Wöhler Award for Sustainable Chemistry

The Wöhler Award for Sustainable Chemistry has its roots in the Chemical Society of the GDR, which awarded a prize named after Friedrich Wöhler from 1960 to 1991. In 1998 the GDCh resumed this award. The Wöhler Prize for Resource-Conserving Processes was awarded until 2011 for innovative research contracts on greater environmental compatibility, responsible use of existing or development of new resources. In 2012 the prize was renamed Wöhler Award for Sustainable Chemistry and is awarded for pioneering and outstanding contributions to the development and implementation of sustainable chemistry.

awardee 2023 - Klaus Kümmerer, Leuphana University Lüneburg

Professor Dr. Klaus Kümmerer has done groundbreaking work in sustainable chemistry. He has specialized in areas such as recyclable plastics, wastewater reuse and the end-of-life Management of solar systems. In addition, he introduced the concept of "Benign by Design" to reduce environmental impacts through targeted molecular design. His successes include the development of environmentally friendly ionic liquids and biodegradable antibiotics. In addition, he is committed to integrating sustainable topics into chemistry education.

More information about Professor Kümmerer

Selection committee

Dr. Maximilian Hempel, German Federal Environmental Foundation (lead)
Prof. Dr. Michael AR Meier, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Prof. Dr. Peter Saling, BASF SE
Prof. Dr. Ferdi Schüth, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research
Prof. Dr. Jennifer Strunk, Technical University of Munich
Dr. Dorit Wolf, Evonik