The prizes, each worth 1,000 euros, were awarded in the three scientific fields of humanities and social sciences, natural sciences and life sciences by Professor Roger Gläser, Vice-Rector for Talent Development, and Dr Kornelia Ehrlich, Managing Director of the Graduate Academy Leipzig, at a ceremony in Villa Tillmanns. Gläser emphasised that, especially in politically turbulent times, ‘the doctorate is important as a proof of independent academic work with a commitment to academic integrity and scientific honesty’.
Supervisors from all faculties were previously called upon to nominate candidates who completed their doctorate with ‘summa cum laude’ in 2022 and 2023 and who have also distinguished themselves through special achievements, for example in gaining scientific knowledge, social relevance, transfer and innovation. The Board of the Graduate Academy Leipzig selected the award winners.
Recipients of the 2023 doctoral thesis prizes were:
- in the scientific discipline “humanities and social sciences”: Dr. Klara Dietze (Faculty of History, Art and Area Studies) for her work „Im Schatten des Sonnentempels. Eine Stratigraphie wirtschaftlicher Nutzungen und (De-)Sakralisierungen im Tempel von Heliopolis (15.–2. Jahrhundert v. Chr.)“
- in the scientific discipline “natural sciences”: Dr. Malte Brammerloh (Faculty of Physics and Earth System Sciences) for his work „Iron-induced transverse MRI relaxation in the substantia nigra: Toward a biomarker of dopaminergic neurons“
- in the scientific discipline “life sciences”: Dr. Anne Sophie Czerniak (Faculty of Life Sciences) for her work „Extra- and Intracellular Interactions of the Chemerin Receptor Family”.
Recipients of the 2022 doctoral thesis prizes were:
- in the scientific discipline “humanities and social sciences”: Dr. Felix Hagemeyer (Faculty of Theology) for his work „Aschdod und Jerusalem. Eine archäologische und exegetische Untersuchung zu den Beziehungen von südpalästinischer Küstenebene und judäischem Bergland“
- in the scientific discipline “natural sciences”: Dr. Chiara Meroni (Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science) for her work „Semialgebraic Convex Bodies“ and Dr. Alexandra Brakel (Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy) for her work „Optimization and investigation of new proline-rich antimicrobial peptides based on the designer peptide ARV-1502“
- in the scientific discipline “life sciences”: Dr. Corinna Schüß (Faculty of Life Sciences) for her work „Exploring the Neuropeptide Y4 Receptor from an Orthosteric and Allosteric Perspective”.
The Katharina Windscheid Prize for an outstanding dissertation under special circumstances was not awarded due to a lack of nominations.
The Graduate Academy Leipzig provides offers, workshops and guidance for those interested in doing a doctorate and doctoral researchers on the annual Doctoral Researchers' Day. As a central institution of the university, it is also committed to uniform standards and quality assurance in doctoral research, offers counselling and interdisciplinary qualifications as well as help with career orientation.