Gerd Meyer studied chemistry at the Justus-Liebig University in Giessen under the supervision of Rudolf Hoppe. He gained his doctorate in 1976, and in 1980 worked with John D. Corbett at Iowa State University. In 1982 he gained his lecturing qualification in inorganic chemistry at Giessen, becoming a Full Professor at the University of Hanover in 1988. He subsequently moved to the same position at the University of Cologne in 1996. Professor Meyer's main research interests focus on solid-state and coordination chemistry of rare-earth elements and transition elements.