The Archimedes Science Award, an annual international science prize, will be awarded by the Free State of Saxony starting in the year 2025. As part of the international “Building Bridges” conference, Prof. Ursula Staudinger, Rector of TUD Dresden University of Technology and Chairwoman of the Executive Board of DRESDEN-concept e.V., presented the award on May 28, 2024 at the International Congress Center Dresden. Inspired by its namesake, the prize is intended to recognize outstanding scientific achievements that have a special leverage effect in the sense that they represent solutions to the major challenges of our time.  

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)

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, Rector of TUD, as Chair of the DRESDEN-concept Alliance and Prof. Sebastian M. Schmidt, Academic Director at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), as Deputy Chair. 

Michael Kretschmer, Minister President of the Free State of Saxony: “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.”

Prof. Ursula Staudinger, Rector of TUD Dresden University of Technology and Chairwoman of the Executive Board of DRESDEN-concept e.V.: “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.”

You will find more background information on the award, nomination and ceremony online.

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