Internship Project
Chemistry

Atmospherically Relevant Nanoparticles

Institution
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Department for Chemistry
Subject Area
Molecular Clusters
Availability
04 May – 24 July
18 May – 07 August
01 June – 21 August
15 June – 04 September
 
Internship Modality:
On-site internship in Berlin

Applications for summer 2026 are open from 05 November to 18 December 2025.
Project Supervisor(s)
Dr. Wolfgang Christen
Academic Level
Advanced undergraduate students (from second year) 
Master's students 
Ph.D. students 
Language
English
Further Information
Project Type
Academic Research
Project Content
The formation and composition of clouds are a high priority for an improved understanding of atmospheric processes. In our experiments, we generate condensation nuclei (clusters) of atmospherically relevant atoms or molecules by the supersonic expansion of a gas into an ultrahigh vacuum. 
By varying the experimental parameters, we can change the particle size over many orders of magnitude, from 1 to approximately 1 million molecules per particle, corresponding to nanoparticles up to 20 nm in diameter. In this project, we characterize the particle size using Rayleigh scattering. 
The task will be to measure particle size as a function of experimental conditions to improve understanding of the condensation process.
Tasks for Interns
  • Data acquisition 
  • Data evaluation
  • Data visualization
Academic Level
Advanced undergraduate students (from second year) 
Master's students 
Ph.D. students 
Requirements
Computer skills (knowledge in, e.g., Matlab or Mathematica).
Expected Preparation
Selected interns are expected to contact the supervisor for literature prior to the visit.
Back to Project List

For more information on the Humboldt Internship Program or the project, please contact the program coordinator.