In a program designed to attract internationally leading scientists to Germany, the Alexander-von-Humboldt (AvH) Foundation has invited Prof. Royce Zia to spend three months at the University of Duisburg-Essen. In 2001, Prof. Zia was honored with AvH's most prestigious award, the Humboldt Research Prize, and spent several months at the University of Duisburg-Essen, working with Prof. Hans Werner Diehl on phase transitions in complex materials. This year's award will allow him to visit the Diehl group again and continue these fruitful collaborations.