Kurt Koffka Medal
Kurt Koffka (* 18 March 1886 in Berlin; † 22 November 1941 in Northampton, Massachusetts) was one of the best-known German psychologists and, together with Max Wertheimer and Wolfgang Köhler, one of the founders of Gestalt psychology.
Kurt Koffka was a professor at the University of Giessen from 1911 to 1927. He then moved to Smith College in the USA, where he worked until his death. In the course of his successful career, he made important contributions, particularly in the fields of developmental and perceptual psychology. His main works are the two books ‘The Foundations of Psychic Development’ (1921) and ‘Principles of Gestalt Psychology’ (1935).
In memory of Koffka's work in Giessen, the Department of Psychology and Sports Science decided on 1 November 2006 to award the Kurt Koffka Medal every year to internationally outstanding researchers for excellent research in the field of perceptual and/or developmental psychology.
Previous award winners are:
2017 Jan J. Koenderink und Andrea J. van Doorn
2011 Concetta Morrone und David Burr
2009 Janette Atkinson und Oliver Braddick