Graduate Institute

Pure Precision: PhD for Sara Schäfers Research on New Sensors to Safeguard the Quality of Ultra-Pure Water

Doktorandin Sara Schäfer

Wednesday 29 April 2026

From invisible impurities to real-time monitoring—innovative sensor technology enables continuous quality control of ultra-pure water.

The Graduate Institute of the Hochschule Bonn-Rhein-Sieg congratulates Sara Schäfer on the successful completion of her doctoral degree. Her research makes an important contribution to ensuring the highest quality standards in ultra-pure water systems—an essential requirement in fields such as medicine, pharmaceuticals, and high-tech industries.

Monitoring What Cannot Be Seen

In her dissertation, Sara Schäfer focused on the development and testing of two novel sensor systems designed for the continuous monitoring of ultra-pure water, also known as reinstwater. These sensors enable the real-time measurement of critical parameters, including total organic carbon (TOC) and dissolved ozone—both key indicators of water purity.

The main achievement of her work lies in enabling reliable online monitoring, allowing even the smallest, otherwise undetectable impurities to be identified immediately. This represents a significant step forward in maintaining stringent quality control in sensitive applications where water purity is crucial.

Doctoral Defense in Essen

Sara Schäfer defended her dissertation in Essen. The examination committee included Prof. Dr. Torsten C. Schmidt as supervisor and first examiner, Prof. Dr. Peter Kaul (H-BRS) as second examiner, and Prof. Dr. Erna Wieduwilt as chair of the examination board.

Career Start in Medical Quality Management

Following her successful doctorate, Sara Schäfer has begun her professional career as a Quality Management Officer in the field of virology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB), where she contributes her expertise to ensuring high standards in medical diagnostics and research.

„My piece of advice for those currently working on their PhD: Don’t let setbacks discourage you, as they are an integral part of the scientific process. Even if the path is sometimes rocky and the goal seems a long way off: keep at it and take it one step at a time. The feeling of finally holding the finished work in your hands and knowing you’ve made a real contribution makes up for every sleepless night.”

Dr. Sara Schäfer - PhD in Chemistry 2026

portraet_sara_schaefer_cut.jpg (DE)

Anlaufstellen

Graduierteninstitut: Contact

Campus

Sankt Augustin

Room

F 427 , F 425, F 423

Address

Grantham-Allee 20

53757 Sankt Augustin

Opening hours

Mon-Fr 9.00 am-1.00 pm call us, send an e-mail or make an appointment for individual counselingfor

E-mail

gi@h-brs.de