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Nomination for a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award
Would you like to nominate an international researcher from abroad who completed their doctorate less than 18 years ago for a research award? If you are a recognised academic at a research institution in Germany, you can submit anomination for the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award. Humboldt Foundation award winners working abroad can also initiate a nomination. It must, however, be submitted by a colleague working in Germany.
The Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award honours promising researchers for their academic achievements to date and is valued at €45,000. Up to 20 awards funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research are granted by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation every year.
The award winners are also invited to conduct research projects of their own choice at a research institution in Germany with local specialist colleagues. This includes a total stay of sixmonths to a whole year, which can be split into multiple stays of various durations. Please refer to our website or the Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award programme information to find out exactly what is required for a nomination.
How to submit a nomination
Your personal statement is essential for the nomination process and serves as an important basis for selection. Please state your motivation for the nomination as coherently as possible, outlining in detail the scientific significance of the nominee’s academic achievements to date. You should also specify any future outstanding research expected from the nominee that could shape the research area in question. In addition, please clarify your expectations for any potential collaboration with the nominee. You are not required, however, to provide a detailed presentation of any potential joint project.
When compiling your nomination, please refer to the information in the online nomination form. This form can be saved at any point to be completed later. Please elaborate on all the points listed in the form, following the suggested orderif possible. We will confirm receipt of your nomination as soon as the documents reach us. Your information will, of course, be treated as strictly confidential.
What we need from you
As soon as we have received your nomination with all the required documents, we will begin the external review process. You must upload the following documents in the online nomination form:
- your personal statement
(laudation, scientific appraisal; two to five pages) - information on an invitation to Germany
(two pages max) - list of the nominee’s key publications
(two pages max, including comments) - nominee’s list of publications
Further information
Self-nominations are not possible, nor may you nominate close relatives or your marital/registered partner.
To ensure that the award winner’s research and lecture tours run smoothly, we kindly ask you to prepare for the stay and arrange the necessary infrastructure (e.g. library access, material resources, workspace) in good time, and to provide personal support for your guest (e.g. help with finding accommodation or childcare).
In submitting this nomination and integrating the nominee into your working group, you undertake to
- abide by the Principles of Scientific Ethics
- comply with the Rules of Good Scientific Practice
- observe the regulations relating to the prevention of arms-relevant technology transfer
- stay alert to the danger of illegal or undesired knowledge transfer.