In their research, Neudecker‘s working group develops simulation methods for materials under mechanical stress. All relevant orders of magnitude are taken into account, from individual molecules to macroscopic materials. The working group then uses these models to develop plastics on the computer that change color under mechanical stress, which can be used in the construction and transportation industries, for example. The researchers also implement simulation methods to develop paper that remains tear-resistant when wet.

In addition, the team investigates fundamental questions about the behavior of molecules and materials in high-pressure and tensile experiments, as well as the stability of biochemical systems on the ocean floor. The simulation methods developed by Neudecker's group thus provide both a fundamental understanding of the behavior of chemical systems under mechanical stress and impetus for the development of novel materials.

Tim Neudecker studied chemistry at the Goethe University Frankfurt and then earned his doctorate in theoretical chemistry at Heidelberg University. After a two-year postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Berkeley, he joined the University of Bremen in 2019 as a tenure-track professor of theoretical chemistry, which was converted to a regular professorship in July 2025.