The Alexander von Humboldt Professorship is an academic prize named after Alexander von Humboldt and awarded by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation since 2008. The prize is intended to attract internationally leading scientists from abroad to Germany so that they can carry out top-level research there and strengthen Germany as a research location. The prize includes a permanent full professorship at the hosting university, plus 5 million euros for experimentally working scientists or 3.5 million euros for theoretically working scientists (in addition, the university is expected to provide matching funds). This makes it the most highly endowed research prize in Germany, and possibly world-wide. A maximum of ten Alexander von Humboldt Professorships can be awarded every year to researchers of all disciplines.[1] From 2020 to 2024, an additional six Humboldt Professorships in the field of artificial intelligence can be awarded each year.
Nominations are made by German universities, possibly in cooperation with research institutions. The award is financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research within the framework of the International Research Fund for Germany.
The laureates are:[2]
2009:
2010:
2011:
2012:
2013:
2014:
2015:
2016:
2017:
2018:
2019:
2020:
2021:
2024:[8]