text: Wolfgang Stahl finished his diploma in chemistry at the University of Kiel in 1983. He received his doctorate in 1987 at the University of Kiel. In 1992, he finished his habilitation in physical chemistry at the University of Kiel. Since 1995, he was professor for molecular spectroscopy at the RWTH Aachen University. For many years he was chairman of the examination board for chemistry and person in charge for the Erasmus Programme in chemistry.