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An example for this is the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, founded in 1982. This Canadian global research organization has 350 members, fellows, and consultants of more than 100 institutions from 16 countries. The aim is to bring together outstanding scientists in interdisciplinary and global networks to manage the most important issues of our time. The Institute is active in a number of exciting research fields, of which each single one is defined for a 5-year-period. One of the newer fields of research is called ‘Bio-inspired Solar Energy’. Suggested by Prof. Edward Sargent, University of Toronto, Prof. Leo has recently been invited to participate in this new network as a Senior Fellow and therefore now receives annual financial support for the duration of 5 years.

Prof. Leo comments: "The idea of combining the physical utilization of solar energy with the ideas that nature has developed over millions of years is fascinating. So far, there was little communication between these research topics. Thus, one of the most difficult problems facing humankind can be solved, the regenerative power supply and storage."

International networking is also an aim of the Optical Society of America, which elected Prof. Leo as an ‘OSA Fellow 2016’ for his work on the discovery of Bloch oscillations and on organic devices, such as organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), solar cells, and transistors, among others resulted in highly successful spin-offs. Bloch oscillations are a fundamental transport effect in solids: in a very strong electric field, an electron moves not continuously but oscillates.

Prof. Leo says: "These awards are a great recognition of our work. They show that the IAPP is internationally highly regarded for cutting-edge research on organic semiconductors. Only the consistent development of our international network allows to keep our leading position."