Excerpt from the preamble

"The non-profit Scimus et Sciemus Foundation, established by founders Hannelore and Bernhard Kissler, serves to promote basic research, particularly in the field of pure organic chemistry. The foundation rests on the belief in the power of natural sciences to gradually unravel the mysteries of the world, so that one day humanity will understand what holds the world together at its core."

Furthermore, it says

"In his 1971 essay 'The Significance of Beauty in Exact Natural Science,' Werner Heisenberg reminded us of the immense creative power inherent in beauty, as a postulated principle of being itself, for the discovery of truth throughout history. Things perceived as beautiful are linked to high symmetry in nature and in the visual arts, to the symmetry of equations in physics and mathematics, and to the symmetry of molecules and structures in chemistry. Therefore, the foundation, grounded in the belief in the connection between aesthetics and scientific knowledge, honors the application of symmetry principles and the exploration of highly symmetrical compounds in chemistry and its interdisciplinary fields."

Full preamble

Awards

Every two years, the foundation awards prizes to scientific works that meet one or more of the following criteria:

1. Symmetry and Aesthetics in Chemistry
2. Synthesis of highly symmetrical compounds in chemistry
3. Innovative application of symmetry in chemical systems
4. Importance of symmetry in molecular structures
5. Significance of symmetry in biochemistry and molecular biology
6. Influence of symmetry on chemical reactivity and synthesis
7. Presentation of symmetry principles and their application
8. Practical applications of symmetry in chemistry

Furthermore, the foundation awards a one-time prize for the first synthesis of

1,2,3,4-all- cis -tetravinylcyclobutane
2,4,6,8-Tetramethylenetricyclo [3.3.0.0 ^3.7 ] octane

The successful synthesis is endowed with a prize of 2000 euros each.

Excellent

The founders

Bernhard Erwin Kissler, winner of the Jugend Forscht Prize and the Sophie Bernthsen Foundation Award, studied chemistry and biochemistry in Heidelberg and earned his doctorate in 1987 with Rolf Gleiter on through-bond interactions in strained hydrocarbons. Following a research stay at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, he pursued a career in European Patent Law.

Hannelore Louise Kissler, pharmaceutical consultant for 1,4-dihydropyridines and other calcium channel antagonists, has accompanied her husband on their life's journey since their days spent in Heidelberg.

The couple are comfortable not only with Latin but also with several modern languages, share a love of Italian opera and an interest in molecular biology and cosmology in the natural sciences. They are also fascinated by wreck diving and, not least, enjoy cooking refined dishes in their gourmet kitchen at home.

Literary baggage:
Michel de Montaigne, Essais
Per Lagerkvist, Den fordringsfulla gästen
François-Marie Arouet, Candide ou l'optimisme
L. Annaeus Seneca, Epistulae Morales

The advisory board

Dr. Bernhard E. Kissler (Founder)
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Dehnen, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and GDCh President 2024/25
Dr. Tom Kinzel, GDCh Executive Director
Prof. Dr. Martin Oestreich, Technical University of Berlin
Prof. Dr. Birgit Weber, Friedrich Schiller University Jena