Anna Schenk’s research is at the interface between physical chemistry and the materials sciences. She uniquely combines interdisciplinary concepts from biomineralisation with physical-chemical concepts of electrocatalysis. The novelty of this approach is to apply nature’s designs to the structuring of crystalline materials to catalyst materials. In this way, Schenk’s work has contributed to a better understanding of the synthesis and analysis of complex hybrid and hierarchically structured crystalline systems. Applying the structuring concepts of biominerals to electrocatalysts such as cobalt oxide also enables a completely new approach to synthesising this class of catalyst for the energy transition. Schenk is the project leader of a DFG-funded Collaborative Research Centre and secured DFG funding for a major piece of research instrumentation. She is also the Deputy Spokesperson of the Junges Kolleg (Young Academy) of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities.