Klung Wilhelmy Weberbank Award

The Klung Wilhelmy Weberbank Award is an annual German award in the field of science, alternating between the categories of chemistry and physics. This honour is bestowed upon outstanding young German scientists under the age of 40.

The prizewinners are selected by permanent committees at the Institutes of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Department of Physics at the Free University of Berlin, with additional input from professors at other universities. Proposals and nominations by nationally and internationally renowned scientists are also taken into consideration. Self-nominations will not be accepted.

The final decision on the selection recommendations is made by the foundations: the Otto Klung Foundation at the Free University of Berlin, the Dr. Wilhelmy Foundation and the Weberbank Foundation. The stated aim of these foundations is to strengthen the promotion of outstanding scientific achievements and to reward internationally accredited innovative approaches. Five of the previously chosen prizewinners later received the Nobel Prize.

The prize was first awarded in 1973 by the Otto Klung Foundation. Since 2007, due to the cooperation of the three foundations, the prize has become one of the highest privately funded scientific endowments in Germany. The award ceremony, held annually in early November, is open to the public.