Johann Wempe Award

In honour of Prof. Dr. Johann Wempe (1906 – 1980), the last director of the former Astrophysical Observatory of Potsdam (AOP), the AIP grants the Johann Wempe Award, first awarded in 2001, to an outstanding scientist.

The award is financed from funds left in the will of Johann Wempe. It consists of a stipend to facilitate a research visit to the AIP of up to six months. The recipient may be either a promising young scientist who has already made notable achievements or a senior scientist, in recognition of their life's work. The recipient is expected to enrich the scientific life of the institute through a series of lectures in their area of expertise.

Award recipients

Awarded in 2021/22: Roland Bacon

Awarded in 2019: Elisabeth Newton

Awarded in 2017: Alice C. Quillen

Awarded in 2015: Oliver Gressel

Awarded in 2014: Brent Tully

Awarded in 2012: Thomas R. Ayres

Awarded in 2010: Yehuda Hoffman

Awarded in 2009: Matthias Rempel

Awarded in 2008: Kenneth C. Freeman

Awarded in 2007: Ignasi Ribas

Awarded in 2006: Eva Grebel

Awarded in 2005: Alexander Kosovichev

Awarded in 2004: Isabelle Baraffe and Gilles Chabrier

Awarded in 2002: Russell Cannon

Awarded in 2001: Tom Abel