GGN Early Career Awards for outstanding achievements in the natural sciences
The GGN honored three early career researchers.
To promote and acknowledge the outstanding achievements of doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, the GGN has presented three scientists with the GGN Early Career Award. Targeted at researchers in the early stages of their academic journey, these prizes honour not only scientific excellence but also exceptional dedication to university teaching and efforts to enhance the visibility of science. Specifically, the awards highlight the use of innovative teaching approaches and digital tools in higher education, active involvement in science communication and knowledge transfer, and the early, independent acquisition of external funding. Each award was endowed with €1,000.
With these awards, the GGN seeks to support emerging researchers in further developing their skills while also underscoring the significance of high-quality teaching and the public engagement with science.
The winners of the GGN Early Career Awards for outstanding achievements in the natural sciences:
| Winner |
M.Sc. Christoph Alt |
Dr. Till Fuchs |
Dr. Lu-Chun Yeh |
| Institute |
Physical Chemistry |
Physical Chemistry |
Neural Computation |
| Supervisor(s) |
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek |
||
| Topic |
In recognition of his cutting-edge research on degradation processes in solid-state batteries, five first-author publications in leading journals, and the development of a novel analytical framework to predict battery lifetime. His work has significantly advanced the understanding of material compatibility and stability in next-generation energy storage systems. Also acknowledged are his international collaborations, peer-review contributions, DAAD fellowship, and commitment to science communication, including award-winning research visualization. |
In recognition of his outstanding transatlantic postdoctoral research collaboration in Prof. Janek’s group, highlighted by a pioneering publication in Nature Materials based on his work on lithium metal anodes in solid-state batteries. Furthermore his pioneering work on electron backscatter diffraction for the imaging of alkali metol anodes that is used world-wide by now. His work has strengthened international scientific networks and exemplifies commitment to advancing materials research despite geopolitical challenges. |
In recognition of her innovative research on human visual perception and attention in naturalistic settings, |
The award ceremony took place on June 26, 2025, as part of the GGN Summer Event.
You can find the call for applications for the award here.
The application phase ended on June 05, 2025. We would like to thank all applicants for their outstanding submissions.