Rosalind Franklin Prize: Recognition for Scientific Integrity!

Rosalind Franklin Prize: Recognition for Scientific Integrity!

This year, the Free University of Berlin is launching an important award to recognize outstanding academic integrity: the “Rosalind Franklin Prize”. This prize will be awarded for the first time on November 19, 2025 to the historian Dr. Karina Kriegsmann awarded. The honor, which comes with prize money of 2,500 euros, recognizes special efforts towards good scientific practice.

The prize bears the name of the renowned biochemist Rosalind Franklin, who made a decisive contribution to the decoding of the structure of DNA in the 1950s. Their research was used by James Watson and Francis Crick to develop a model of DNA, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in 1962 - without Franklin's consent or recognition. This story highlights the importance of scientific integrity and the often overlooked role women play in science.

Meaning and criteria of the award

The Vice President for Research and Teaching at the FU, Prof. Dr. Petra Knaus, highlights the importance of scientific integrity, which is crucial for public trust in science. The Rosalind Franklin Prize honors scientists who are actively committed to transparency, traceability and ethical research. This includes innovative approaches to research data management, significant contributions to research ethics, and exceptional achievements in teaching and communication.

The selection committee praised Dr. Kriegsmann especially for her preparation of an exercise on good scientific practice, which she designed as part of the master's program “Interdisciplinary Latin American Studies”. Her initiative includes a multilingual, interactive wiki that underlines the originality and exemplary character of her teaching.

Nomination and framework conditions

The prize will be advertised again in 2026, and nominations are open to scientists at all career levels at the FU Berlin. All members and organizational units of the FU are entitled to make nominations; However, incumbent ombudspersons and members of the investigative commission are excluded. The nomination must include a description of the nominee's service to scientific integrity and a CV.

Interested parties can apply for the prize until March 31, 2025. The selection process is led by a committee consisting of the central ombudspersons of the FU and members of the investigative committee. Criteria include the originality of the measures, their scope and the positive influence on scientific practice.

The awarding of the Rosalind Franklin Prize takes place on the so-called Day of Good Scientific Practice. This event will be celebrated annually in the future to raise awareness of the importance of integrity in science. The Presidium of Freie Universität also plans to honor other scientists for their achievements in the area of ​​scientific integrity.

For more information about the award and the nomination process, please visit the website Free University of Berlin, des IDW and the Rosalind Franklin Prize website.