Jürgen Jung - At the forefront of innovation and technology development
Last updated:
March 7, 2026
For many people, standards sound like dry, technical agreements that are laid down somewhere behind closed doors. But anyone who listens to Jürgen Jung, manager of materials testing at Agfa, will quickly discover a different story. Standard development turns out to be a living process, driven by international cooperation, social developments, and technological breakthroughs. In this article, based on an extensive interview with Jürgen, you will gain insight into how standards are created, why they are so important, and what participating in standards development offers young professionals.
Jürgen is a physicist by training and has been working at Agfa for more than twenty years. He started his career in Leverkusen, at a time when silver halide photography was still a widely used technique. "Even then, it was already clear that analog photography was coming to an end," he says. Digital cameras quickly gained ground as soon as all the components—sensors, batteries, memory, and data transfer—became affordable and reliably available to end users.
Although photography became digital, people continued to print images. Digital photos were first exposed on classic photo paper and later also printed using inkjet and toner technology. When Agfa discontinued its research into silver halide photography in Leverkusen, Jürgen moved to Agfa's headquarters in Mortsel, where he continued to focus on color and image quality, but for new imaging materials. At the same time, he took on the role of expert in the ISO TC42 working group 'WG5 Image Permanence' for Agfa. "That's how I got into the world of standards development."
Jürgen's expertise lies in characterizing and testing materials. From the outset, his focus has been on color and image quality, and their stability in the intended application. When medical imaging (X-ray) made its first digital transition, there was a need for a new type of hardcopy print for medical images that had the same look and feel as classic X-rays but could be printed directly digitally with a special thermal printer, eliminating the need for wet chemical development of the image on X-ray film. The digital medical print was now available to the doctor for diagnosis with virtually no waiting time. "In that domain, standards are indispensable," he explains, "because it's not about aesthetics, but about diagnostic information."
An important aspect of medical images is their archiving, because for practical and legal reasons they often have to be kept for twenty years or longer. Since we cannot wait that long to test materials, accelerated laboratory tests are being developed. These test methods are laid down in ISO standards so that results are comparable worldwide.
Over the years, Jürgens' expertise broadened to include the stability of polymeric materials in the broadest sense: how do digital prints react when exposed outdoors to heat, moisture, UV radiation, or air pollutants such as ozone? how do the color and gloss change, or does the printed image start to show craquelure in addition to fading, or lose its adhesion to the substrate?
In the context of films or polymer composite materials, which Agfa bv. has developed as functional polymers in regenerative energy systems, such as backsheets in photovoltaic modules and separators for alkaline hydrogen electrolysers, Jürgen also looks at the preservation of the mechanical and functional properties of these materials over time. The associated standards, which define the requirements for the safe construction of photovoltaic modules or hydrogen electrolysers, and which also cover functional polymer materials, are indispensable for the technical approval of these products by the relevant institutions. "A broad view of material behaviour is essential for reliable and sustainable technology."
Standards ensure the quality of materials and, consequently, their safety in use. But how are these standards established?
Standard development is a process in which international agreements are made about quality, safety, measurement methods, and terminology. This takes place within organizations such as ISO and IEC, through technical committees and working groups. Participation is voluntary, the working groups are internationally composed, and decisions are made on the basis of consensus.
For Jürgen, standard development is anything but abstract. "Technical experts are indispensable in standards committees," he says. "They ensure that standards are technically correct, practically applicable, and future-oriented." After all, technology is constantly changing, sometimes even disruptively. Standards must evolve along with it.
Jürgen is active in ISO TC 42, the technical committee for photography. That committee, which once started with standards for analog images, now deals with a wide range of digital printing technologies. Jürgen focuses on the stability and physical properties of prints, both for indoor and outdoor applications, from Sign & Display to textiles and traffic signs.
Because technologies and applications overlap, technical committees often work together in joint working groups. This requires consultation and coordination, but it is also fascinating. "You learn a tremendous amount from this cross-pollination," says Jürgen.
The composition of technical committees is diverse and brings together experts from industry, research institutes, testing laboratories, and universities from around the world. The standard development process itself is structured, involving various phases with working documents, comment rounds, and votes. Everything is laid down in ISO guidelines, with clear timing and rules.
Developing standards takes time, commitment, and patience. In a way, it's like a long-distance run in a group. Projects often run for two to four years, and the work is on top of your daily tasks. Face-to-face meetings require travel, or increasingly, meetings are held remotely, sometimes outside office hours, with time zones that can differ by up to nine hours in one direction or the other. Nevertheless, for Jürgen, the benefits far outweigh these additional efforts.
"You're in the front row of technology development," he says. "You learn how test methods are set up, how consensus is reached, and how best practices are defined. You also develop soft skills: leading meetings, arguing and negotiating, taking cultural differences into account... And you become part of an international network of experts you would never otherwise meet."
According to Jürgen, standard development is a unique learning experience for young engineers. In the beginning, you mainly listen, but gradually you can contribute more and more. "If your employer is willing to invest in this, it is hugely enriching for your professional development."
Standard development is not something that is far removed from everyday life. It is a socially relevant process that helps determine how technology is used safely, sustainably, and reliably. You see this in medical imaging, but also in the green energy transition and, last but not least, in AI: standards closely follow innovation.
Jürgen is an avid standards developer: "However complex it may sometimes seem, I believe that the ISO system is the best possible way to achieve consensus at the international level and guarantee best practices. Standards evolve with innovation and social change, while at the same time providing a foundation. They help shape the future.
For him, participating in standard development is therefore a clear added value. "I can recommend it to any ambitious, enthusiastic, and eager-to-learn engineer."
Would you also like to know how you can contribute to the development of new standards?
