text: Martin Albrecht completed his undergraduate education at the University of Bern from 1991 to 1996. His early research career started in 1996 during his PhD studies under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Gerard van Koten at Utrecht University, in The Netherlands. He studied the formation and properties of novel inorganic materials using the privileged pincer ligand platform which led, for example, to discoveries such as organoplatinium complexes that appeared applicable as very sensitive SO sensors. In 2001, Martin Albrecht was awarded the Backer price from the Royal Dutch Chemical Society (KNCV) in recognition of his PhD thesis work.