Press release, 11/22/2023

International Gerda Henkel Prize: the call for nominations has commenced

Gerda Henkel Foundation seeks outstanding researchers

The Gerda Henkel Foundation has opened its call for nominations for the Gerda Henkel Prize 2024. Nominations are now open for excellent and internationally acclaimed researchers who have outstanding scholarly achievements to their name in the disciplines and funding areas supported by the Foundation and can be expected to continue to do so. In addition to individuals, for the first time, teams of researchers can also be nominated. The Gerda Henkel Foundation is reaching out to universities and renowned cultural and academic institutions in Germany and worldwide and inviting scholars at these institutions to propose suitable candidates by 31 January 2024. The Gerda Henkel Prize is endowed with 100,000 Euros and is awarded every two years. The winner of the Gerda Henkel Prize 2022 was science historian Prof. Lorraine Daston.

From archaeology to the social sciences – all nominations welcome
The focus of funding by the Gerda Henkel Foundation is on the historical humanities. The Foundation accepts nominations in the disciplines of Archaeology, History, Historical Islamic Studies, Art History, History of Law, Prehistory and Early History, and the History of Science. Research projects that explore current issues in a larger historical context or consciously focus on topics of relevance to the present or the future receive support from programmes of a limited duration such as, for example, the “Democracy”, “Forced Migration” and “Lost Cities” funding programmes. As part of the Lisa Maskell Fellowship programme, the Foundation supports young scholars in the humanities in Africa. With its “Patrimonies” funding initiative, it promotes the preservation of the cultural heritage, specifically in regions experiencing crisis. The Gerda Henkel Prize is therefore also open to researchers working in the areas of Heritage Studies, Historical Building Research, Cultural Studies, Political Science, Law, Restoration and Conservation, and the Social Sciences.

Selection process and the jury
The Gerda Henkel Prize is awarded by the Board of Trustees of the Gerda Henkel Foundation on the basis of a recommendation by the jury. The members of the Board of Trustees are: Julia Schulz-Dornburg, Chair (Barcelona/Spain), Prof. Andreas Beyer, Deputy Chair (Basel/Switzerland), Dr Kaspar von Braun (Pasadena/USA), Dr Carolin Emcke and Martin Kobler (both in Berlin/Germany), and from 1 January 2024, Prof. Jens Südekum (Düsseldorf/Germany).

The jury, chaired by the historian and rector of the Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Prof. Barbara Stollberg-Rilinger, includes the members of the Foundation’s Academic Advisory Council as well as independent persons outside the Foundation: Prof. Hartmut Dorgerloh (Berlin), Prof. Peter Geimer (Paris), Prof. Joël Glasman (Bayreuth), Dr Julia Gonnella (Doha/Qatar[J1] ), Prof. Birgit Emich and Prof. Stephan Lessenich (both Frankfurt/Main), Prof. Christian Mann (Mannheim), and Prof. Ute Schneider (Duisburg-Essen).

The award ceremony will take place on 25 November 2024 in Düsseldorf. For more information please click Gerda Henkel Prize | Gerda Henkel Foundation (gerda-henkel-stiftung.de).

Contact:
Gerda Henkel Foundation press office
Dr Sybille Springer
Telephone +49 211 93 65 24 - 19
springer@gerda-henkel-stiftung.de