Project Office

Energy Systems of the Future
Project
Project Office

The Project Office “Energy Systems of the Future”

The Project Office “Energy Systems of the Future” supports the members and various committees in the project work. The Project Office is located at the office of acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering at Pariser Platz 4a in Berlin an at the office of acatech at Karolinenplatz 4 in Munich.

The Project Office staff

coordinate the Working Groups and supports their technical work
conceive and organise workshops and dialogue panels
prepare and follow up committee meetings
support the editorial and publication processes
are responsible for the press and PR

Employees

Dr. Cyril Stephanos
Energy Systems of the Future
Head of Project Office

Dr. Cyril Stephanos
Head of Project Office
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-22
stephanos@acatech.de

Cyril Stephanos is Head of the ESYS Project Office. He joined the Project Office in March 2014 as Scientific Officer. After his PhD in physics, he did research in the fields of energy conversion and materials science at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research. During his time as a PhD student at the Department of Experimental Physics at the University of Augsburg, he also worked at the Department of Resource Strategy.

Daniela Niethammer
Energy Systems of the Future
Deputy Head of Project Office / Stakeholder Dialogues Officer

Daniela Niethammer
Deputy Head of Project Office / Stakeholder Dialogues Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-25
niethammer@acatech.de

Daniela Niethammer joined the ESYS Project team in January 2018 as coordinator for Stakeholder Dialogues. Since September 2022, she has been Deputy Head of the Project Office. Her previous activities focused on Franco-German energy cooperation during which she spent two years working for the science and energy department of the French Embassy in Berlin. She studied political science in France and England and specialized in international relations and renewable energies.

Dr. Berit Erlach
Energy Systems of the Future
Scientific Officer

Dr. Berit Erlach
Scientific Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-24
erlach@acatech.de

Berit Erlach joined the Project in September 2013 and is mainly responsible for the topics of flexibility, decentralisation, raw materials and bioenergy. Previously, she worked as a research associate at the TU Berlin and wrote her doctoral thesis on bioenergy. After her graduation in energy and process engineering, she worked for three years in an engineering office in the fields of technical engineering and energy consulting.

Sven Wurbs
Energy Systems of the Future
Scientific Officer

Sven Wurbs
Scientific Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-23
wurbs@acatech.de

Sven Wurbs joined the ESYS project office in April 2021. He is currently supporting the working group „Hydrogen Economy 2030“. Previously, he worked on and coordinated inter- and transdisciplinary research projects at an institute of practice-oriented sustainability research. These projects dealt with topics such as energy policy, adaptation to climate change impacts, the development of rural areas and the sustainable design of supply infrastructures. He earned his degree in political science in Berlin.

Magdalena Gutnik
Energy Systems of the Future
On parental leave
Scientific Officer

Magdalena Gutnik
Scientific Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-31
gutnik@acatech.de

Magdalena Gutnik joined the ESYS project office in August 2021. She is currently working on renewable energies and is supporting the working group „Climate-friendly expansion of photovoltaics and wind energy“. Previously, she worked at a think tank in a project on European municipal climate action. Magdalena Gutnik studied Political Science, South Asian Studies and Natural Resource Management in Heidelberg, Aarhus and Berlin.

Miriam Borgmann
Energy Systems of the Future
Scientific Officer

Miriam Borgmann
Scientific Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
089/52 03 09-75
borgmann@acatech.de

Miriam Borgmann started working for the ESYS project in September 2021. Currently she is supporting the working group „Energy market of the future“. Before joining ESYS, she worked for a sustainability consultancy for the real estate sector. In her master programme„Sustainable Resource Management“ at the Technical University of Munich she took part in research of sustainable energy systems and completed her thesis at the Chair of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. During her studies she worked in the sustainability department of Siemens Energy.

Jörn Gierds
Energy Systems of the Future
Scientific Officer

Jörn Gierds
Scientific Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-50
gierds@acatech.de

Jörn Gierds joined the ESYS project office in February 2022. He currently supports the "Integrated Energy System" working group and works on the subject of building and housing. Before joining ESYS, he worked for several years in management consultancies in the energy sector. In these positions, he was particularly involved with topics in the fields of power-to-X / hydrogen, the heating market and grid operation. Jörn Gierds studied Economics and European Studies in Berlin and Frankfurt (Oder).

Anja Lapac
Energy Systems of the Future
Communications Officer

Anja Lapac
Communications Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
089/52 03 09-850
lapac@acatech.de

Anja Lapac joined the ESYS Project team in May 2020 as Coordinator Communications. Prior to this, she was an Online Editor at an Art College and worked for a specialist book publisher as PR- and Project Manager. Alongside her studies in art history and comparative literature she worked in several cultural institutions in the fields of Public Relations and the Arts.

Annika Seiler
Energy Systems of the Future
Publications Officer

Annika Seiler
Publications Officer
Energy Systems of the Future
089/52 03 09-848
seiler@acatech.de

Annika Seiler has been a coordinator for publications in the project Energy Systems of the Future since April 2020. Prior to this, she was responsible as a media producer and project manager in the publishing sector with a focus on calendars, puzzles and B2B. After her studies of Publishing Production Management in Leipzig, she worked as production manager for a publisher of specialist books and journals.

Claire Stark
Energy Systems of the Future
Trainee

Claire Stark
Trainee
Energy Systems of the Future
089/52 03 09-929
stark@acatech.de

Claire Stark joined the ESYS Project team in February 2023 as a trainee. She supports the Project Office in communications and public relations. Previously, alongside her studies in chemistry, she worked in the exhibition service of a museum of science and technology and at the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft in the field of science communication.

Christiane Abele
Energy Systems of the Future
Project Assistant

Christiane Abele
Project Assistant
Energy Systems of the Future
089/52 03 09-34
abele@acatech.de

Christiane Abele has been with acatech since October 2017. Until April 2020 she supported the Finance/Human Resources department as a clerk, since May she has been working as a project assistant for the project Energy Systems of the Future. Prior to this, the trained travel management assistant worked mainly as an assistant for various international companies.

Florentine Straub
Energy Systems of the Future
Project Assistant

Florentine Straub
Project Assistant
Energy Systems of the Future
030/2 06 30 96-54
straub@acatech.de

Florentine Straub joined acatech in February 2011. Until March 2013, she was employed as team assistant for the acatech project centre, since then she has been supporting the ESYS Project Office as a project assistant. Her prior professional experiences include jobs as an assistant in a medical specialist association and as an IT management assistant for various companies.

David Knichel
Energy Systems of the Future
Working Student

David Knichel
Working Student
Energy Systems of the Future
knichel@acatech.de

David Knichel works as student assistant in the „Energy Systems of the Future“ project since May 2022. He studied industrial engineering at the TH Köln - Technology, Arts, Sciences focussing on energy efficiency policy and greenhouse gas balancing. He is currently studying Sustainability Science and Policy at Maastricht University. In the project he supports the communication team and the scientific advisors in their work.

Tim Brändel
Energy Systems of the Future
Working Student

Tim Brändel
Working Student
Energy Systems of the Future
braendel@acatech.de

Tim Brändel supports the communication team and scientific advisors of the "Energy Systems of the Future" project as a student assistant since January 2023. He completed his bachelor's degree in Mechatronics and Information Technology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and is currently studying Electrical Engineering with a specialisation in Electrical Power Engineering at the Technical University of Berlin.

Benedikte Eiden
Energy Systems of the Future
Working Student

Benedikte Eiden
Working Student
Energy Systems of the Future
eiden@acatech.de

Benedikte Eiden joined the ESYS project team in June 2022 as a student assistant. She studied economics at the University of Bonn and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor program of political science at the Technical University of Munich. Previously, she worked as a student assistant in the communications department of the acatech secretariat. In the project, she supports the communication team and the scientific advisors in their work.