Award-winning individuals

This year, seven young scientists from Baden-Württemberg were honored for their work with awards totaling 70,000 euros. The purpose of these endowed prizes is to encourage researchers during the early stages of their careers and to support their scientific work.
The prizes were presented during the annual ceremony of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities May 24.

A short film was made about the award winners, which you can watch on YouTube at this link:https://youtu.be/PIptVj2RPJE?si=2yWU92ghwvy6187j(external link)

The Academy Prize(internal link), Academy of Sciences and Humanities in 1984 by the Association for the Promotion of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities to mark the 75th anniversary of the Academy’s founding, will be awarded to PD Dr. Marlon Barbehön in 2025. In his award-winning study, Barbehön explores the concept of “time,” which plays a major role in sociopolitical discourses such as sustainability or questions regarding the (proper) use of time. In addition to fundamental questions and an exploration of the construct of “time,” its terminology, and its relationship to politics, the awardee uses his Political Theory of Temporality to examine, through case studies, how social and political discourses influence our understanding of “time.” Marlon Barbehön has been conducting research since April 2024 as the director of a DFG-
project at the Institute for Political Science at Heidelberg University.

The Prize(internal link) was established in 1986 by the globally active technology company Freudenberg Group to mark the 100th anniversary of Prof. Dr. Karl Freudenberg’s birth. It is awarded for scientific work in the natural sciences—particularly chemistry and biology. 
This year, chemist Dr. Maximilian Baur isPrize with thePrize for his dissertation at the University of Konstanz. The central theme of his dissertation is the incorporation of small amounts of keto groups into the polymer chain of polyethylenes during their catalytic synthesis. Through his work, he has solved this research challenge and thereby facilitated an important scientific advancement. Dr. Baur achieved this breakthrough thanks to an intelligent catalyst design and suitable reaction conditions, which he made possible by constructing a precisely tailored reactor system. The molecular structure of the chains was elucidated through isotope labeling. Beyond these analyses, Mr. Baur demonstrated that his keto-modified polyethylenes are on par with commercial polyethylene (HDPE) in terms of processability and material properties. Furthermore, he demonstrated that his materials are photodegradable. This desirable property is relevant because it can reduce the problematic high persistence of polyethylene—the most widely used plastic—in the environment.

Recognizing the great importance of research in the humanities and social sciences, Witzenmann GmbH established the Prize(internal link) in 1997 to support emerging scholars in Baden-Württemberg. The prize honors works that address significant social and cultural changes and/or the opportunities and impacts of technological transformation, and, in the case of historical works, demonstrate a connection to the present. This year, theologian Dr. Simon Linder (University of Tübingen) is being awarded thePrize his dissertation “A Church in Conflict in the Digital Present.” In it, the laureate draws on Michel Foucault’s discourse analysis to develop a concept of “culture of debate” based on several recent discourses within and outside the church. On this basis, he explores how synodality and a culture of debate can be shaped for theologians and the church in the digital age, and tests his theory against current social and ecclesiastical events.

The Viktor & Sigrid Dulger Foundation’s Ecology Prize(internal link) is awarded to promote scholarly work in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering that addresses environmental problems and their solutions.
One such environmental problem is the large glass surfaces on buildings, which, while modern and allowing plenty of sunlight, are not only energy-inefficient and prone to overheating but also require significant cleaning effort and reduce privacy. Dr. Gan Huang, this year Prize of the Prize , developed a new polymer-based metamaterial that protects against glare, repels water and dirt, and—while allowing most sunlight to pass through—does not heat up and remains on average 6°C cooler than the surrounding environment. This groundbreaking invention could become a central component of energy-efficient construction in the future. Huang is Principal Investigator of the Helmholtz Investigator Group and Director of the Hybrid Solar Technologies Lab at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology.

To encourage young researchers and ensure that outstanding scientific achievements receive the recognition they deserve, entrepreneur Dr. Dr. h.c. Manfred Fuchs has established a research prize to support young researchers in Baden-Württemberg. In 2025, the Prize(internal link) will be awarded to tenure-track professor Dr. Pascal Friederich (KIT) for his work on the use of artificial intelligence in the development of new chemical materials. The background to this is the seemingly infinite number of possible materials that can be obtained by combining chemical substances, and the great relevance of materials with application-specific properties. Friederich’s promising approach is to combine existing knowledge and large amounts of data with machine learning and algorithms to not only develop suitable materials but also to simulate their properties in detail. This accelerates existing processes and has the potential to deliver groundbreaking chemical molecules and materials for new drugs or green technologies. 

Prize , made possible by Manfred Lautenschläger through his foundation, specifically Prize the humanities and cultural studies, which he views as disciplines that provide guidance for our present day, with a focus on history, society, and culture. It is intended to serve as both a “recognition” and a “driving force” for young researchers. This year, the Prize(internal link) is being awarded to Dr. Maike Hausen for her dissertation in modern and contemporary history. She is the editorial director at the State Agency for Civic Education in Stuttgart and a lecturer at the universities of Tübingen and Mannheim.

In her dissertation, the historian examines the consequences of the decision taken by Great Britain in the 1960s to abandon its military presence in Southeast Asia, which at the time led to a crisis perception in the former settler colonies of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. She analyzes the subsequent national upheavals from a transnational perspective and, based on this case study, identifies key processes of the postcolonial era, such as the reorientation of foreign and security policy and the development of independent national policies.