Welcome to the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities

As a scholarly community and non-university research institution, the State Academy of Baden-Württemberg serves as a strong voice and a bridge for science within the state and beyond.

News from the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities

News

Matthias Kind (l) überreicht Willi Jäger (r) die Urkunde und die Ehrenmedaille der Gelehrten Gesellschaft der Tschechischen Republik.

The Academy

Willi Jäger erhält Ehrenmedaille der Gelehrten Gesellschaft der Tschechischen Republik

Willi Jäger erhält die Ehrenmedaille der Gelehrten Gesellschaft der Tschechischen Republik für seine herausragenden wissenschaftlichen Verdienste.

Black-and-white photo of Thomas Hauschild. He looks at the viewer with a friendly expression. He has short, dark hair combed back and is wearing glasses.

The Academy

The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities the loss of Thomas Hauschild

* October 16, 1955 † May 4, 2026  

Thomas Hauschild most recently worked in the Department of Ethnology at the University of Halle-Wittenberg.

Gruppenfoto der Preisträger vom Landesforschungspreis 2026 mit Ministerin Olschowski und Akademiepräsident Kräusslich.

News

2026 State Research Award: Award Ceremony on June 11 in Stuttgart

On June 11, 2026, Minister Olschowski presented the State Research Award. President Kräusslich spoke as chair of the selection committee and delivered the laudatory address.

A portrait of Rohini Kuner. With her shoulder-length, dark brown hair, she smiles at the viewer and is wearing a red blouse with a white floral pattern.

The Academy

Rohini Kuner ReceivesPrize Medicine

Rohini Kuner has been awarded the 2026Prize Medicine for her groundbreaking work in the field of pain research. 

A full-face portrait of Klaus Fiedler, who is smiling at the viewer. He has short hair combed into a side part. He is wearing an open, colorful shirt with a black blazer over it.

The Academy

The Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities of Klaus Fiedler

* September 7, 1951 † May 12, 2026 

Prof. Dr. Klaus Fiedler most recently worked in the Department of Social Psychology at the University of Heidelberg.

Beef collection handover

News

A unique treasure

On April 24, 2026, the historical materials—which are among the earliest surviving manuscript traditions in Nepal—were formally transferred to the Nepalese government through a jointly signed deed of donation at the Centre for Asian and Transcultural Studies (CATS). The Indologist Axel Michaels discovered and cataloged the materials and advocated for their return to Nepal.

Press: "A Unique Treasure," in RNZ, April 28, 2026

A person is shown from behind, working in a laboratory while wearing gloves.

Young Science

Impact on early brain development

It is well known that the antiepileptic drug valproate increases the risk of brain developmental disorders in unborn children. A study by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, the University of Tübingen, and the University of Heidelberg, using laboratory-grown tissue models of the human brain, now provides new insights into how the drug affects early brain development—and thus opens up new avenues for research into risk minimization during pregnancy. Published in Molecular Psychiatry. (DOI: 10.1038/s41380-026-03585-5)

Current Job Postings

Call for Entries: Academy Awards 2027

Call for Entries: Academy Awards 2027

Current research projects

Current research projects

Cultural Studies

The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans (ROCEEH)


Das Ziel der Forschungsstelle ist die Rekonstruktion der raumzeitlichen Wanderbewegungen von Hominiden im Zeitraum zwischen 3 Millionen und 20.000 Jahren vor heute.

Cultural Studies

The Role of Culture in Early Expansions of Humans (ROCEEH)


Das Ziel der Forschungsstelle ist die Rekonstruktion der raumzeitlichen Wanderbewegungen von Hominiden im Zeitraum zwischen 3 Millionen und 20.000 Jahren vor heute.

Events and Dates

01.07.
2026

6:15 p.m.

lecture series

"Wir forschen. Für Sie." II: Brand name or no name? Strategies of an Attic pottery workshop at the end of the 6th century B.C.
08.07.
2026

6:15 p.m.

lecture series

"Wir forschen. Für Sie." III: Is it permissible for a Christian to go to war? A question that was already widely debated in the 16th century
22.07.
2026

6:15 p.m.

lecture series

"Wir forschen. Für Sie." IV: Understanding Machine Learning – A Physical Perspective
Title of Athene Magazine, Issue 02 / 2026
Double-page spread in Athene Magazine, Issue 02 / 2026

Athene

Magazin der Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften

Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities

Founded in 1909, the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities the State Academy of Sciences of Baden-Württemberg. As a scholarly society and non-university research institution, it promotes interdisciplinary exchange through lectures, events, and interdisciplinary research projects led by both established and early-career researchers, among other initiatives.