Heinz Kalt studied Physics at the Universities of Bielefeld and Bonn and earned his doctoral degree in Physics from J.W. Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main in 1985. He stayed two years (1985-1987) as a postdoc and visiting professor at Center for Applied Quantum Electronics of North Texas State University in Denton (USA). The focus of his research at that time was in the area of optical spectroscopy of semiconductors in particular at high-excitation conditions. These studies were continued and extended to the search for excitonic laser materials for the blue and visible spectral range at Max Planck Institute of Solid-State Research (1988-1991) and at University Kaiserslautern (1991-1994). After his Habilitation (1993) he held a position of Substitute Professor at University Kaiserslautern.
In October 1994 Heinz Kalt was appointed Professor of Applied Physics at Universität Karlsruhe (TH) (now Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, KIT). Since then his research interest included temporally and spatially resolved optical spectroscopy of excitons in semiconductor nano-structures, storage of spin states in quantum dots, the influence of disorder on carrier dynamics and laser processes, artificial organic light-harvesting complexes, optical whispering-gallery resonators for application in bio-sensing and as flexible photonic devices, as well as optimization of novel absorber materials for thin-film solar cells. Heinz Kalt has (co-)authored about 450 publications as well as several books (in particular the advanced second-volume textbook ‘Semiconductor Optics’).
Heinz Kalt has served the academic community by holding various offices like Dean of the Physics Department at KIT, Dean of Studies of Karlsruhe School of Optics and Photonics (KSOP), as well as elected member and temporary Speaker of the KIT Senate. During his longtime function as Ombudsperson for Good Scientific Praxis he was significantly involved in the development of scientific-integrity structures and procedures at KIT – the merger of a university and a major research center.
Heinz Kalt retired in April 2023. Since January 1st, 2025, he is an appointed member of the Ombuds Committee for Research Integrity in Germany (OWID).
Titelfoto via Pixabay