JGU Mainz honors 23 talents at the DIES ACADEMICUS with 81,000 euros in prize money!

JGU Mainz honors 23 talents at the DIES ACADEMICUS with 81,000 euros in prize money!

On June 26, 2025, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) celebrated DIES ACADEMICUS, an annual event that has existed since 1985. During this celebratory ceremony, 23 outstanding scientists and artists who are in the early stages of their careers were honored. In total, prizes and scholarships worth around 81,000 euros were awarded, a sum that came from JGU trust foundations as well as external funding organizations and companies. Prof. Dr. Stefan Müller-Stach, Vice President for Research and Young Scientists at JGU, emphasized the importance of recognizing young talent.

The DIES ACADEMICUS is not only a platform for recognizing outstanding achievements, but also a symbol for the promotion of young scientists. In 2024, as part of this ceremony, Dr. Franziska Fay, who works at the Institute for Ethnology and African Studies, and Dr. Alexander Mook from the Institute of Physics was awarded the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose University Prize, each worth 20,000 euros.

Various awards

This year the prizes included, among others, the DAAD Prize for foreign students as well as various awards given by foundations and associations. Other prizes include the Research Promotion Prize from the Friends of the University of Mainz e.V., the Boehringer Ingelheim Foundation Prize, the Lions Club Oppenheim Prize for the promotion of young scientists and many more. Eight other people received the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Prize for their dissertations or final achievements, while the Wilhelm and Else Heraeus Dissertation Prize was awarded in the Department of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science.

The DIES ACADEMICUS is organized by the Gutenberg College for Scientific Career Paths (GKK), which was known as the Gutenberg Junior College (GNK) until 2024. The GKK aims to support scientists and artists in early career phases and develops strategic perspectives to strengthen their research skills.

Research and social influence

A particularly highlighted talent is Junior Professor Dr. Elena Link, who received the Sibylle Kalkhof-Rose University Prize 2024. Her award is a testament not only to her outstanding achievements, but also to the impact that her research in science and health communication has on the international scientific community. Your letter of recommendation from Prof. Dr. Leonard Reinecke praises her as a remarkable young scientist. During the ceremony, Dr. Link a lecture on current research results on health information, which illustrates the social relevance of their work.

The need for strong support for young scientists is also underlined by the interventions of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The promotion of young talent is anchored in the funding guidelines of the current framework program in order to strengthen research competence and innovative capacity in Germany. The aim is to promote international cooperation and support interdisciplinary collaboration.

The DIES ACADEMICUS at JGU is not only a celebratory occasion, but also an important measure to support and recognize young researchers who are shaping the future of science and making a significant contribution to new findings.

For further information about the various prizes and scholarships at JGU and their importance for the scientific community, the following links can be accessed: University of Mainz, IFP, and BMBF.