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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 in office, she would like to further open up the GDCh and advance it on its path to becoming a modern, diverse and internationally oriented specialist society.
Stefanie Dehnen was unanimously elected as the future president at the constitutive meeting of the new GDCh board on September 4, 2023. She succeeds Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier, Covestro, who held the office on a rotating basis for two years and is now Deputy President. The Executive Committee is completed by junior professor Dr. Sabine Becker, Rhineland-Palatinate Technical University of 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 as well as interaction with non-chemical specialist societies and also 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 chemistry studies in 1996 at what was then the University of Karlsruhe, one of the predecessor institutions of KIT, with a doctorate. After a postdoctoral degree in theoretical chemistry, she completed her habilitation in inorganic chemistry in 2004. From 2006 to 2022 she was W3 Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the Philipps University of Marburg and director of the Scientific Center for materials science (from 2012 to 2014 as executive director). Since 2022 she has been a professor of information-based material design and nanosciences and managing director of the Institute for Nanotechnology at KIT. Dehnen is an elected member of the DFG's expert committee for molecular chemistry and editor-in-chief of the journal Inorganic Chemistry (ACS). She sits on 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 from the DFG and the Alfred-Stock Memorial Award (now the Marianne Baudler Prize) from the GDCh. In 2022 she received an ERC Advanced Grant from the European Research Council. She has been active on 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 collaboration and continuous education and training in schools, universities and in the professional environment. The GDCh has 27 Divisions and 60 local sections.
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JOINT PRESS RELEASE
the city of Frankfurt am Main
the German Chemical Society e. V. (GDCh) as well as
the German Physical Society e. V. (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 26th in the festive setting of the Paulskirche in Frankfurt.
Herbert Waldmann made a significant contribution to establishing chemical biology as a research area and had a decisive influence on the further development of the discipline. His work inspired innovative research in the field of medicinal chemistry and paved the way for novel therapeutic interventions in, among other things, cancer research.
“Herbert Waldmann is not only an outstanding scientist and university professor. Through his research, he has discovered new Literature of active ingredients and thereby assumed social responsibility," explains Professor Dr. Karsten Danielmeier, President of the German Chemical Society.
“Herbert Waldmann’s outstanding scientific achievements are also an important contribution to strengthening 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 deserves this award without a doubt,” congratulates 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 provided new insights into important biological processes, particularly signal transduction.
With his group, the chemist developed a synthesis method for lipidated proteins, in particular the Ras GTPases, which are mutated in around 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 opportunities 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 novel chemical frameworks. They consist of building blocks of natural materials, but are not natural materials themselves. In order to develop such pseudo-natural products, Waldmann analyzes how the biological properties of natural products 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 active ingredient research as a basis for new drugs.
Herbert Waldmann completed his chemistry studies with a doctorate at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz in 1985. After two years at Harvard University, Cambridge, USA, he returned to Mainz, where he completed his habilitation in 1991. After positions 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 Center of the Max Planck Society. Waldmann is the author of over 500 scientific publications and has received numerous awards. In 2014, Leiden University, 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 as well as numerous specialist advisory boards and boards of trustees.
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 areas 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.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) includes the König Building at the Technical University of Dresden, which contains the historical dye collection, in its “Historic 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 conveys a vivid impression of chemical teaching before the Second World War. The associated commemorative plaque will be unveiled at a ceremony on October 12, 2023.
With the “Historic Sites of Chemistry” program, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) has been commemorating achievements of historical significance in chemistry since 1999. In a ceremonial act, the places of work of important scientists are honored with a commemorative plaque. The aim of this program is to keep the memory of the cultural heritage of chemistry alive and to bring chemistry and its historical roots more into the public eye.
Today's König Building was inaugurated in 1926 as a laboratory for colors 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) followed Möhlau as director of the laboratory from 1911 to 1913. Under the direction of Walter König (1878 - 1964) from 1913 to 1954, the institute developed into a world-leading facility for research into synthetic materials Dyes and their application. König's work on polymethine dyes was groundbreaking for the development of color photography. The name König-Bau was given during his term in office in 1953. The König-Bau also became the home of the dye collection in 1926, the oldest holdings of which date back to the middle of the 19th century. Through systematic collecting for research purposes at the Institute of Color and Textile Chemistry, a unique collection was created that documents the development of synthetic dyes from the discovery of mauvein in 1856 to the present day.
Festive event
On October 12th, the building will be ceremoniously included in the “Historic Sites of Chemistry” program and the commemorative plaque will be unveiled. The rest of the festival's program covers a range from historical dye research to modern OLED displays. Registration for the free event is possible until October 1st at www.gdch.de/geschichtestaetten.
brochure
For this occasion, the GDCh is publishing a brochure on the history of the König Building and the historical dye collection. The brochure can be obtained 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. An essential criterion for selection as a historical site is that the discoveries associated with it are of great importance for people and society.
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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 region is organized by the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the largest scientific chemical organization in the EU. In addition to scientific lectures and discourses, the program also offers a diverse supporting program from the 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, urgent challenges of our time. In order to meet them, chemistry must also break new ground and establish new ways of thinking. WiFo 2023 will focus on the individual contributions that chemistry is already making and can make to overcoming these challenges.
Two top-class plenary symposiums 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" also show current approaches and solutions from the respective subject areas. Interdisciplinary symposiums such as "Rethinking History of Chemistry: Fascinating Stories and Reflections for the Future", "Chemistry Meets Art" and "Setting Limits between Science and Politics" build bridges between the disciplines and invite you to think outside the box.
The WiFo also offers numerous highlights apart from the scientific program. A breakfast session promises impulses for founding start-ups in chemistry. First of all, three short lectures are dedicated to the start-up scene in Saxony, an international view from and on Australia and the motivating success story of a biochemist. Afterwards, the participants have the opportunity for discussion and networking.
The 5th ChemSlam, a mixture of science and entertainment, will be exciting and funny. Several scientists present their chemical topics in an easily understandable and entertaining way, and in a maximum of ten minutes per lecture. The audience also plays an active role, as they decide who delivers the best slam and evaluate not only the scientific content, but also the comprehensibility and entertainment value of each lecture. In addition to congress visitors, there will also be chemistry classes from schools in the area.
The WiFo has special program items 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, those interested can find out more about the various job profiles and how to start a career. Workshops and lectures on all aspects of Career provide chemists with valuable input for starting and continuing their 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 of the different departments of the GDCh answer questions and the GDCh career service is available for advice, questions and tips.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
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As part of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 (WiFo) of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), Professor Dr. dr hc Henning Hopf was awarded the Primo Levi Prize on September 4th. He receives the prize, which is sponsored by the GDCh together with the Italian Chemical Society (SCI), at the opening ceremony of WiFo 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig.
The Primo Levi Prize is awarded to chemists or scientists in chemistry-related disciplines who are particularly committed to protecting human rights and thus advancing the dialogue between chemistry and society. This year's awardee, Professor Dr. dr hc Henning Hopf, receives the award for his significant contributions to both the chemical community and 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 predecessor organizations of the GDCh. In 2015, 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. The work was written by the science historian Professor Dr. Helmut Maier writes and examines in detail the history of the predecessor organizations of the GDCh, with particular reference to the National Socialist era.
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 writing on topics such as resilience, circular chemistry/economics, ethics, diversity and inclusion has garnered much attention, and Hopf's initiatives to promote international collaboration and support chemists in less affluent countries also make him a worthy recipient of the Primo Levi Prize.
Henning Hopf was born in Wildeshausen, Lower Saxony, in 1940 and studied chemistry at the University of Göttingen and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA. After completing his doctorate in the USA, he returned to Germany for 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 Adolf von Baeyer commemorative medal from the GDCh in 1996. He has held several guest professorships, worked on a number of 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 holding the office of President in 2004 and 2005, he represented the GDCh in numerous committees and gave 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 commemorating the victims and opposing oblivion. On July 31, 2023, Primo Levi would have been 104 years old.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
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The 51st German Food Chemistry Days will take place at the University of Bonn from August 21st to 23rd. At the annual conference of the Food Chemical Society (LChG), the largest Division of the German Chemical Society (GDCh), the focus is on food quality and consumer protection. Among other things, it is about the analysis of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) from kitchen items, the use of artificial intelligence in the analysis of meat spoilage and possible opportunities and risks that edible insects offer as feed . During the Conference , the GDCh also honored Professor Dr. Thomas Henle, Technical University of Dresden, for his special services to scientific development and the promotion and recognition of food chemistry with the Joseph König commemorative coin.
PFAS are industrial chemicals that are used as coating materials in functional jackets, tarpaulins, umbrellas, pizza boxes and baking paper, for example. However, we now know that PFAS have environmental and health impacts, including accumulation in food chains. For this reason, the monitoring of 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 can be observed in the baking molds and frying pans examined up to 250 °C. In her presentation, Wolf will explain exactly how she went about this and what these results mean.
The lecture by Professor Dr. Ulrich Busch from the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety in Oberschleißheim. As part of the "Future Laboratory 2030", artificial intelligence should make it possible to forecast the sensory and microbiological quality of food. In this context, Busch and his team carried out next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based analyzes of the microbiome in particular, in order to investigate how this changes as a result of storage duration or conditions. Her first investigations focused on perishable and non-fermented foods such as e.g. B. Minced meat, where microbiological spoilage is a relevant food safety aspect. In the lecture , the first results of the microbiome analysis of microbial populations in measurement series of minced meat will be presented.
In the search for alternative Literature to meet the need for animal protein, edible insects have recently become more and more important. While the acceptance of insects as food in the European population is still low, their use in the animal feed sector in fish and poultry feeding is generally accepted. In order to ensure the quality and safety of the feed , it must be examined 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 contaminant transfer into insects is possible. At the same time, he examines whether a transfer of minerals can occur. In his lecture , Maul will present the opportunities and risks of using edible insects as feed .
On August 22, Professor Dr. Thomas Henle, Technical University of Dresden, the Joseph König commemorative coin, which is endowed with 7,500 euros. With this, the GDCh honors his achievements in promoting the subject of food chemistry nationally and internationally as well as his scientific activities. With his fundamental work on chemical changes during food processing, e.g. B. under high pressure treatment, advanced the subject of food chemistry . Through his research on the physiological significance of protein modifications and on bioactive peptides, including in connection with hypertension, he has broken new scientific ground and published internationally visible works. Henle significantly shaped the Society of Food Chemistry through his activities on the board of 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 Germany.
During the Conference, the Society of Food Chemistry also awards the Werner Baltes Prize, the Future Award of the Society of Food Chemistry, the Bruno Rossmann Award and the Josef Schormüller Scholarship. Who will receive the awards in 2023 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 it is to promote the exchange of ideas in the field of food chemistry and related disciplines and to provide technical suggestions. With over 2600 members, the Society of Food Chemistry is the largest Division in the GDCh.
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In 2022, a total of 8,137 beginners began a chemistry course - 1.2% fewer than in the previous year (2021: 8,233). This is shown by the annual statistics for chemistry courses from the German Chemical Society (GDCh). The number of students who completed a chemistry course with a master's degree or the first state examination rose to 3761 (2021: 3727). After a record number of doctorates was reported in the previous year (2021: 2231), the number fell to a moderate level of 1883 in the reporting year. The number of graduates looking for a job and those who initially accepted temporary jobs fell again to a lower value than in the previous year.
The following results were obtained in the individual courses:
98% of all bachelor's graduates at universities and 68% at HAW went on to do a master's degree. Around 86% of the master's graduates at universities started a doctorate. This value is still lower than the long-term average (90%) and now seems to have leveled off at a lower level.
46% of the graduates in chemistry with a doctorate are aware of the first step into professional life. According to data from the universities, around 44% took up a position in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry (2021: 34%), 17% (2021: 21%) took on a temporary position in Germany (including postdoc). 14% worked in the rest of the economy after graduating (2021: 14%) and 9% took a job abroad after graduating (2021: 13%). Around 5% stayed at a university or research institute (2021: 4%) Around 4% of graduates held a position in the public sector (2021: 6%). At the time of the survey, 5% were considered job seekers (2021: 7%).
The number of "real" job seekers is likely to be slightly lower, as it is every year. Due to the key date of the survey on 31.12. Graduates who start their new job in January or February are still recorded as job-seekers.
The brochure "Statistics of chemistry courses 2022" is available as a flip catalog at www.gdch.de/statistics.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. 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 for 2022 are based on data from the courses in chemistry and business chemistry, biochemistry and life science, food chemistry and chemistry courses at the Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW), formerly universities of applied sciences. The number of beginners and students, the number of passed final exams and the respective final grades and duration of study were queried. In addition, some universities provided information on their graduates' career entry after graduation or doctorate. The reference date for the survey is December 31st.
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The five major mathematical and scientific societies with a total of over 130,000 members ( wissenschaft-verbindet.de ) have submitted their statement to the BMBF on the planned changes to the law on time limits for science. The umbrella organization for geosciences (DVGeo), the German Association of Mathematicians (DMV), the German Physical Society (DPG), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Association of Biology, Biosciences and Biomedicine in Germany (VBIO) support the goal of the Federal Ministry for education and research to make employment relationships in science more predictable. However, they criticize individual points of the planned law.
In the view of the five companies, a reform of the law on fixed-term contracts is an important step in attracting excellent researchers and showing them reliable career paths. However, it must be accompanied by adequate basic funding for universities and research institutions. This also includes sufficient resources for necessary permanent contracts. Since the draft law applies equally to all disciplines, it must be flexible enough to meet the specific requirements of different disciplines. Instead of defining fixed exceptions for individual subjects, a flexible design based on specific needs should be made possible.
The companies welcome a minimum contract term of three years for the initial contract during the doctorate. However, the proposed fixed-term regulation for postdocs after the doctorate of four years (plus two years if there is a prospect of a permanent position) is the lower time limit for a fixed-term position. Mathematical and scientific research often requires more time to achieve reliable results. Flat-rate maximum fixed-term contracts that do not take into account special technical features and without more permanent positions limit the perspectives and planning security of researchers and endanger the international competitiveness of Germany as a location for science.
The mathematical and scientific societies also emphasize that in addition to tenure track, alternative qualification paths for permanent positions in the academic sector must be retained, such as national and international programs to promote young researchers. The classic habilitation should also continue to be possible, as well as third-party funding in this phase.
The companies are in favor of increasing the maximum fixed-term contract period for study-related employment to eight years. However, the overall minimum contract period of one year does not meet the requirements of teaching and research at mathematical and scientific faculties and should be flexible and can be adapted to the duration of the assigned tasks.
The proposed opening up within the framework of collective agreements is viewed critically by the companies, as this could jeopardize the comparability of employment contracts in universities and research institutions and impair the mobility of researchers. The scientific career system must not become a patchwork of different fixed-term regulations in collective agreements.
The detailed statement can be viewed at https://wissenschaft-verbindet.de/presse.
At www.wissenschaft-verbindet.de, the five major mathematical and scientific societies - the umbrella organization for geosciences (DVGeo), the German Mathematical Society (DMV), the German Physical Society (DPG), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Association of Biology, Life Sciences and Biomedicine in Germany (VBIO) – merged. Together they represent over 130,000 members. They share the awareness that those working in science bear a particularly high degree of responsibility for shaping human life as a whole.
The German Chemical Society (GDCh) awards Professor Dr. Thomas Fässler, Technical University of Munich, the Arfvedson Schlenk Award, which is endowed with 7,500 euros. The award, sponsored by Albemarle Germany GmbH, honors scientists for outstanding work in the field of lithium chemistry. Fässler receives the award for his outstanding contributions to lithium-rich intermetallic compounds that could contribute to efficient and safe high-performance lithium batteries in the future. The award ceremony will take place on September 4th as part of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) in Leipzig.
In his research, Fässler deals with the synthesis, characterization and theoretical description of materials based on inorganic solids and molecular compounds. Starting with 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 investigated material classes 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 received the Arfvedson Schlenk Award for his important contributions to the field of Zintl phases, in particular to lithium-rich intermetallic compounds. In the future, these innovative materials can be of great use as solid-state ion conductors for safe, high-performance lithium batteries. The selection committee emphasized that Fässler had set international standards for the development of new, lithium-rich compounds and lithium ion conductors through his groundbreaking research work in the field of lithium-containing compounds and had 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 Constance and received his doctorate from the University of Heidelberg. After a post-doctoral stay at the University of Chicago, USA, he habilitated at 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 Advanced Materials Science course 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. In 1997 the prize was set up by Chemetall, Frankfurt am Main together with the GDCh. This was followed by sponsor Rockwood Lithium, which was merged into Albemarle Germany GmbH, which now sponsors the award.
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposiums, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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At the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) awards Professor Dr. Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel, Freie Universität Berlin, the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Prize. The award from the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Foundation set up by the GDCh is endowed with 10,000 euros and is being presented for the first time. Hasenstab-Riedel receives the award for his outstanding achievements in the field of transition and main group chemistry as well as modern molecular spectroscopy under cryogenic conditions. The award ceremony will take place on September 6 as part of the WiFo closing lecture.
Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel is considered a leading international scientist in the field of halogen chemistry, which is important for numerous applications ranging from modern plastics to novel substitutes for greenhouse gases. Various methods are used in his research on the chemistry of halogens – from the element fluorine to the element iodine. For example, he uses matrix isolation spectroscopy at -269 °C to study these mostly very reactive compounds. His work in the field of synthetic halogen chemistry includes fundamental studies but also applied science, as evidenced by numerous patents and several industrial collaborations.
Sebastian Hasenstab-Riedel, born in 1975, began his professional career with an apprenticeship as a chemical laboratory assistant before studying chemistry from 1998 to 2003 at the University of Siegen and the Julius-Maximilians-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 the McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, he habilitated in 2013 at the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg in inorganic chemistry. In the same year he accepted a professorship at the Free University of Berlin. Hasenstab-Riedel has also been spokesman for the Collaborative Research Center "Fluorine-Specific Interactions" and director of the Institute for Chemistry and Biochemistry since 2019. He has been an active member of the GDCh since 2001 and is currently on the Board of the AG fluorine chemistry and the Wöhler Association for Inorganic Chemistry of the GDCh. 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 project ChemSysCon was awarded the research prize of the Werner Siemens Foundation.
About the price
To promote science and research in the field of molecular main group chemistry, Professor Dr. hc mult. Herbert W. Roesky for himself and on behalf of his late wife Christel Roesky in 2021, the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Foundation. The task of the foundation is the biennial awarding of the Christel and Herbert W. Roesky Prize, which is endowed with 10,000 euros. The prize honors people who have published groundbreaking scientific work in the field of molecular chemistry of the main group elements. The work is said to have led to important and new scientific findings for the general public.
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposiums, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) awards Professor Dr. Alfred Flint, University of Rostock, the Heinz Schmidkunz Prize, which is endowed with 7,500 euros. With this, the company recognizes Flint's commitment, his charisma and his ability to combine theory and practice in a lively way. The award ceremony will take place on September 4th as part of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) in Leipzig.
The Heinz Schmidkunz Prize, which is worth 7,500 euros, is awarded to people who have made special contributions to chemistry didactic research, the training of chemistry teachers and chemical education in schools. This year's awardee , Alfred Flint, is considered one of the most active chemistry teachers in Germany. He also convinced the selection committee that he not only develops his experiments and concepts, but also authentically presents them and demonstrates 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. Thanks to him, everyday substances such as citric acid, pipe cleaners and oxygen bleach (oxycleaners) have found their way into chemical education . Due to the everyday reference, this form of teaching is particularly motivating for students and at the same time sustainable.
In 1985/1988 Alfred Flint passed the first state examination for teaching at high schools in chemistry, physics and geography at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg. In 1989 he received his doctorate – also in Oldenburg – in didactics of chemistry. In 1992 he passed the 2nd state examination at the State Study Seminar in Oldenburg, before he taught from 1992 to 1999 as a teacher at the Albert-Schweitzer School in Nienburg/Weser. In 1998, Flint habilitated in chemistry didactics at the University of Oldenburg, while from 1997 to 1998 he held a visiting professorship in chemistry didactics at the Johann Wolfgang Goethe University in Frankfurt. Flint has been a professor of chemistry education at the University of Rostock since 1999 and has headed the GDCh teacher training center in Rostock for over fifteen years. 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 for chemical education (FGCU).
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, specialist symposiums, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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Two sustainability researchers are recognized for their work by the German Chemical Society (GDCh). professor dr Klaus Kümmerer, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, receives the Wöhler Award for sustainable chemistry for his pioneering research work in the field of sustainable chemistry. dr Philipp Demling, RWTH Aachen University, is 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, waste water 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 done outstanding things for sustainable chemistry. In addition, the awardee was 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 groundbreaking contributions to the development and implementation of sustainable chemistry, the GDCh honors Kümmerer at the WiFo with the Wöhler Award for sustainable chemistry, which is endowed with 7,500 euros.
Klaus Kümmerer studied chemistry at the Julius Maximilians University in Würzburg and the Eberhard Karls University in Tübingen, where he also received his doctorate in 1990. In 1999 he received the venia legendi for environmental chemistry and environmental hygiene at the Albert-Ludwigs-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 in 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 environmental officer at the University Hospital Freiburg. Kümmerer has been Professor of sustainable chemistry and Physical Resources at Leuphana University Lüneburg since 2010 and Director of the Research & Education Hub at the International Sustainable Chemistry Collaborative Center (ISC3) since 2017. He is and was a member of numerous national and international committees and regularly advises the EU and UNEP as well as national and international politics on sustainability issues.
The prize for bioconversion of renewable raw materials will also be awarded at the WiFo. em Manfred Schneider was set up at the GDCh. The award, which is endowed with 2000 euros, is given to young doctors who did their doctorate no more than two years ago. This year's awardee is Dr. Philip Demling. In his dissertation at the RWTH Aachen University, he deals with process engineering improvements in fermentative rhamnolipid production. In doing so, he developed both new processes to avoid foam formation and new digestion and bioreactor concepts that would improve industrial application.
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) honors Professor Dr. Rainer Herges, Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, with the Adolf von Baeyer commemorative medal. The award takes place as part of the GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) - the most important chemistry congress in the German-speaking world. Herges convinced with the quality, originality and the 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 the 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. In addition, the awardee succeeded in producing the first molecule that can be switched magnetically at room temperature, which, for example, allows highly precise and spatially high-resolution temperature measurements in MRI.
Rainer Herges was born in St. Ingbert (Saarland) in 1955. After studying chemistry at Saarland University in Saarbrücken, he received his doctorate in 1994 from the Institute for 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 habilitated in 1992 in Erlangen-Nuremberg. 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 already 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 a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) honors Professor Dr. Michael Ruck, Technical University of Dresden, with the Wilhelm Klemm Prize on September 6th. The award ceremony will take place as part of the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry 2023 in Leipzig. The awardee receives the award for his contributions to the chemistry and material properties of solid-state compounds - in particular with bismuth and phosphorus.
The Wilhelm Klemm Prize, endowed with 7,500 euros, commemorates the Münster professor Wilhelm Klemm, whose research advanced inorganic chemistry. The GDCh honors personalities who do outstanding work in the field of inorganics with the prize. This year's awardee , Professor Dr. Michael Ruck is characterized by the fact that his work is conceptually and methodologically unusually broad. The starting point for his preparative research work was classical inorganic solid-state chemistry, which he continued to develop. Ruck won over the commission with his key contributions to solid-state compounds, ranging 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 also known today as Ruck's phosphorus.
Michael Ruck, born in Pforzheim in 1963, studied chemistry at the University (TH) Karlsruhe. In 1991 he received his doctorate from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research and the University of Stuttgart. After that, Ruck first worked as a research assistant and later as a research assistant at the Institute for Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe. During this time he habilitated in 1997 for the subject of inorganic chemistry 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 a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) honors the project 'Women In Supramolecular Chemistry (WISC) - an international network supporting equality, diversity and inclusion within supramolecular chemistry' with the Hildegard Hamm Brücher Award for equal opportunities in chemistry . The team around 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.
In the chemical sciences, women have fewer chances of being retained or even promoted. They get short-term, precarious contracts more often, publish less, and are cited less often. Disproportionately fewer women sit on editorial boards, are nominated for awards and file patent applications. A 2018 study by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) showed that many talented women leave academia before they have reached their full potential. Previous measures 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 stay and advancement of all who identify as women at every career stage and tries to remove possible obstacles. It is important to the WISC team to get involved to bring about change rather than just addressing it. Through an online survey, the network identified the needs of the supramolecular community. Based on the results, the network developed numerous supporting initiatives such as a mentoring network, community clusters to build peer communities, and workshops on inclusion and diversity for young scientists.
The award selection committee sees the WISC initiative as a "lighthouse with a radiance that goes beyond supramolecular chemistry". The project is an example of how committed women chemists have successfully and sustainably joined forces in addition to their professional obligations to form an international network in order to achieve more equal opportunities and inclusion. With its tireless commitment and lived values for more equal opportunities, the team showed a consistent attitude, which 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 7500 euros, the GDCh wants to send a visible signal and honor exemplary commitment to equal opportunities in chemistry. Hildegard Hamm-Brücher (1921-2016) was a chemist and received her doctorate in 1945 from Nobel Prize winner Professor Heinrich Wieland in Munich. After the end of the war she became 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. It not only stood for freedom and democracy, but also for consistently value-based action. She tirelessly fought 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.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The WiFo 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible at www.wifo2023.de.
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From September 4th to 6th, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) invites you to the Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry in Leipzig. This year's most important chemistry congress in the German-speaking region has the motto "Rethinking Chemistry". Around 1500 chemists from Germany and abroad are expected.
The event takes up the motto of the incumbent GDCh board. What is meant by this is specified by GDCh President Dr. Karsten Danielmeier: “Rethinking chemistry is more important than ever in order to meet the most pressing challenges of our time such as climate change, recycling, energy shortages, diseases and to comply with new legislation (e.g. European Green Deal). . Each area of chemistry can and must make its own contribution to overcoming these challenges. And WiFo 2023 will show how many valuable contributions chemistry can make and what new technologies can be used to do so.”
Two top-class plenary symposiums will deal with the topic. On September 5th, Professor Leroy 'Lee' Cronin, University of Glasgow /UK, Dr. Sarah Fakih, CureVac AG, Tübingen, and Professor Dr. Peter R. Schreiner, Justus Liebig University Gießen, how concepts for “Rethinking Chemistry” can look like. Cronin is considered a thought leader in the field of digital chemistry and founded the company Chemify. With the company, he aims to help digitize chemistry and develop solutions to run chemical codes for chemical discovery, drug discovery, synthesis and materials research. The qualified chemist Fakih is Vice President Corporate Communications & Investor Relations at CureVac and can provide fascinating insights into mRNA technology. As GDCh President for the years 2020 and 2021 and today's Deputy GDCh President, Schreiner has made significant advances in the GDCh on the path to digitization, for example by giving the impetus for the development of the GDCh.app.
In the second plenary symposium on September 6th, Dr. Melanie Maas-Brunner, BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Professor Dr. Evamarie Hey-Hawkins, University of Leipzig, and Professor Dr. John C. Warner, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry, LLC/US, focuses on sustainable strategies. Maas-Brunner is a member of the Board of Management and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of BASF SE and provides an insight into how sustainability aspects are implemented at the world's largest chemical company. The award-winning phosphorus chemist Hey-Hawkins knows how important sustainable strategies are, especially when resources are limited. Warner founded the field of green chemistry together with Paul Anastas more than twenty years ago and laid the foundation for sustainable chemical product development.
In addition to the plenary symposia, more than 30 sessions of the GDCh Divisions are devoted to the topics of "Synthesis and Catalysis", "Materials", "Energy, Resources and Environment", "Life Sciences" and "chemical education". In addition, interdisciplinary symposia such as "Rethinking History of Chemistry: Fascinating Stories and Reflections for the Future", "Chemistry Meets Art" and "Setting the Boundaries Between Science and Politics" invite you to think outside the box.
In addition to scientific lectures, the WiFo also offers a diverse supporting program. The GDCh awards some of its most important prizes and honors outstanding chemists. At WiFo, students and doctoral candidates have the opportunity to present their research at a poster party. As part of the GDCh career days, graduates receive important information and tips for starting a career. An exhibition enables publishers, companies and institutions to present themselves. The GDCh Science Party in the historic "Auerbachs Keller" and other social activities offer the opportunity for informal networking.
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry (WiFo) – in a nutshell
The GDCh Science Forum Chemistry 2023 will take place under the motto "Rethinking Chemistry" from September 4th to 6th, 2023 in the KONGRESSHALLE am Zoo in Leipzig. The participants can expect a varied program of plenary lectures, main symposia, a poster and an industrial exhibition. In addition, numerous prestigious prizes are awarded. Registration is possible from May 3rd at www.wifo2023.de.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. Every two years it organizes the GDCh Science Forum (WiFo) Chemistry at different locations in Germany. The GDCh also invites renowned international scientists to give lectures at this most important German chemistry congress.
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professor dr Robert W. Smith, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada, receives the 2023 Paul Bunge Prize for lifetime achievement and specifically his inspirational contributions to space telescopes. The award ceremony will take place on May 31 as part of the "Writing the History of Scientific Instruments" conference at the Deutsches Museum in Munich. The prize of the Hans-R.-Jenemann-Foundation is endowed with 7,500 euros and is awarded jointly by the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry (DBG). It honors outstanding work on the history of scientific instruments.
Robert W. Smith's best-known work, The Space Telescope: A Study of NASA, Science, Technology, and Politics, places the history of the Hubble Space Telescope in the context of 'Big Science'. The two-billion-dollar large-scale research project delivered practically unusable images after being exposed in space due to construction errors. Smith analyzes how 'Big Science' processes, particularly government funding processes for large-scale projects, have contributed to these failures. It reveals the amazingly complex interactions between science, government, and industry, and describes the wide range of personalities and forces—scientific, technical, political, social, institutional, and economic—that have played a role in the history of the space telescope.
Smith has been investigating the history of scientific instruments since the beginning of his research career. He is particularly interested in how these instruments have shaped scientific operations and how this in turn shapes the instruments. Smith's work has received numerous awards and is cited and recommended not only within science, but also by NASA and other organizations. In addition to his research, he imparts his knowledge both as part of his teaching activities and in popular science lectures. His work fascinates academic colleagues, museum professionals, government agencies, and the interested public alike, helping to expand audiences and enhance the visibility of the history of scientific instruments.
Robert W. Smith studied physics at Queen Mary College in London/UK and completed the Mathematical Tripos at the University of Cambridge, UK. In 1979 he received his doctorate – also from Cambridge – in the history and philosophy of science. Since 1998 he has been a professor in the Department of History and Classics at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Previously, he was Chair of the Department of Space History at the Smithsonian Institute's National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC, USA. He was the Lindberg Chair in Aerospace History at the Smithsonian Institute and a Fellow of the National Humanities Center and the McCalla Professor and Killam Annual Professor at the University of Alberta.
The Paul Bunge Prize is the world's most important honor in the field of the history of scientific instruments and is advertised publicly and internationally. The Advisory Board of the Hans R. Jenemann Foundation, supported by the GDCh and the DBG, decides on the award. Hans R. Jenemann (1920–1996), chemist at Schott Glaswerke in Mainz, became known for his contributions to the history of scientific equipment, especially historical scales. He set up the foundation himself in 1992. The prize is named after the Hamburg precision mechanic Paul Bunge (1839-1888), one of the leading designers of laboratory balances for chemical analysis.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It maintains numerous foundations, such as the Hans R. Jenemann Foundation. The Paul Bunge Prize of the Hans R. Jenemann Foundation is awarded annually, usually alternately at the Bunsen Conference and the lecture conferences of the GDCh Division of History of Chemistry.
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An amendment to the Science Time Contract Act (WissZeitVG) is currently being discussed. In principle, a discussion of the career paths of young scientists inside and outside of academic institutions is very welcome. From the point of view of the signatory scientific societies, essential aspects have not yet been adequately described in the debate about the amendment of the WissZeitVG for the natural and life science disciplines.
Scientific work in the natural and life sciences as well as in biomedicine usually requires the collection of complex data sets and complex quantitative analyzes of processes that inherently take place on long-term time scales. The recognition of the associated contributions by the scientific community takes place through scientific publications in leading international journals, which require internationally competitive work opportunities well beyond the envisaged 3-year postdoc phase. Visible publications then enable scientists to independently manage their own research projects and thus form the basis for appointment to a permanent professorship or comparable management positions.
A limitation of the postdoc phase to only 3 years is therefore clearly too short, especially in an international comparison, and would massively restrict the individual work opportunities of scientists, especially with regard to a further academic career. A migration of scientists abroad and a significant loss in the quality of research in the natural and life sciences as well as in biomedicine would be the inevitable negative consequences. Furthermore, such a narrow time limit for the postdoc phase would lead to a significant disadvantage for women in science.
In addition, we would like to point out that the intended amendment to the WissZeitVG, which is currently being actively discussed by all those involved, will no longer create permanent positions. This can only be achieved by significantly increasing the permanent funds for basic funding of universities and non-university institutions.
The undersigned professional societies represent more than 45,000 members in the natural and life sciences as well as in biomedicine.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of new scientific knowledge, also through transdisciplinary and international cooperation. Furthermore, the GDCh is committed to modern training and further education in schools, universities and in the professional environment.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Volker Haucke
President of the Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology eV
Phone +49 (0) 30 947 93 100
Email: haucke@fmp-berlin.de
https://gbm-online.de
dr Karin J Schmitz
German Chemical Society registered association
public relations
Phone +49 69 7917-493
Email: pr@gdch.de
www.gdch.de/presse
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Addition to the press release of March 27, 2023:
After the press release was published, the following societies (with a total of more than 10,000 members) joined the call:
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 about Nobel Prize winner Karl Ziegler and his research: It is about the history of polymers, their benefits, their disadvantages and how sustainable recycling can be successful. In addition, chemistry Nobel laureate Benjamin List presented organocatalysis, another of Ziegler's exciting research fields, and the Karl Ziegler Award, endowed with 50,000 euros, was awarded.
On the fiftieth anniversary of his death, the GDCh commemorates 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 what direct influence his discoveries still have on our lives today. Current developments such as questions of sustainability, the circular economy and recycling are not neglected. As a special highlight, the 2021 Nobel Laureate 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 (ie catalysis using small organic molecules). He explains why life without catalysis is unthinkable and how organocatalysts can be used to produce drugs, fuels and materials in a resource-saving and sustainable manner. The GDCh President Dr. Karsten Danielmeier and the deputy GDCh President Katharina Uebele.
Karl Ziegler, who was born in 1898, is best known for his contributions to the development of polymer chemistry and catalysis. In particular, 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 1963 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Karl Ziegler also has a special meaning for the GDCh: He was its first president after its foundation in 1949.
Karl Ziegler Award and Karl Ziegler Young Scientist Award
During the event, the GDCh awards the Karl Ziegler Award - one of the most valuable 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 in order to answer current biomedical questions. With her research, she is opening up new avenues for compatible materials in biomedicine that can actively bring about regeneration processes. The Karl Ziegler Award is endowed with 50,000 euros and a gold medal and is funded by a foundation that Ziegler's daughter, Marianne Witte, set up at the GDCh.
Young scientists will also receive an award at the symposium: Dr. Christopher Teskey from RWTH Aachen University receives the Karl Ziegler Young Scientist Award for his research project to develop a new reductive cross-olefin coupling reaction using visible light. The junior research group leader receives funds totaling 30,000 euros to finance a postdoctoral position for the project for one year.
the event
The Karl Ziegler Jubilee 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 take part in the event, which is also expressly aimed at the interested public. Admission is free, we ask that you register by April 10th.
Program and registration at https://www.gdch.de/gdch/stiftungen/karl-ziegler-stiftung/karl-ziegler-jubilaeumssymposium.html
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The GDCh manages numerous dependent foundations in trust. The purpose of these foundations is to award prizes, grants and grants. Foundation advisory boards decide on the awarding of prizes, awards and scholarships. At 50,000 euros, the Karl Ziegler Award is the GDCh's most valuable prize, along with 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.
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Joint press release of the German Association of Mathematicians (DMV), the German Physical Society (DPG), the German Chemical Society (GDCh) and the Association of Biology, Biosciences and Biomedicine in Germany (VBIO)
This year, the Ars legendi faculty prize for excellent university teaching in mathematics and the natural sciences goes to Holger Schielzeth, University of Jena (biology), Sebastian Seiffert, University of Mainz (chemistry), Claudia Kirch, University of Magdeburg (mathematics) and Ivonne Möller, University Bochum (physics).
Now in its tenth year, the Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Mathematics and Natural Sciences honors scientists who have distinguished themselves through outstanding, innovative and exemplary achievements in teaching, advice and support. It is awarded by the Stifterverband, the German Chemical Society, the German Mathematical Association, the German Physical Society and the Association of Biology, Biosciences and Biomedicine in Germany. The award has been presented in the categories of biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics since 2014 and is endowed with prize money of EUR 5,000 each.
This year, the awardee were selected by a nine-member jury made up of representatives of the scientific disciplines and students. She awarded the Ars legendi Faculty Prize 2023 to the following people from teaching and course coordination:
In the Biology category
receives the Ars legendi faculty prize Professor Dr. Holger Schielzeth from the Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where he took over the professorship for population ecology in 2016 "and has since developed an exemplary teaching profile that extends from the 1st semester in the bachelor's program in "Biology" to the master's program in "Ecology, Evolution and Systematics” runs through. Prof. Schielzeth developed innovative teaching formats for compulsory courses in the bachelor’s degree in biology and, in addition to professional qualifications, teaches key qualifications in the area of data management and interpretation as well as the formation of hypotheses using simulation models,” the jury explained.
In the chemistry category
the faculty prize goes to Professor Dr. Sebastian Seiffert from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz. He is honored "for his groundbreaking combination of teaching formats in his courses in physical and macromolecular chemistry, in particular for the creation of a textbook that maps a course in physical chemistry in blended learning format, as well as for his commitment to the current topic of the To bring climate change closer to the student body and a broader audience in courses, lectures and panel discussions," says the jury.
In the mathematics category
the award goes to Professor Dr. Claudia Kirch from the Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. "She cleverly combined elements from classroom teaching with digital formats. This includes, for example, a weekly schedule, short lecture videos and assignments with mutual assessment by the students. Ms. Kirch has succeeded in showing in her teaching how modern teaching concepts can be used effectively and realistically in practice in mathematics. She is also recognized for her commitment to making statistical skills, such as data literacy, accessible to students and to the general public in outreach events,” said the jury.
In the physics category
the course coordinator Dr. Ivonne Möller from the Ruhr University in Bochum received the Ars legendi faculty prize "for her compulsory modules 'learning group management', which are newly anchored in the curriculum in the second bachelor's year with the aim of increasing the ability to study and reducing the number of students at the beginning of the course, as well as for 'project management' in the first year of the master’s degree in order to improve professional qualifications,” the jury explained.
The ceremonial award ceremony for the Ars legendi faculty prizes for mathematics and natural sciences will take place on April 25, 2023 at 5 p.m. in the Magnus House of the DPG in Berlin Mitte. Interested parties are cordially invited. Please register by April 3, 2023 by email to vogt@mathematik.de.
Further information on the Ars legendi Faculty Prize for Mathematics and Natural Sciences at https://www.stifterverband.org/ars-legendi-mn
press contact
German Association of Mathematicians
Thomas Vogt, Tel. 030 838-75657
Email: vogt@mathematik.de
donor association
Peggy Gross, Tel. 030 322982-530
Email: presse@stifterverband.de
The German Chemical Society (GDCh) awards Professor Dr. Mario Thevis, German Sport University Cologne, the Fresenius Award. He receives the award, which comes with a gold medal and prize money of 7,500 euros, for special services to analytical chemistry. Because the internationally renowned doping expert shows with his work how important and relevant analysis is for society. Thevis will receive the award on April 11 at ANAKON 2023 in Vienna. The Division Award for analytical chemistry and the DAAS Award are also awarded on site.
As a world-renowned doping expert, Mario Thevis is a flagship 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 public perception. But his research results also speak for themselves: Thevis has already developed numerous new, powerful analytical methods for a large number 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. Because every analytical result can have an immediate and decisive impact on the Career, reputation and future of the people concerned. He showed many times that initially inexplicable and particularly rare analytical results require further detailed investigations. For this reason, Thevis is also regularly consulted as an expert in sports law and criminal law proceedings. Last but not least, he succeeds in presenting his research in an engaging way. He has already been a guest 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 the RWTH Aachen University and sports science at the German Sport University Cologne, where he also received his doctorate in 2001 from the Institute for Biochemistry. After a research stay at the University of California, Los Angeles, USA, he habilitated at the German Sport University in Cologne. He has been a professor for preventive doping research there since 2006. Since 2016 he has been director of the Institute of Biochemistry and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-certified anti-doping laboratory in Cologne. Already during his dissertation he supported the doping control laboratory in Helsinki (Finland) within the framework of the Nordic World Ski Championships in 2001. 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 Center for Emerging Doping Substances (EUMOCEDA), and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Drug Testing and Analysis, published by Wiley-VCH.
The Division Award for analytical chemistry and the DAAS Award are also awarded as part of ANAKON: Professor Dr. Nicole Strittmatter, Technical University of Munich, receives the award from the Division for her work in the field of multimodal mass spectrometric imaging in pharmaceutical and oncological research. dr Carla Kirschbaum was awarded the prize of the German Working Group for Analytical Spectroscopy (DAAS) for her dissertation entitled "Lipid Fingerprinting by Mass Spectrometry and Laser Light", which she completed at Freie Universität Berlin and the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society. awarded by the GDCh Division of Analytical Chemistry .
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It has 27 Divisions, including the Division of Analytical Chemistry with around 2500 members. The Division sees its main task in 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.
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From March 21st to 24th, the spring symposium of the Young Chemists Forum (JCF) of the German Chemical Society (GDCh) will take place in Gießen . Under the motto "Chemistry is coming home", around 300 young scientists will come together at one of the birthplaces of modern chemistry, the Justus Liebig University in Gießen. In addition to scientific lectures - including that of a Nobel Prize winner -, poster sessions and workshops, the conference program includes an industrial exhibition and a varied supporting program. Other highlights include the presentation of the Carl Roth Promotional Prize and the Dres. Volker and Elke Münch Prize.
The JCF Spring Symposium has been one of the largest conferences in Europe by and for young researchers for 25 years. The event is organized annually by changing regional forums of the JungChemikerForum, the junior organization of the GDCh. In 2023, the regional forums in Gießen, Frankfurt and Marburg took over the organization and created a diverse program together. In addition to internationally renowned scientists, junior research group leaders and young researchers in particular will have their say at the event. One of the best-known speakers this time is the Nobel Prize winner for chemistry, Professor Dr. Benjamin List, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research, Mülheim. The former and now deputy GDCh President Professor Dr. Peter R. Schreiner, Justus Liebig University Gießen, and Professor Dr. Stefanie Dehnen, GDCh board member and executive director of the Institute for Nanotechnology at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, will present at the spring symposium.
On the occasion of the round anniversary of the event there will be a review of the past symposia and Professor Dr. Peter R. Schreiner will underscore the motto of the event with a chemical-historical Liebig lecture . In two poster sessions, students and doctoral candidates from all areas of chemistry and related natural sciences will have the opportunity for professional exchange. In addition, young chemists can present their topic in “5-minute pitches”, i.e. short presentations. The best posters or pitches will be awarded a prize. The conference will be accompanied by an industrial exhibition. Workshops, excursions and social activities complete the program.
On March 22nd, the Carl-Roth Award will be awarded during the Conference . The GDCh awards the prize, which is worth 5,000 euros, to young chemists who develop resource-conserving synthetic routes or use chemicals in innovative ways. The prize is financed by Carl Roth GmbH & Co. KG, which also contributes a further 3000 euros in the form of a voucher. The prize goes to Simon BH Karnbrock, Georg-August-
University of Göttingen, for the excellent and independent work he has done during his master's degree. As part of his master's thesis, he succeeded in developing a phosphorus-based organocatalyst that promotes redox processes via a phosphorus-ligand redox cooperation. The results of his work were published by him as first author in Angewandte Chemie - one of the world's most important chemistry journals, which is published by the GDCh.
The Dres. Volker and Elke Münch Prize will also be awarded on March 22nd. The prize of the foundation of the same name, which is based at the GDCh, is endowed with 7000 euros and is given to preferably young inventors who have made a pioneering invention in the field of chemistry or chemical process engineering. The prize money supports a patent application. This year the award goes to a team consisting of Maximilian Röhrl and Professor Dr. Josef Breu from the University of Bayreuth, Dr. Pier Lorenzo Caruso and Dr. Emily Boswell, both Procter & Gamble. Together they developed a sustainable paper barrier laminate for flexible packaging applications. The foundation's advisory board sees the invention as an interesting and practical approach that can be used to meet society's need for sustainable packaging.
On March 23, Professor Dr. Johanna R. Bruckner, University of Stuttgart and Professor Dr. Lena Daumann, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, the FAIR4Chem Award for her published datasets from chemical research. The prize is awarded by the NFDI4Chem consortium, in which the GDCh is involved, and supported by the chemical industry fund.
Further information can be found at https://symposium.jcf.io.
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It promotes scientific work, research and teaching as well as the exchange and dissemination of new scientific knowledge. 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 as well as 60 local sections and regional forums of the JungChemikerForum (JCF) at 54 university locations. The JCF forms a nationwide platform for around 10,000 young members of the GDCh.
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The German Chemical Society (GDCh) will present two of its renowned prizes at the Chemiedozententagung , which will take place from March 13th to 15th at the Technical University of Dresden. professor dr Kai Exner, University of Duisburg-Essen, receives the Carl-Duisberg Memorial Award and Professor Dr. Oliver Trapp , Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, is awarded the Horst Pracejus Prize. The GDCh Association of German University Professors of Chemistry (ADUC) from the chemistry faculties from Germany and neighboring countries to the Conference . The Working Group also awards its three ADUC awards on site.
The GDCh awards Professor Dr. Kai Exner, University of Duisburg-Essen, the Carl-Duisberg Memorial Award for his outstanding conceptual contributions in the highly topical and competitive fields of theoretical electrocatalysis and battery research. Exner has undergone an impressive scientific development. Even at an early stage in his academic Career , his work bears witness to groundbreaking approaches and a high degree of independence. The Carl-Duisberg Memorial Award, endowed with 7,500 euros, has been awarded since 1936 to young university teachers who work at a German university or as Germans at a foreign university, do not yet hold a W2/W3 or comparable position and are under 40 years of age have. Of the prize money, EUR 5,000 goes directly to the awardee and the remaining EUR 2,500 to the working group.
Kai Exner, born in Bad Arolsen in 1987, studied chemistry at the Justus Liebig University in Gießen, where he received his doctorate in physical chemistry in 2015. After postdoctoral stays at the University of Ulm and in Gießen , he went to Sofia University, Bulgaria, in 2017 as a Feodor Lynen Research Fellow of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. In 2020 he received a return grant from the foundation, which he used to conduct research at the University of Duisburg-Essen. He has been a junior professor there with a focus on theoretical inorganic chemistry since June 2021. Exner has already received numerous awards (including an ADUC award in 2022), scholarships and third-party funding. He has published over 60 articles in renowned scientific journals, more than 50 of them as first author or corresponding author.
The GDCh awards another award to Professor Dr. Oliver Trapp, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. He receives the Horst Pracejus Prize for his fundamental contributions to self-amplification in asymmetric catalysis, to enantioselective autocatalysis, and to the determination of absolute configuration by direct methods. With his development of the first self-reinforcing asymmetric reactions and the elucidation of the mechanism of asymmetric autocatalysis, Trapp showed for the first time that such chemical processes are a general phenomenon and can even be designed rationally. He identified the generic principles of autocatalysis and made the enormous potential accessible both conceptually and experimentally. Since 1997, the GDCh has been honoring scientists for outstanding work in the field of enantioselectivity or chirality with the Horst Pracejus Prize, which is endowed with 7,500 euros. The namesake Professor Horst Pracejus was known for his research in the field of chiral catalysis and Head of the Catalysis Research Institute in Rostock.
Oliver Trapp, born in 1973, studied chemistry at the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen, where he received his doctorate in organic chemistry in 2001. After research stays at Stanford University, California, USA, and at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr, he taught at the Ruhr University in Bochum, where he also habilitated. In 2008 he accepted the call to the Ruprecht-Karls-University Heidelberg, where he was also Managing Director of the Organic Chemical Institute Heidelberg from 2012 to 2015. Since 2016 he has been a professor of organic chemistry at the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich. He has also been Director of the Department of Organic Chemistry there since 2018 and Director of the Department of Chemistry since 2021. In 2010 Trapp founded the company Trapp ChemTech, which develops software tools for data processing and data management in chemical, pharmaceutical and environmental analysis. Trapp has received numerous awards and prizes and supports committees and advisory boards with his expertise.
As part of the Conference , the ADUC also honors three young scientists for establishing an independent research area. Jun.-Prof. dr Christoph Kerzig, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, receives an ADUC award for the further development of photochemical energy conversion, especially in water, and for the development of novel two-photon processes for photocatalysis with visible light. Also awarded is Dr. Golo Storch, Technical University of Munich, for the biomimetic development and investigation of substituted flavins as molecular redox catalysts in organic synthesis. and dr Terrance Hadlington, Technical University of Munich, receives an ADUC award for the implementation of the one‐site ambiphilia concept, which enables sophisticated cooperative bond activations on transition metal complexes with low‐valent, redox‐active main group ligands and makes them usable for homogeneous catalytic processes, especially hydroamination.
Further information on the Conference at www.gdch.de/cdt2023
With around 30,000 members, the German Chemical Society (GDCh) is one of the largest chemical science societies in the world. It has 27 Divisions and awards numerous prizes for special achievements in chemical research. The traditional Association of German University Professors of Chemistry (ADUC), which is based at the GDCh, awards up to three young scientists every year (during habilitation, scholarship or junior professorship) for establishing an independent research area.
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last modified: 26.09.2023 09:29 H from N/A
