Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize
The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize, named after the physicist and former president of the DFG, is an accolade for early career researchers and provides further incentive for excellent achievements in their research work. The prize has been awarded since 1977.
Information about the Programme
Type of Prize
Annual award, open to all fields of research.
Purpose
Besides honouring excellent research achievements the prize is intended to assist in furthering scientific careers.
Number and Value of Awards
Ten prizes of € 200,000 each. The prize money can be spent for research purposes only up to three years.
Nominations
The prize is awarded on the basis of nominations received in response to an invitation. Nominees may be put forward by: the elected members of DFG Review Boards, all Universities and other doctorate-granting higher education institutions in Germany, further members of the DFG, the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, the Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres, the European Molecular Biology Laboratory, all previous prizewinners of the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize und previous members of the Selection Committee. Direct applications are not accepted.
Selection Criteria
The funding is intended for researchers in a development and probationary phase for remaining in academia/for a permanent professorship. Since obtaining their doctorate, they have established a distinctive profile early on and the results of their research have attracted attention within the subject-specific community, suggesting that excellent performance can be expected of them in the future. The award is not only to be understood as being in recognition of the dissertation; nominees should also have established a distinctive academic profile after obtaining their doctorate. Generally speaking, this requires the presentation of documented research results, in particular in the form of publications above and beyond the dissertation. The award can go to academics working at a research institution in Germany or at a German research institution abroad.
Selection of Prizewinners
Prizewinners are selected by the DFG’s Joint Committee on the basis of recommendations made by the Selection Committee for the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize.
Here you can find a list of the Interner LinkSelection Committee’s current members.
Nomination Deadlines
The individuals and institutions eligible to submit nominations will be invited to identify the prizewinners and submit their nominations. For the 2023 prizewinners, nominations had to be submitted until 26 October 2022, for the prizewinners of 2024 the call is scheduled to end on 31 July 2023.
Documents Required
If possible, in German and English language: a one- to two-page testimonial, an academic CV, a current list of publications, and up to five important publications (full text in its original language).
Forms and Guidelines