Internationally Announced Archimedes Science Award
The Free State of Saxony will award the internationally announced Archimedes Science Award for the first time in 2025.
Archimedes formulated the law of the lever in his work “On the Equilibrium of Plane Figures.” He recognized that using a fixed lever allows heavy objects to be moved with less effort. In this sense, the name of the prize emphasizes the unique leverage effect that outstanding science can have in addressing the major global challenges of our time. Scientific achievements with such leverage effect are to be honored.
The prize is endowed with EUR 50,000 and is awarded by a high-caliber and unique jury. Members of the jury:
- Prof. Otmar D. Wiestler, President of the Helmholtz Association
- Prof. Claudia Felser, Vice President of the Max Planck Society
- Prof. Holger Hanselka, President of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft
- Prof. Martina Brockmeier, President of the Leibniz Association
- Prof. Walter Rosenthal, President of the German Rectors’ Conference (HRK)
- Prof. Dr. Ursula M. Staudinger, Rector of TUD Dresden University of Technology and Chair of the DRESDEN-concept Alliance
- Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt, Scientific Director at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf Director (HZDR) and Deputy Chair of the DRESDEN-concept Alliance
This means that all four major extramural research organizations as well as the HRK – and thus numerous members of the Alliance of Science Organizations – are represented on the jury. The jury is chaired by Prof. Staudinger and Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt.
Each year, the prize is advertised with a focus on the respective theme of the Science Conference “Building Bridges” in Dresden.
For the Free State of Saxony, research and science are of utmost importance. Innovations help to advance us and are crucial for successful economic development and our prosperity. The Free State of Saxony is home to a unique international and interdisciplinary research and science landscape with an incredible number of bright minds. The ‘Archimedes Science Award’ now presented by the Free State of Saxony is a perfect fit for our region. It represents innovation, internationality and excellent prospects.
Michael Kretschmer, Minister President of the Free State of Saxony
The Archimedes Science Award is a unique science award due to the endowment of EUR 50,000, but also due to the special composition of the jury. The jury is made up of presidents or vice presidents of the four major extramural research organizations and the HRK in order to demonstrate the power of science to contribute to solving the great challenges of our time. The fact that this prize will be awarded here in Saxony – in Dresden – is no coincidence. This is where you will find one of the largest concentrations of extramural research institutions in Germany, which also work very closely with the university in the DRESDEN-concept e.V. science alliance. We are very excited about the nominations in the fields of microelectronics, nanoelectronics and AI for the first award ceremony in September 2025.
Prof. Ursula Staudinger, Rector of TUD Dresden University of Technology and Chairwoman of the Executive Board of DRESDEN-concept e.V.
Award, nomination and ceremony
1. Announcement of the Award
Announcement of the annual prize and its first award in 2025 on the website and on social media. The announcement provides information on the criteria, deadlines, prize money and the submission procedure. The jury members (deputy for their respective organizations) are entitled to nominate. The jury members are invited to nominate. The nominees may come from their own organization or other institutions.
2. Nomination
Individuals, in this case the jury members entitled to nominate candidates, can nominate up to two people they consider suitable for the award.
For the Archimedes Science Award 2025, the search is aimed at internationally renowned, outstanding scientists who work in the field of AI, micro- and nanoelectronics or information technology and whose research has contributed to solving the major global challenges of our time. Outstanding scientific achievements with such a leverage effect are to be honored.
3. Documents to be Submitted
- CV
- up to five selected publications that demonstrate the excellence of the scientific achievement and its leverage effect
- laudatory speech (max. 3 pages) outlining the achievement to be honored and the leverage effect
- 10-15 lines short description
The documents will be sent in English and in electronic form to archimedes@dresden-concept.de by September 1, 2024.
Queries can be directed to the above e-mail.
4. Review of Nominations
The nominations and documents submitted are carefully examined by the jury and evaluated on the basis of the specified criteria.
4. Selection of the Award Winner
The jury selects the winner from the nominees. The decision is made by secret ballot. The nominee with the most votes receives the prize.
5. Announcement of the Winner
The person receiving the prize will be informed by the jury chair. Once the prize has been accepted, the name will be announced publicly and the awarding of the prize will be made public.
6. Award Ceremony
The award ceremony will take place in September 2025 and the winner will be honored and give a keynote lecture.
7. Follow-up and Documentation
DRESDEN-concept documents the nomination and selection process and presents the award winner on the Archimedes website.