The Max Planck Society only takes up research fields if it can appoint scientists and researchers who are regarded worldwide as leaders in their respective fields. The Senate of the Max Planck Society appoints them to Scientific Members and Directors at a Max Planck Institute.

Scientific Members are offered as much autonomy as possible along with sufficient resources to allow them and their teams to carry our innovative research at the frontiers of science. A specific research area is therefore closely linked to the researcher and his or her team. The flexible organization of the Max Planck Society allows it to discontinue research areas after they have been sufficiently investigated.