26/23
14 November 2023

Dr. Dennis Lippmann, President of thyssenkrupp Uhde, Houston/USA, will receive the 2023 Meyer-Galow Award for Business Chemistry on November 29th. The prize from the foundation of the same name is affiliated with the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and is endowed with 10,000 euros. Dr. Lippmann and his team have developed and successfully launched a process that can significantly increase the capacity of ammonia plants and improve energy efficiency. The uhde® two-pressure process avoids risks that arise when scaling up other processes. The awardee will receive the award from GDCh President Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier at a ceremony at thyssenkrupp Uhde in Dortmund.

Ammonia has long been one of the most widely produced chemicals – especially for fertilizers. Today, however, the chemical compound of nitrogen and hydrogen is also being discussed as an energy source and hydrogen transport medium.

At the turn of the millennium, an industrial plant produced up to 2000 tons of ammonia per day. Simply scaling up such a plant to increase yield is associated with risks, as high-pressure equipment such as the synthesis gas compressor with steam turbine and ammonia reactor would be required on non-referenced scales. The excellent dual-pressure process reduces such risks by shifting the necessary additional output to less critical equipment. This not only allows new plants to be built up to 65% larger without enlarging critical high-pressure equipment, but also allows existing plants to be expanded in capacity. The new process also enables energy consumption to be reduced by up to 4%.

With the Meyer-Galow Award for Business Chemistry, GDCh is honoring the market launch of this process. In 2006, the SAFCO-IV plant in Saudi Arabia was the first such plant with a capacity of 3300 tons per day to go into operation - today there are already five, another is under construction and the next is in planning. The process uses a fresh gas reactor that is connected between the two housings of the synthesis gas compressor. At 110 bar, nitrogen and hydrogen are already partially converted to ammonia, which is then deep-frozen and condensed. The remaining synthesis gas is compressed to 200 bar and converted to ammonia in the circuit of the existing plant. The synthesis gas compressor, which is critical in terms of size, therefore requires less drive power in the two-pressure process.

The awardee Dr. Dennis Lippmann is CEO and President of thyssenkrupp Uhde in the USA. Before his move in 2015, he worked as Vice President of the synthesis gas and fertilizer division of KBR. Before that, he held various positions at Uhde in Germany and the USA from 1995 to 2013. Dr. Lippmann completed his chemical engineering studies at the Clausthal University of Technology in 1995 and received his doctorate.

About the event:
The award ceremony will take place at a ceremony on November 29, 2023 at 6:30 p.m. at thyssenkrupp Uhde in Dortmund. GDCh President Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier will present the award to Dr. Dennis Lippmann, who will briefly present the award-winning project.

The German Chemical Society and thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH cordially invite representatives of the media to attend this event in Dortmund. They will be greeted by Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier, President of the GDCh, Walter Schön, member of the Managing Directors (Chief HR Officer) of thyssenkrupp Uhde GmbH, and the founder of the prize, Prof. Dr. Erhard Meyer-Galow. Interviews are possible by arrangement. Please register at https://www.gdch.de/gdch/stiftungen/meyer-galow-stiftung/preisverleihung-meyer-galow-preis.html.

About the price:

The Meyer-Galow Award for Business Chemistry is awarded annually to scientists in German-speaking countries who have successfully introduced a current chemical innovation to the market. The focus is on market launches that primarily take sustainability into account. The prize was donated by Professor Dr. Erhard Meyer-Galow , the former CEO of Hüls AG and former President of the GDCh. Meyer-Galow worked primarily at the interface between chemistry and the market and gave lectures on "Industrial Chemistry in the Chemical Industry" at the University of Münster.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. It has 27 Divisions as well as 60 local sections and regional young chemists' forums. The GDCh promotes scientific work as well as the exchange and dissemination of new scientific findings. It maintains numerous foundations, such as the Meyer-Galow Foundation for Industrial Chemistry, which Professor Dr. Erhard Meyer-Galow founded in 2012 to further promote industrial chemistry. Further information is available at www.gdch.de

thyssenkrupp Uhde combines unique technological know-how and decades of global experience in the engineering, procurement, construction and service of chemical plants. We develop innovative processes and products for a more sustainable future and thus contribute to the long-term success of our customers in almost all areas of the chemical industry. Our portfolio includes leading technologies for the production of basic chemicals, fertilizers and polymers as well as complete value chains for green hydrogen and sustainable chemicals.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

25/23
2 November 2023

The advanced training courses offered by the German Chemical Society (GDCh) for 2024 are now available on the GDCh.academy. Courses on law, quality assurance, project management and Marketing complement the advanced training courses on classic chemistry topics such as synthesis, analytics and food chemistry. The courses take place on site, online or as in-house courses in your own company. New are “on demand” courses: Participants can decide for themselves when and how much time they want to invest and can still count on the support of experts at any time.

In the new, flexible “on demand” courses, those who want to continue their training learn using the course materials in self-study. They decide when they want to start the course, how many hours per week they want to study, where they want to study and how much support they need. They can contact the course leader if they have any questions throughout the course. “Business Administration for Chemists (m/f/d)” and “Fundamentals of Macromolecular Chemistry I: Synthesis of Polymers” will now use the new format.

But there will also be some new training courses in the regular program in 2024: In the online course "The Wholesale Representative for Veterinary and Human Medicinal Products", graduate engineer Jürgen Ortlepp from Pierre Fabre Pharma GmbH/Pierre Fabre Dermo-Kosmetik GmbH explains how to establish quality management systems, secure yourself contractually and comply with national and EU requirements. In the face-to-face course "DIN, Norms, Technical Regulations and Standards", start-ups, medium-sized companies and research institutions learn from Dr. Barbara Pohl how to create, apply and monitor norms for the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

Important for employees in research departments: The bioactive molecules can be identified in mixtures of substances. To do this, Professor Gertrud Morlock from the Justus Liebig University in Gießen combines assays with chromatography and mass spectrometry in the "Hyphenated HPTLC" course. In two new courses, Professor Dr. Andrea Wanninger from the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences talks about surfactants. In the hybrid user course "Development of surfactant products for skin and hair", she explains to product developers what raw materials, recipes and formulations are in current skin and hair care products and how to develop and characterize them. Her online course "Cold production of cosmetic and pharmaceutical emulsions" deals, among other things, with which ingredients and recipes improve cold-produced emulsions and where their limits lie.

In addition to many individual courses, there are the proven GDCh specialist programs “Certified Industrial Chemist (GDCh)® (m/f/d)”, “Certified Quality Expert GxP (GDCh) (m/f/d)” and “Certified Project Manager Industrial Chemistry GDCh (m/f/d)”.

Most of the courses in the GDCh.academy program are also available as in-house courses. It can be worthwhile to hold the course in your own company with as few as four participants. The GDCh.academy team also implements new in-house course concepts for individual needs together with the relevant experts.

Detailed information on all courses and specialist programs can be found at https://gdch.academy

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The GDCh supports education in schools and universities as well as continuous training for work and Career.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

24/23
October 5, 2023

The August Wilhelm von Hofmann Foundation, established at the German Chemical Society (GDCh), is once again awarding scholarships for the summer semester of 2024. Bachelor's, diploma or exam students in chemistry and related fields can receive a scholarship of 300 euros per month for a term of 18 or 12 months from April 2024. Applications must be submitted via the Online portal by February 1, 2024.

Bachelor's, diploma or exam students in chemistry and related fields with very good academic performance who are in an economically unfavorable situation can apply for one of the approximately twenty scholarships offered by the August Wilhelm von Hofmann Foundation. Commitment outside of studies is also a criterion for awarding the scholarship. Another requirement is that the students are in the fourth or fifth semester of their studies at the beginning of the summer semester of 2024. The funding ends at the end of the sixth semester at the latest.

The scholarship cannot be extended. A new application cycle takes place every year in the winter semester. The scholarship is not credited towards BAföG benefits, but double funding alongside other performance-based material support from gifted students is not possible.

The August Wilhelm von Hofmann Foundation is named after the first president of the GDCh's predecessor organization, the German Chemical Society, which was founded in 1867. The founder is a long-standing GDCh member who died in 2010 and bequeathed the majority of his fortune to the GDCh to support talented chemistry students.

Further information at www.gdch.de/hofmannstiftung

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. The GDCh manages numerous dependent foundations in a fiduciary capacity. The purpose of these foundations is to award prizes, sponsorship awards and scholarships. Foundation advisory boards decide on the awarding of prizes, awards and scholarships.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

23/23
26.09.2023

Professor Dr. Stefanie Dehnen from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will become President of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) on January 1, 2024. During her two-year term of office, she wants to further open up the GDCh and advance it on its path to becoming a modern, diverse and internationally oriented professional society.

Stefanie Dehnen was unanimously elected as the future president at the inaugural meeting of the new GDCh board on September 4, 2023. She succeeds Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier, Covestro, who held the office for two years as per the rotation and will now become deputy president. The Executive Committee is completed by junior professor Dr. Sabine Becker, Rhineland-Palatinate University of Technology Kaiserslautern-Landau, who will also become deputy president. The new treasurer will be Dr. Franz von Nussbaum, Nuvisan ICB.

The future president already has concrete ideas for her term in office. "For me, the GDCh has the role of a 'society for society'," explains Dehnen. "On the one hand, this includes the task of strengthening communication between all groups of people associated with chemistry and interaction with non-chemical professional societies, as well as providing the general public with important information on chemical issues. On the other hand, this also means that the GDCh is opening up further and becoming even more international, modern, younger and more diverse. We are on the way to a new era - 'Rethinking Chemistry' therefore also means 'Rethinking GDCh'."

Stefanie Dehnen completed her doctorate in chemistry in 1996 at the then University of Karlsruhe, one of the predecessor institutions of KIT. After a postdoctoral stay in theoretical chemistry, she completed her habilitation in inorganic chemistry in 2004. From 2006 to 2022 she was W3 Professor for Inorganic Chemistry at Philipps University Marburg and Director of the Scientific Center for materials science (from 2012 to 2014 as Managing Director). Since 2022 she has been Professor for Information-Based Material Design and Nanoscience and Managing Director of the Institute of Nanotechnology at KIT. Dehnen is an elected member of the DFG Review Board for Molecular Chemistry and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Inorganic Chemistry (ACS). She is a member of numerous editorial boards and is a member of several national and international academies such as the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the European Academy of Sciences. Stefanie Dehnen has been awarded numerous prestigious prizes, including the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize of the DFG and the Alfred-Stock Memorial Award (now the Marianne Baudler Prize) of the GDCh. In 2022 she received an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council. She has been a member of the Board of the GDCh since 2020 (2020-2021 as Vice President) and was a member of the Board of the Wöhler Association for Inorganic Chemistry of the GDCh from 2014 to 2022 (2018-2022 as Chair).

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of new scientific findings. The GDCh supports the creation of networks, transdisciplinary and international cooperation and continuous education and training in schools, universities and in the professional environment. The GDCh has 27 Divisions and 60 local sections.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

22/23
19 September 2023

JOINT PRESS RELEASE
the city of Frankfurt am Main
the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and
of the German Physical Society (DPG)

Professor Dr. Dr. hc Herbert Waldmann, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology and Professor at the Technical University of Dortmund, will receive the Otto Hahn Award 2023. The award is endowed with 50,000 euros and is jointly sponsored by the City of Frankfurt am Main, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the German Physical Society (DPG). The award ceremony will take place on October 26 in the festive setting of Frankfurt's Paulskirche.

Herbert Waldmann played a key role in establishing chemical biology as a research field and had a decisive influence on the subsequent development of the discipline. His work inspired innovative research in the field of medicinal chemistry and paved the way for novel therapeutic interventions, including in cancer research.

"Herbert Waldmann is not only an outstanding scientist and university lecturer. Through his research he has developed new Literature of active ingredients and thus assumed social responsibility," explains Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier, President of the German Chemical Society.

"Herbert Waldmann's outstanding scientific achievement is also an important contribution to strengthening the public appreciation and visibility of the natural sciences, whose findings are essential for socio-political decisions and for solving complex global challenges," adds Professor Dr. Joachim Ullrich, President of the German Physical Society.

"By awarding the Otto Hahn Prize, the city of Frankfurt remembers one of its most important citizens and honors great research personalities. Herbert Waldmann has undoubtedly earned this award," said Frankfurt Mayor Mike Josef.

In his scientific work, Waldmann designed a novel methodology to synthesize fully functional proteins. In addition, he developed a general conceptual framework for the design and synthesis of bioactive small molecules that modulate the function of proteins. These approaches have been successfully applied in biological research and have provided new insights into important biological processes, especially signal transduction.

With his group, the chemist developed a synthesis method for lipidated proteins, in particular the Ras GTPases, which are mutated in approximately 20% of all human cancers. This led to significant insights into their role in biological signaling, including the discovery of the dynamic "Ras cycle". This research enables the development of small molecule inhibitors that can inhibit the growth of Ras-dependent tumors and opens up new possibilities for novel therapeutic interventions.

In his current research, the awardee and his group are specifically developing so-called pseudo-natural substances. These are biologically active substances with new chemical frameworks. They consist of building blocks of natural substances, but are not natural substances themselves. In order to develop such pseudo-natural substances, Waldmann analyses how the biological properties of natural substances are encoded in their structure. The elements of this structural code are then linked together to form new substances. Cell cultures are then used to check whether the pseudo-natural substance has new biological activity. If this is the case, it can be researched in drug research as the basis for new drugs.

Herbert Waldmann completed his studies in chemistry in 1985 with a doctorate at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. After two years at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA, he returned to Mainz, where he received his habilitation in 1991. After working at the University of Bonn and the University of Karlsruhe, he has headed the Chemical Biology Department at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Physiology since 1999 and is also Professor of Biochemistry at the Technical University of Dortmund. Since 2005 he has also headed the Chemical Genomics Centre of the Max Planck Society. Waldmann is the author of over 500 scientific publications and has received numerous awards. In 2014, the University of Leiden, NL, awarded him an honorary doctorate. Waldmann has been a member of the German Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina since 2004. He is also a member of various editorial boards of scientific journals and numerous advisory boards and curatorships.

The Otto Hahn Award is awarded jointly by the city of Frankfurt am Main, the German Physical Society (DPG) and the German Chemical Society (GDCh). It serves to promote science, particularly in the fields of chemistry, physics and applied engineering, by recognizing outstanding scientific achievements. It is endowed with 50,000 euros and is awarded every two years at a ceremony in Frankfurt's Paulskirche.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

21/23
12 September 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is including the König Building of the Technical University of Dresden, which contains the Historical Dye Collection, in its "Historical Sites of Chemistry" program. The building, with its historical sequence of rooms consisting of a lecture hall, preparation room, laboratory and magazines for the dye collection, gives a vivid impression of chemical teaching before the Second World War. The unveiling of the associated commemorative plaque will take place as part of a ceremony on October 12, 2023.

Since 1999, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) has been commemorating achievements of historical importance in chemistry with the "Historic Sites of Chemistry" program. In a ceremonial act, the places where important scientists worked are awarded a commemorative plaque. The aim of this program is to keep the memory of chemistry's cultural heritage alive and to bring chemistry and its historical roots more into the public eye.

The current König building was inaugurated in 1926 as a laboratory for dyes and textile chemistry and the headquarters of the institute of the same name. The laboratory was founded in 1893 as the first university laboratory of its kind in Germany by Richard Möhlau (1857-1940), who headed it until 1911. Hans Theodor Bucherer (1869-1949) succeeded Möhlau as director of the laboratory from 1911 to 1913. Under the leadership of Walter König (1878-1964) from 1913 to 1954, the institute developed into a world-leading facility for research into synthetic dyes and their application. König's work on polymethine dyes was groundbreaking for the development of color photography. The name König-Bau was given while he was still in office in 1953. When the König-Bau was moved into in 1926, it also became the home of the dye collection, the oldest holdings of which date back to the middle of the 19th century. Systematic collecting for research purposes at the Institute of Dye and Textile Chemistry resulted in a unique collection that documents the development of synthetic dyes from the discovery of mauvein in 1856 to the present day.

Celebration
On October 12, the building will be ceremoniously included in the "Historic Sites of Chemistry" program and the commemorative plaque will be unveiled. The rest of the celebratory program will cover everything from historical dye research to modern OLED displays. Registration for the free event is still possible until October 1 at www.gdch.de/historischestaetten.

brochure
To mark the occasion, the GDCh is publishing a brochure on the history of the König Building and the Historical Dye Collection. The brochure can be purchased from November 1st via the GDCh shop at https://shop.gdch.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. The "Historic Sites of Chemistry" program keeps the memory of the cultural heritage of chemistry alive and brings chemistry and its historical roots more into the public eye. A key criterion for selection as a historic site is that the discoveries associated with it are of great importance for people and society.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

20/23
3 August 2023

From September 4th to 6th, the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) will take place in Leipzig under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry". The most important chemistry congress in the German-speaking world is organized by the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the largest chemical science organization in the EU. In addition to scientific lectures and discussions, the program also offers a diverse supporting program from a breakfast session on the topic of startups to a science slam on all aspects of chemistry.

Climate change, recycling and energy shortages are just three current, pressing challenges of our time. In order to meet them, chemistry must also break new ground and establish a new way of thinking. The WiFo 2023 focuses on the specific contributions chemistry is already making and can still make to overcoming these challenges.

Two high-caliber plenary symposia will address concepts and sustainable strategies for "Rethinking Chemistry". The more than 30 sessions of the GDCh Divisions on the topics of "Synthesis and Catalysis", "Materials", "Energy, Resources and Environment", "Life Sciences" and "chemical education" will also show current approaches and solutions from the respective specialist areas. Interdisciplinary symposia such as "Rethinking History of Chemistry: Fascinating Stories and Reflections for the Future", "Chemistry Meets Art" and "Setting Boundaries Between Science and Politics" build bridges between the disciplines and invite people to think outside the box.

The WiFo also offers numerous highlights outside of the scientific program. For example, a breakfast session promises to provide inspiration for the founding of startups in chemistry. There will be three short presentations on the startup scene in Saxony, an international perspective from and on Australia, and the motivating success story of a biochemist. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to discuss and network.

The 5th ChemSlam, a mixture of science and entertainment, will be exciting and funny. Several scientists will present their chemical topics in an easy-to-understand and entertaining way, with a maximum of ten minutes per lecture. The audience will also play an active role, as they will decide who delivers the best slam and will evaluate not only the scientific content, but also the comprehensibility and entertainment value of each presentation. In addition to conference attendees, chemistry classes from local schools will also be there.

The WiFo has special programme items in store for students, doctoral candidates and especially graduates: At a poster party, young scientists can present their research to a broad scientific audience. As part of the GDCh Career Days, interested parties can find out about the various career profiles and how to start a career. Workshops and lectures on Career provide chemists with valuable input for starting a career and further careers. Institutions, publishers and companies present themselves in an exhibition accompanying the WiFo. The GDCh is also represented with a stand and offers plenty of information and space for exchange. Employees from the various GDCh departments answer questions and the GDCh Career Service is available for advice, questions and tips.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

19/23
July 27, 2023

As part of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 (WiFo) of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), Professor Dr. Dr. hc Henning Hopf will be awarded the Primo Levi Prize on September 4. He will receive the prize, which is sponsored jointly by the GDCh and the Italian Chemical Society (SCI), at the opening ceremony of the WiFo 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE at the Zoo in Leipzig.

The Primo Levi Prize is awarded to chemists or scientists from chemistry-related disciplines who are particularly committed to upholding human rights and thereby advancing the dialogue between chemistry and society. This year's awardee, Professor Dr. Dr. hc Henning Hopf, receives the award for his significant contributions both to the chemical community and to society in general. His commitment as a member of various academies and chemical societies, including the GDCh, is exemplary. In particular, he has long been committed to uncovering the involvement of German chemists and their organizations in the structures of the Nazi state. Among other things, Hopf initiated a scientific study of the GDCh's predecessor organizations. This resulted in the book 'Chemists in the "Third Reich" - The German Chemical Society and the Association of German Chemists in the Nazi regime', commissioned by the GDCh in 2015. The work was edited by the science historian Professor Dr. Helmut Maier writes and examines in detail the history of the predecessor organizations of the GDCh, with particular emphasis on the period of National Socialism.

Hopf's tireless commitment to responsible chemistry is also reflected in his work within the International Organization for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD), where he is an active member of the Chemists for Sustainability (C4S) group. His papers on topics such as resilience, circular chemistry/economics, ethics, diversity and inclusion have attracted much attention, and Hopf's initiatives to promote international cooperation and support chemists in less wealthy countries also make him a worthy recipient of the Primo Levi Prize.

Henning Hopf was born in 1940 in Wildeshausen, Lower Saxony, and studied chemistry at the University of Göttingen and the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. After completing his doctorate in the USA, he returned to Germany to complete his habilitation, first at the University of Marburg and then at the University of Karlsruhe. After a professorship at the University of Würzburg, Hopf was offered a position at the Technical University of Braunschweig in 1978. He has received numerous high awards, including the GDCh Adolf von Baeyer Memorial Medal in 1996. He has held several visiting professorships, served on numerous editorial boards of journals , and conducted extremely successful research in the field of organic chemistry. He has been associated with the GDCh for many years: in addition to his work on the Board and his office as president in 2004 and 2005, he has actively represented the GDCh in numerous committees and given the GDCh many impulses. In 2015, he was therefore made an honorary member.

The Primo Levi Prize commemorates the Italian writer and chemist who was deported to Auschwitz as a Jewish resistance fighter. He survived and is considered an important representative of Holocaust literature. His works are dedicated to remembering the victims and to preventing them from being forgotten. Primo Levi would have turned 104 on July 31, 2023.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

18/23
July 18, 2023

The 51st German Food Chemistry Days will take place at the University of Bonn from August 21 to 23. The annual conference of the Food Chemistry Society (LChG), the largest Division of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), focuses on food quality and consumer protection. Topics include the analysis of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from kitchen items, the use of artificial intelligence in the analysis of meat spoilage, and the possible opportunities and risks posed by edible insects as feed . As part of the Conference , the GDCh will also award Professor Dr. Thomas Henle, Technical University of Dresden, the Joseph König Commemorative Medal for his special services to scientific development and to the promotion and recognition of food chemistry .

PFAS are industrial chemicals that are used as coating materials in functional jackets, tarpaulins, umbrellas, pizza boxes and baking paper, for example. Today, however, we know that PFAS have an impact on the environment and health and accumulate in food chains, among other things. For this reason, monitoring PFAS levels in materials that come into contact with food is becoming increasingly important. PFAS are also used in the production of non-stick coatings. Against this background, Nancy Wolf from the Technical University of Dresden and her team developed a new method for analyzing PFAS emissions from cookware. The so-called thermal desorption gas chromatography mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) showed that no heat-induced release of PFAS could be observed in the baking tins and frying pans examined up to 250 °C. Wolf explains exactly how she went about it and what these results mean in her presentation.

The lecture by Professor Dr. Ulrich Busch from the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety in Oberschleißheim is about the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the analysis of meat spoilage. As part of the "Future Laboratory 2030", artificial intelligence is to be used to predict the sensory and microbiological quality of food. In this context, Busch and his team carried out next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based analyses, particularly of the microbiome, to investigate how it changes with storage time or conditions. The focus of their initial studies was on perishable and non-fermented foods such as minced meat, where microbiological spoilage is a relevant aspect of food safety. The lecture presents initial results of the microbiome analysis of microbial populations in series of measurements of minced meat.

In the search for alternative Literature to meet the need for animal protein, edible insects have recently become more and more of a focus. While the acceptance of insects as food among the European population is still low, their use in the feed sector in fish and poultry feeding is generally accepted. In order to ensure the quality and safety of feed , it must be investigated whether contaminants such as mycotoxins, i.e. mold toxins, can get into the feed via the insects. Dr. Ronald Maul, Max Rubner Institute, Institute for Safety and Quality in Milk and Fish, Kiel, together with his team, investigated whether a transfer of contaminants to insects is possible. At the same time, he examined whether a transfer of minerals can occur. In his lecture , Maul presented the opportunities and risks that edible insects offer as feed .

On August 22nd, Professor Dr. Thomas Henle from the Technical University of Dresden will also receive the Joseph König commemorative coin worth 7,500 euros. The GDCh is thus honoring his services to the promotion of food chemistry nationally and internationally, as well as his scientific activities. Henle has advanced the field of food chemistry chemistry with his fundamental work on chemical changes during food processing, e.g. under high-pressure treatment. Through his research into the physiological significance of protein modifications and bioactive peptides, including in connection with hypertension, he has broken new scientific ground and published internationally visible works. Henle had a significant influence on the Society of Food Chemistry through his activities on the Board, of which he was Chair from 2005 to 2010. In 1998, he established a center for food chemistry training and research at the Technical University of Dresden, which is now one of the largest in the country.

During the Conference , the Society of Food Chemistry will also award the Werner Baltes Award, the Future Award of the Society of Food Chemistry, the Bruno Rossmann Award and the Josef Schormüller Scholarship. The winners of the 2023 awards will be announced on site.

Further information at www.gdch.de/lchtage2023

With around 30,000 members, the GDCh is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It has 27 Divisions, including the Society of Food Chemistry, whose task is to promote the exchange of ideas in the field of food chemistry and its related disciplines and to provide technical suggestions. With over 2,600 members, the Society of Food Chemistry is the largest Division in the GDCh.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

17/23
July 5, 2023

In 2022, a total of 8,137 beginners began a chemistry degree program - 1.2% fewer than in the previous year (2021: 8,233). This is shown by the annual statistics for chemistry degree programs of the German Chemical Society (GDCh). The number of students who completed a chemistry degree program with a master's degree or the first state examination rose to 3,761 (2021: 3,727). After a record number of doctorates were reported in the previous year (2021: 2,231), the number fell to a moderate level of 1,883 in the reporting year. The number of graduates looking for jobs and those who initially accepted temporary positions fell again to a lower level than in the previous year.

The following results were obtained for the individual study programs:

• In the field of chemistry/business chemistry, universities reported 5061 new students (2021: 5129). 2242 students (2021: 2431) successfully completed their bachelor's degree, 2201 received their master's degree (2021: 2219). The median length of study was 7.0 semesters to obtain a bachelor's degree (2021: 6.9) and 5.3 semesters to obtain a master's degree (2021: 5.1). In 2022, 1648 people received their doctorate in chemistry/business chemistry (2021: 1972). The median length of time to complete a doctorate was 8.1 semesters (2021: 8.2).

• In biochemistry and life sciences, 1,619 people began their studies (2021: 1,644). The number of bachelor's degrees fell to 902 (2021: 992), while the number of master's degrees rose to 867 (2021: 842). The number of doctorates fell to 178 (2021: 209). The median length of study was 6.7 semesters for bachelor's degrees (2021: 6.7), 5.2 semesters for master's degrees (2021: 5.1) and 9.3 semesters for doctorates (2021: 9.3).

 

• In food chemistry , the number of new students fell from 390 in the previous year to 325. A total of 167 students passed the main examination A (1st state examination) or the diploma examination (2021: 214) and 149 people passed the main examination B (2nd state examination) (2021: 157). In addition, the universities reported 146 bachelor's and 156 master's degrees (2021: 211 and 155 respectively). The number of doctorates rose to 57 (2021: 50).
• At universities of applied sciences (HAW), 1,132 people began studying chemistry (2021: 1,070). The number of bachelor's degrees rose to 774 (2021: 696), while the number of master's degrees rose to 526 (2021: 452).

98% of all bachelor's graduates at universities and 68% at universities of applied sciences went on to study for a master's degree. Around 86% of master's graduates at universities began a doctorate. This figure is still lower than the long-term average (90%) and now appears to have settled at a lower level.

46% of graduates with doctorates in chemistry have already announced their first step into professional life. According to data from universities, around 44% took up a job in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry (2021: 34%), 17% (2021: 21%) took up a temporary position in Germany (including postdoc). 14% worked in the rest of the economy after graduating (2021: 14%) and 9% took up a job abroad after graduating (2021: 13%). Around 5% stayed at a university or research institute (2021: 4%). Around 4% of graduates held a job in the public sector (2021: 6%). At the time of the survey, 5% were considered job seekers (2021: 7%).

As in every year, the number of "real" job seekers is likely to be somewhat lower. Due to the survey's cut-off date of December 31, graduates who start their new job in January or February are still recorded as job seekers.

The brochure “Statistics of Chemistry Study Programs 2022” is available as a flip catalog at www.gdch.de/statistik.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. Among other things, it deals with current developments at universities and on the job market. Since 1952, the GDCh has been collecting extensive statistical data on chemistry courses every year. The statistics from 2022 are based on data from the courses in chemistry and business chemistry, biochemistry and life science, food chemistry and chemistry at universities of applied sciences (HAW), formerly universities of applied sciences. The survey asked about the number of beginners and students, the number of final examinations passed, as well as the respective final grades and duration of study. In addition, some universities provided information on how their graduates entered the job market after completing their degree or doctorate. The cut-off date for the survey is December 31st.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

15/23
15 June 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding Professor Dr. Thomas Fässler, Technical University of Munich, the Arfvedson Schlenk Award, worth 7,500 euros. The award, which is sponsored by Albemarle Germany GmbH, honors scientists for outstanding work in the field of lithium chemistry. Fässler is receiving the prize for his outstanding contributions to lithium-rich intermetallic compounds, which could contribute to efficient and safe high-performance lithium batteries in the future. The award ceremony will take place on September 4 as part of the GDCh Science Forum on Chemistry (WiFo) in Leipzig.

In his research, Fässler focuses on the synthesis, characterization and theoretical description of materials based on inorganic solids and molecular compounds. Starting from substance classes of intermetallic compounds and Zintl phases with soluble Zintl ions, he investigates novel main group element-based materials at the transition from molecular compounds to solids. The material classes investigated have potential applications in the areas of energy storage and energy conversion materials as well as solar cells and superconductors as well as catalysts.

Fässler receives the Arfvedson Schlenk Award for his significant contributions in the field of Zintl phases, particularly lithium-rich intermetallic compounds. These innovative materials can be of great use in the future as solid-state ion conductors for safe, high-performance lithium batteries. The selection committee emphasized that Fässler, through his pioneering research in the field of lithium-containing compounds, has set international standards for the development of new, lithium-rich compounds and lithium ion conductors and has provided significant impetus for further development in both solid-state and molecular chemistry.

Thomas Fässler, born in 1959, studied chemistry and mathematics at the University of Konstanz and received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg. After a post-doc stay at the University of Chicago, USA, he completed his habilitation at the ETH Zurich. He began his teaching career with a professorship at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Since 2003 he has held the chair for inorganic chemistry with a focus on new materials at the Technical University of Munich. Fässler has headed the elite degree program "Advanced Materials Science" since 2004 and was Dean of Studies from 2007 to 2010.

About the price
The Arfvedson Schlenk Award is awarded to scientists for outstanding work in the field of lithium chemistry. The prize was established in 1997 by Chemetall, Frankfurt aM together with the GDCh. It was followed by sponsor Rockwood Lithium, which became Albemarle Germany GmbH, which now sponsors the prize.

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE at the Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

14/23
June 6, 2023

At the GDCh Science Forum on Chemistry (WiFo), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Prize to Professor Dr. Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel, Free University of Berlin. The award from the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Foundation, established at the GDCh, is endowed with 10,000 euros and is being presented for the first time. Hasenstab-Riedel is receiving the prize for his outstanding achievements in the field of transition and main group chemistry as well as modern molecular spectroscopy under cryogenic conditions. The award will be presented on September 6 as part of the WiFo Closing Lecture.

Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel is considered an internationally leading scientist in the field of halogen chemistry, which is important for numerous applications from modern plastics to novel substitutes for greenhouse gases. In his research into the chemistry of halogens - from the element fluorine to the element iodine - various methods are used. For example, he uses matrix isolation spectroscopy at -269 °C to investigate these usually very reactive compounds. His work in the field of synthetic halogen chemistry includes fundamental studies as well as applied science, as shown by numerous patents and several industrial collaborations.

Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel, born in 1975, began his professional career with an apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory technician before studying chemistry from 1998 to 2003 at the University of Siegen and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. He then received his doctorate in theoretical chemistry in Würzburg in 2006. After research stays at the University of Helsinki, Finland, and at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, he completed his habilitation in inorganic chemistry at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg in 2013. In the same year he accepted a professorship at the Free University of Berlin. Since 2019, Hasenstab-Riedel has also been spokesperson for the Collaborative Research Center "Fluorine-Specific Interactions" and director of the Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry. He has been an active GDCh member since 2001 and is currently on the Board of the fluorine chemistry Working Group and the Wöhler Association for Inorganic Chemistry of the GDCh, among others. He has already received numerous awards for his research. For example, Hasenstab-Riedel received a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council in 2019 and an Einstein Professorship from the Einstein Foundation Berlin since 2021. In 2023, his ChemSysCon project was awarded the Werner Siemens Foundation Research Prize.

About the price
To promote science and research in the field of molecular main group chemistry, Professor Dr. hc mult. Herbert W. Roesky founded the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Foundation in 2021 for himself and on behalf of his late wife Christel Roesky. The foundation's mission is to award the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Prize, worth 10,000 euros, every two years. The prize honors people who have published groundbreaking scientific work in the field of molecular chemistry of the main group elements. The work should have led to important and new scientific findings for the general public.

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE at the Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

13/23
June 1, 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding Professor Dr. Alfred Flint, University of Rostock, the Heinz Schmidkunz Prize, worth 7,500 euros. The Society is thus honoring Flint's commitment, his charisma and his ability to vividly combine theory and practice. The award ceremony will take place on September 4 as part of the GDCh Science Forum on Chemistry (WiFo) in Leipzig.

The Heinz Schmidkunz Prize, worth 7,500 euros, is awarded to individuals who have made a special contribution to research in chemistry education, to the training of chemistry teachers and to chemical education in schools. This year's awardee, Alfred Flint, is considered one of the most active chemistry educators in Germany. He also convinced the selection committee by not only developing his experiments and concepts, but also presenting them authentically and demonstrating them in lectures and workshops.

For his project "Chemistry for Life" he developed a structured and systematic chemical education with materials that children and young people are familiar with from their everyday lives. Through him, everyday materials such as citric acid, pipe cleaners and oxygen bleach (oxy cleaners) have found their way into chemical education . Because of the everyday relevance, this form of teaching is particularly motivating for students and at the same time sustainable.

Alfred Flint passed the first state examination for secondary school teaching in chemistry, physics and geography at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg in 1985/1988. In 1989 he received his doctorate in chemistry didactics - also in Oldenburg. In 1992 he passed the second state examination at the State Teacher Training College in Oldenburg, before he taught as a senior teacher at the Albert Schweitzer School in Nienburg/Weser from 1992 to 1999. In 1998 Flint qualified as a professor in chemistry didactics at the University of Oldenburg, while from 1997 to 1998 he took on a substitute professorship in chemistry didactics at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. Since 1999 Flint has been Professor of Chemistry Didactics at the University of Rostock and for over fifteen years he has headed the GDCh Teacher Training Centre in Rostock. For his work, he has already been awarded the Heinrich Roessler Award (2006) and the Manfred and Wolfgang Flad Award (2017) by the GDCh Division chemical education Group (FGCU).

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE at the Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum on Chemistry (WiFo) at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

12/23
May 23, 2023

Two sustainability researchers are being honored by the German Chemical Society (GDCh) for their work. Professor Dr. Klaus Kümmerer, Leuphana University Lüneburg, receives the Wöhler Award for sustainable chemistry for his pioneering research achievements in the field of sustainable chemistry. Dr. Philipp Demling, RWTH Aachen University, is being awarded the Prize for Bioconversion of Renewable Raw Materials for his dissertation. Both awardee will receive their awards on September 6th as part of the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry.

Recyclable plastics, wastewater reuse and end-of-life Management of solar systems - these are just a few examples of the research areas in which Professor Dr. Klaus Kümmerer has made outstanding contributions to sustainable chemistry. The awardee was also one of the first to establish the "Benign by Design" concept, in which environmental pollution is reduced through the targeted design of molecules. Kümmerer was able to successfully test the concept in practical examples, such as the development of ionic liquids that are less harmful to the environment and biodegradable antibiotics. In addition, he is committed to ensuring that sustainable topics are integrated into the training of chemists and has designed and established corresponding courses. For his pioneering contributions to the development and implementation of sustainable chemistry, the GDCh is awarding Kümmerer the Wöhler Award for sustainable chemistry, worth 7,500 euros, at the WiFo.

Klaus Kümmerer studied chemistry at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg and the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, where he also received his doctorate in 1990. In 1999 he obtained the venia legendi for environmental chemistry and environmental hygiene at the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg. After his habilitation, Klaus Kümmerer first became an assistant professor and later Head of the Section for Applied Environmental Research at the University Hospital Freiburg. In 2005 he became an associate professor at the University of Freiburg. From 2008 to 2010 he was both Deputy Chair of the Commission for Environment and Sustainability and Commissioner for the Environment at the University Hospital Freiburg. Since 2010 Kümmerer has been Professor for sustainable chemistry and Physical Resources at Leuphana University Lüneburg and since 2017 Director of the Research & Education Hub at the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Center (ISC3). He is and has been a member of numerous national and international committees and regularly advises the EU and UNEP as well as national and international politicians on sustainability issues.

The prize for bioconversion of renewable raw materials, which was established at the GDCh in 2021 by GDCh member Prof. Dr. em. Manfred Schneider, will also be awarded at the WiFo. The award, worth 2,000 euros, is given to young doctorates who received their doctorates no more than two years ago. This year's awardee is Dr. Philipp Demling. In his dissertation at RWTH Aachen University, he is working on process engineering improvements in fermentative rhamnolipid production. He has developed new processes to prevent foam formation as well as new digestion and bioreactor concepts that would improve industrial application.

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

11/23
16 May 2023

On September 5th, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) will award Professor Dr. Rainer Herges, Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, the Adolf von Baeyer Commemorative Medal in Leipzig. The award ceremony will take place as part of the GDCh Science Forum for Chemistry (WiFo) – the most important chemistry congress in the German-speaking world. Herges impressed with the quality, originality and wide range of his work on organic chemistry.

The Adolf von Baeyer commemorative medal, worth 7,500 euros, is awarded to scientists for outstanding work in the field of organic chemistry. The namesake Adolf von Baeyer is one of the most important chemists of his time and was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1905 for the synthesis of indigo and triphenylmethane dyes. This year's awardee , Professor Dr. Rainer Herges, receives the award for his many original, fundamental and internationally outstanding contributions with which he has shaped organic chemistry. The thematic breadth of his work ranges from theory to synthesis and practical application. Thirty years ago, for example, he successfully developed methods based on machine learning that could be used to predict new chemical transformations. Herges' ACID method for visualizing the density of delocalized electrons is also used worldwide. The awardee also succeeded in producing the first molecule that can be magnetically switched at room temperature, which, for example, allows highly precise and spatially high-resolution temperature measurements in MRI.

Rainer Herges was born in 1955 in St. Ingbert (Saar). After studying chemistry at the University of Saarland in Saarbrücken, he received his doctorate in 1994 from the Institute of Organic Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich. After research stays at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, USA, and at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, he qualified as a professor in Erlangen-Nuremberg in 1992. In 1996 he became a professor at the Technical University of Braunschweig. Since 2001 he has held the chair for organic chemistry at the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel. He has received numerous awards for his research - including the ADUC Prize from the GDCh Association of German University Professors of Chemistry (ADUC) for his habilitation.

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

10/23
May 11, 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) will honor Professor Dr. Michael Ruck, Technical University of Dresden, with the Wilhelm Klemm Prize on September 6. The award ceremony will take place as part of the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry 2023 in Leipzig. The awardee will receive the award for his contributions to the chemistry and material properties of solid-state compounds - especially with bismuth and phosphorus.

The Wilhelm Klemm Prize, worth 7,500 euros, commemorates Professor Wilhelm Klemm from Münster, whose research advanced inorganic chemistry. The GDCh uses the prize to honor individuals who do outstanding work in the field of inorganic chemistry. This year's awardee , Professor Dr. Michael Ruck, is distinguished by the fact that his work is unusually broad in terms of concepts and methodology. The starting point for his preparative research was classical inorganic solid-state chemistry, which he continued to develop further. Ruck convinced the commission with his decisive contributions to solid-state compounds, which range from synthesis and structural characterization to nanomaterials and coordination compounds. One result of his research was, for example, the discovery of the fibrous modification of the element phosphorus - which is now also known as Ruck's phosphorus.

Michael Ruck, born in 1963 in Pforzheim, studied chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe. In 1991 he received his doctorate from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and the University of Stuttgart. Ruck then worked first as a research assistant and later as a research assistant at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe. During this time he qualified as a professor in the field of inorganic chemistry in 1997 and was appointed private lecturer. Since 2000 he has been a university professor for inorganic chemistry at the Technical University of Dresden.

The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in brief
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world, with around 30,000 members. Every two years, it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites well-known international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

09/23
May 4, 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding the Hildegard Hamm Brücher Award for equal opportunities in chemistry to the project 'Women In Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC) – an international network supporting equality, diversity and inclusion within supramolecular chemistry'. The team led by Junior Professor Dr. Anna McConnell, University of Siegen, will receive the award on September 4th at the opening event of the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry in Leipzig.

Women have worse chances of being retained or even promoted in the chemical sciences. They are more likely to receive short-term, precarious contracts, publish less and are cited less often. Disproportionately fewer women sit on editorial boards, are nominated for awards and file patent applications. In 2018, a study by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) showed that many talented women leave academia before they have reached their full potential. Measures taken to counteract this are not sufficient to ever achieve gender parity.

This is where the award-winning project comes in: WISC aims to create an international community and access to resources for all supramolecular chemists. The project also supports the retention and advancement of all those who identify as women at every career stage and tries to remove possible obstacles. The WISC team believes it is important to get involved to bring about change rather than just addressing it. The network used an online survey to identify the needs of the supramolecular community. Based on the results, the network developed numerous supportive initiatives such as a mentoring network, community clusters to build peer communities, and workshops on integration and diversity for young scientists.

The award selection committee sees the WISC initiative as a "beacon with a radiance that extends beyond supramolecular chemistry". The project is an exemplary example of how committed female chemists have successfully and sustainably joined forces to form an international network alongside their professional obligations in order to achieve greater equality of opportunity and inclusion. With its tireless commitment and lived values ​​for greater equality of opportunity, the team demonstrates a consistent attitude that also distinguished Hildegard Hamm-Brücher.

The GDCh has been awarding the Hildegard Hamm Brücher Award for equal opportunities in chemistry since 2021. With the prize, which is endowed with 7,500 euros, the GDCh wants to set a visible example and recognize exemplary commitment to equal opportunities in chemistry. Hildegard Hamm-Brücher (1921-2016) was a chemist and received her doctorate in 1945 under Nobel Prize winner Professor Heinrich Wieland in Munich. After the end of the war, she became a science editor at the Neue Zeitung. There she met Theodor Heuss, her political mentor, and many other democratically minded people. Hildegard Hamm-Brücher was considered the "Grande Dame" of German post-war politics. She stood not only for freedom and democracy, but also for consistently value-based action. She fought tirelessly against grievances. Among other things, she campaigned for a better education system and encouraged women to get more involved. In 1994, she was the first woman to be nominated for the Federal Presidential election. In addition to her public offices, she showed great social commitment and received numerous honors.

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4 to 6, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. Participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industry exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes will be awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.

The press release as a pdf document

Image material for download:

05/23
March 23, 2023

On the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the chemist Karl Ziegler, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) invites all interested parties to a public symposium on April 25, 2023 in Frankfurt am Main. The program includes lectures on Nobel Prize winner Karl Karl Ziegler Award, endowed with 50,000 euros, will be awarded.

On the fiftieth anniversary of his death, the GDCh is remembering Karl Ziegler and his work, which is still relevant today. As part of a public symposium, scientists will present Ziegler's life and research and show the direct influence his discoveries still have on our lives today. Current developments such as issues of sustainability, the circular economy and recycling will not be neglected. As a special highlight, the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, Professor Dr. Benjamin List from the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, will give a lecture on organocatalysis (i.e. catalysis using small organic molecules). He will explain why life without catalysis is unthinkable and how organocatalysts can be used to produce, for example, medicines, fuels and materials in a resource-saving and sustainable manner. The event will be hosted by GDCh President Dr. Karsten Danielmeier and GDCh Deputy President Katharina Uebele.

Karl Ziegler, who was born in 1898, is best known for his contributions to the development of polymer chemistry and catalysis. The Ziegler-Natta catalysis, named after him and his Italian colleague Giulio Natta, revolutionized the plastics industry and contributed to the development of light, robust and durable materials. Together with Natta, he received the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1963 for this. Karl Ziegler also has a special significance for the GDCh: he was its first president after it was founded in 1949.

Karl Ziegler Award and Karl Ziegler Young Scientist Award
As part of the event, the GDCh will award the Karl Ziegler Award - one of the most highly endowed German awards in the field of chemistry - to Professor Dr. Tanja Weil from the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz. The prize is awarded to scientists who conduct research in Karl Ziegler's fields. Tanja Weil receives the award for her outstanding and innovative work in which she combines polymer synthesis and supramolecular structure formation to answer current biomedical questions. With her research, she opens up new avenues for compatible materials in biomedicine that can actively induce regeneration processes. The Karl Ziegler Award is endowed with 50,000 euros and a gold medal and is funded by a foundation set up at the GDCh by Ziegler's daughter, Marianne Witte.

The young scientists will also receive an award at the symposium: Dr. Christopher Teskey from RWTH Aachen University will receive the Karl Ziegler Young Scientist Award for his research project to develop a new reductive cross-olefin coupling reaction using visible light. The young research group leader will receive a total of 30,000 euros to finance a postdoc position for the project for one year.

The event
The Karl Ziegler Anniversary Symposium will take place on April 25, 2023 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Max Buchner Lecture Hall at DECHEMA (Theodor-Heuss-Allee 25, 60486 Frankfurt am Main). All interested parties are cordially invited to attend the event, which is also expressly aimed at the interested public. Admission is free, but registration is requested by April 10.

Program and registration at https://www.gdch.de/gdch/stiftungen/karl-ziegler-stiftung/karl-ziegler-jubilaeumssymposium.html

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The GDCh manages numerous dependent foundations in a fiduciary capacity. The purpose of these foundations is to award prizes, sponsorship awards and scholarships. Foundation advisory boards decide on the awarding of prizes, awards and scholarships. At 50,000 euros, the Karl Ziegler Award is the most highly endowed prize of the GDCh, alongside the Klaus Grohe Prize and the Otto Hahn Award . It was first awarded in 1998 with funds from the Karl Ziegler Foundation to Gerhard Ertl, the 2007 Nobel Prize winner.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download:

03/23
March 14, 2023

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is awarding the Fresenius Award to Professor Dr. Mario Thevis, German Sport University Cologne. He will receive the award, which includes a gold medal and prize money of 7,500 euros, for special services to analytical chemistry. The internationally renowned doping expert's work shows how important and relevant analytics is for society. Thevis will receive the award on April 11 at ANAKON 2023 in Vienna. The Analytical Chemistry Division Award and the DAAS Award will also be awarded on site.

Mario Thevis is a world-renowned doping expert and a figurehead of German analytical chemistry. He has been active in the field of doping control at world championships and the Olympic Games for around twenty years. Due to the associated public visibility in all media, he represents analytical chemistry not only within science, but also in the public eye. But his research results also speak for themselves: Thevis has already developed numerous new, high-performance analysis methods for a variety of substances and their metabolites that are currently used as doping agents or could be used in the future.

The expert is always aware of his great responsibility. Every analytical result can have a direct and decisive influence on the Career, reputation and future of the people concerned. He has shown many times that initially inexplicable and particularly rare analytical results require further detailed investigations. For this reason, Thevis is also regularly called upon as an expert in sports law and criminal law proceedings. Last but not least, he succeeds in presenting his research in a captivating way. He has already been a guest as a plenary speaker at many international Conferences and was appointed speaker for the Fresenius Lecture in 2022/23 by the GDCh Division of Analytical Chemistry .

Mario Thevis, born in Aachen in 1973, studied chemistry at RWTH Aachen University and sports science at the German Sport University Cologne, where he also received his doctorate from the Institute of Biochemistry in 2001. After a research stay at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, he completed his habilitation at the German Sport University Cologne. He has been a professor of preventive doping research there since 2006. Since 2016 he has been director of the Institute of Biochemistry and the Cologne Anti-Doping Laboratory, which is certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). While he was working on his dissertation, he supported the doping control laboratory in Helsinki (Finland) as part of the 2001 Nordic World Ski Championships. Since then he has accompanied numerous world championships and Olympic Games with his scientific expertise. Thevis has published his research in over 450 scientific publications in renowned journals and has already received numerous awards for his work. He is Director of the European Monitoring Centre for New Doping Substances (EUMOCEDA) and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Drug Testing and Analysis, published by Wiley-VCH.

The Analytical Chemistry Division Award and the DAAS Award will also be awarded as part of ANAKON : Professor Dr. Nicole Strittmatter, Technical University of Munich, will receive the Division 's award for her work in the field of multimodal mass spectrometric imaging in pharmaceutical and oncology research. Dr. Carla Kirschbaum will be awarded the prize of the German Working Group for Analytical Spectroscopy (DAAS) of the GDCh Section for Analytical Chemistry for her dissertation entitled "Lipid Fingerprinting by Mass Spectrometry and Laser Light", which she completed at the Free University of Berlin and the Fritz Haber Institute of the DAAS GDCh Division of Analytical Chemistry .

The German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world with around 30,000 members. It has 27 Divisions, including the Division of Analytical Chemistry with around 2,500 members. The Division sees its main task as bringing together all scientists and practitioners interested in analytical chemistry in the broadest sense for the purpose of promoting this field of knowledge. The Division maintains nine working groups for the various analytical disciplines.

Press release as pdf document

Image material for download: