The Bio-economy Research and Technology Council advises the government of Germany on measures to promote the bioeconomy in Germany. The Council makes policy recommendations to policy makers, science and industry in the corresponding fields of research and action. The members of the Council are respected senior figures drawn from across the fields of science.
In developing its reports and recommendations, the Council works independently on its own authority. It is administratively associated with Acatech. The Council is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
The BMBF links the Council to the Federal Government and the respective Ministries. The first project phase is scheduled to last three years. The Council is supported by a secretariat located in Berlin.
The Council’s task is to advise the Government on strategic fields of action to improve the framework for innovation and new technologies, to promote the development and diffusion of innovative technologies, as well as to identify prospective needs for research.
The Bio-economy Council produces expert reports including recommendations for action. Reports are handed over to policy makers during public events. Such events serve to promote the exchange between science and industry.
The Council moreover issues expert opinions on current topics in response to requests from policy makers, science, and industry. Reports and recommendations are published and made available to the public online and in print.
The Council meets regularly. It draws on additional expertise by commissioning studies and reports as well as by hosting hearings and workshops.
Dr. Reinhard F. Hüttl (Chair)
Chair of the Executive Board, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences Potsdam; President of Acatech; Professor of Soil Protection and Re-cultivation at Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus
Dr. Andreas J. Büchting (Deputy Chairman)
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, KWS SAAT AG
Dr. Bernd Müller-Röber (Deputy Chairman)
Professor of Molecular Biology; Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology; Professor at University of Potsdam
Dr. Joachim von Braun (Deputy Chairman)
Director, Center for Development Research (ZEF)
Dr. Achim Bachem
Chairman of the Board of Directors, Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH
Dr. Helmut Born
Secretary-General of the German Farmers' Party (Deutscher Bauernverband e.V.)
Dr. Hannelore Daniel
Technische Universität München (TUM), Molecular Nutrition Unit
Dr. Utz-Hellmuth Felcht
Managing Director, One Equity Partners Europe, Munich; Member of the Acatech Executive Board
Dr. Thomas Hirth
Director, Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology; Director of Institute for Inter facial Engineering, University of Stuttgart
Dr. Folkhard Isermeyer
President, Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute Braunschweig, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries
Dr. Stefan Marcinowski
Board member of BASF SE
Dr. Thomas C. Mettenleiter
President, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute (FLI) Isle of Riems, Federal Research Institute of Animal Health
Dr. Alfred Pühler
CeBiTec, Bielefeld University
Dr. Manfred Schwerin
Professor of Animal Breeding, University of Rostock; Director, Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals
Dr. Wiltrud Treffenfeldt
Director Bioprocess R&D, Dow AgroSciences LLC, Indianapolis, USA
Dr. Fritz Vahrenholt
Chief Executive Officer, RWE Innogy GmbH
Dr. Holger Zinke
Chairman, BRAIN AG
Dr. Christian Patermann (permanent guest)
NRW Government Adviser on Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy
Dr. Alexander Zehnder (permanent guest)
Director, Water Research Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
