Anna Büttner joined the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in 2020 as part of the Infrastructure and Complex Networks Group. Her doctoral work applied methods from complexity science to real-world power systems and focused on the stability of renewable energy grids. She earned her PhD jointly from PIK and Humboldt University of Berlin in 2025.
Contact
14412 Potsdam
ORCID
Education
PhD in Theoretical Physics, Humboldt University of Berlin & Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (2021–2025)
Thesis: “Dynamics and Stability of Inverter-Dominated Power Grids”
Graduated summa cum laude
MSc in Physics, Humboldt University of Berlin (2018–2021)
Final grade: 1.2
BSc in Physics, Free University of Berlin and University of Amsterdam (2014–2018)
Professional Experience
Postdoctoral Researcher, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (since June 2025)
Working on machine learning and energy transition projects, with a focus on system identification of grid devices for industry partners.
Doctoral Researcher, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (June 2021 – May 2025)
Developed mathematical models and simulation tools for power grid stability analysis, created large datasets for machine learning applications, and extended vendor-agnostic inverter models. Published peer-reviewed research and presented findings at national and international conferences. Contributed to the DFG Priority Program 1984 on energy transition challenges.
Below are my five most important publications that best highlight my work. For a detailed list of my publications, please refer to my scholar profile or ORCID profile.
Complex-Phase, Data-Driven Identification of Grid-Forming Inverter Dynamics
A. Büttner et al., IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, 2025.
doi:10.1109/TSG.2025.3591891
Small-signal stability of power systems with voltage droop
J. Niehues, R. Delabays, A. Büttner, F. Hellmann, IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, 2025.
doi:10.1109/TPWRS.2025.3613855
Complex Couplings – A universal, adaptive and bilinear formulation of power grid dynamics
A. Büttner, F. Hellmann, PRX Energy, 2024.
doi:10.1103/PRXEnergy.3.013005
A Framework for Synthetic Power System Dynamics
A. Büttner, A. Plietzsch, M. Anvari, F. Hellmann, Chaos, 2023.
doi:10.1063/5.0155971
Ambient Forcing – Sampling Local Perturbations in Constrained Phase Spaces
A. Büttner et al., New Journal of Physics, 2022.
doi:10.1088/1367-2630/ac6822
Invitation to the 73rd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, July 2024
Awarded to promising young scientists in physics.
Physics Master Student Award, Physical Society of Berlin, July 2022
Recognizing outstanding graduates of the Physics Master’s program.
PhD Scholarship, German Academic Scholarship Foundation, Oct 2021 – Dec 2024
Awarded to excellent graduates with a promising doctoral research project.
Research Track Scholarship, Humboldt University of Berlin, Apr 2021 – Oct 2021
Awarded to distinguished Master’s graduates pursuing research-oriented careers.
