Oldenburg resident Sinikka Lennartz wins renowned research prize!

Oldenburg resident Sinikka Lennartz wins renowned research prize!

The German Research Foundation (DFG) announced today that the geoscientist Sinikka Lennartz will receive the prestigious Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize 2025. As a junior professor for biogeochemical ocean modeling at the Institute of Marine Chemistry and Biology (ICBM) at the University of Oldenburg, she is the first researcher from Oldenburg to be awarded this important prize. The prize will be awarded on June 3rd in Berlin.

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize, which has been awarded annually since 1977, honors outstanding scientific achievements at an early stage in their careers in order to support the prize winners in their scientific careers. This year, a total of ten scientists will receive this prize, including four women and six men who have already made a significant impact in the research community.

Research in focus

Sinikka Lennartz is recognized for her groundbreaking insights into the global carbon cycle and its importance for climate models. Her research focuses on dissolved organic material in seawater, which is considered one of the largest carbon stores on Earth. Their approach includes mathematical modeling, laboratory and field studies to investigate the influence of microorganisms on carbon storage, which is often not sufficiently taken into account in global models.

A recent result of their research shows that the pool of dissolved organic carbon compounds is more sensitive to environmental changes than previously thought. These findings are highly relevant for future climate models and forecasts. Lennartz has been researching at the University of Oldenburg since 2022, after previously working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston.

Pricing information and awards

The Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize is endowed with 200,000 euros and the prize money can be used for scientific projects for a period of up to three years. In addition, the award winners receive a program allowance of 22% for indirect project expenses. This year, 180 researchers from various disciplines were nominated, with the selection being led by DFG Vice President Professor Dr. Peter H. Seeberger took place.

• Preisträger*innen des Heinz Maier-Leibnitz-Preises 2025:
• Dr. Peter Andre, Wirtschaftspolitik, Leibniz-Institut für Finanzmarktforschung SAFE, Frankfurt
• Dr. Lukas Bunse, Neurologie, Medizinische Fakultät Mannheim der Universität Heidelberg
• Dr. James Eills, Analytische Chemie, Forschungszentrum Jülich
• Juniorprofessorin Dr. Lena Funcke, Computergestützte Teilchenphysik, Universität Bonn
• Juniorprofessorin Dr. Manon Garcia, Praktische Philosophie, FU Berlin
• Professor Dr. Richard Höfer, Angewandte Mathematik, Universität Regensburg
• Juniorprofessorin Dr. Sinikka Lennartz, Marine Biogeochemie, Universität Oldenburg
• Professor Dr. Marco Salvalaglio, Computergestützte Material- und Werkstoffmodellierung, TU Dresden
• Dr. Martin Schmitz, Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion, Universität des Saarlandes
• Dr. Maria Sokolova, Biochemie, Max-Planck-Institut für Biochemie, Martinsried

Last year, the DFG fully integrated the prize into its funding portfolio in order to specifically support the funding of scientists in early career phases who have already developed an independent scientific profile. This award is not only a recognition of previous achievements, but also important support for the future careers of the award winners.

Sinikka Lennartz, who has already been awarded several prizes, including the Annette Barthelt Prize and the Bernd Rendel Prize from the DFG, will also be honored next year with the “Prize for Excellent Research” from the Oldenburg University Society. Her diverse achievements and her innovative approach to research make her an important figure in science.