The new senior management of the ILL took up duties on October 1, 2026. Regine Willumeit-Römer, appointed by Germany for this term of office, is now the ILL Director. Ken Andersen and Jacques Jestin continue as Associate Directors for the UK and France, respectively, carrying on from the previous management team.
Professor at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Kiel (Germany), Regine Willumeit-Römer was previously acting Scientific Director of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon and head of its Institute for Metallic Biomaterials. For the last two decades, she has been engaged in biomaterials research, with a strong focus on the development of degradable metallic implants and bridging fundamental research with innovative applications that benefit both academia and industry.
The appointment of the new team was announced in June. The new director takes over the reins of the ILL at a particularly exciting time. The Institute is at the peak of its performance, and its crucial role in the European neutron landscape and as a pillar of European leadership and sovereignty in science and innovation is increasingly recognised.
ILL is an outstanding research facility where cutting-edge neutron research, international collaboration, and scientific excellence come together. We are striving to further develop and open up new fields of research and to maximise our impact on science and society. Let’s build the future together!
Funded and managed by France, Germany and the United Kingdom, in partnership with 10 Scientific Member countries, the ILL is led by a General Director and two Associate Directors representing the Institute’s three Associate countries in rotating roles.
In a General Assembly held on October 13, Regine Willumeit-Römer met the community and answered questions from staff members. The General Assembly was followed by a convivial moment that traditionally marks the arrival of new ILL directors.
