we as the GDCh are available as a reliable and competent partner. We chemists, in particular, are called upon to make our contribution to overcoming the global challenges of our time."
Ruth Bieringer, born in 1971, studied chemistry at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz before completing her doctorate in polymer chemistry at the University of Bayreuth in 1999. She then began her Career at Freudenberg, which led her to her current position via several positions in central research. Since 2020, she has been Vice President Technology & Innovation – Material Technology at Freudenberg Sealing Technologies in Weinheim. She is also a lecturer in materials science (polymers) at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences. In addition to her involvement with the GDCh, Ruth Bieringer is involved in the German Rubber Society (DKG), the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), and the German Institute of Rubber Technology (DIK).
She has been a member of the GDCh's Board since 2024 and also heads the PFAS think tank. She is also Chair of the advisory board of the Dr. Hermann Schnell Foundation, whose goal is to support young scientists in the field of macromolecular chemistry. In 2024, she was awarded the Meyer-Galow Award for Business Chemistry.
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