Guidelines for the Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner Doctoral Prize

– sponsored by Heraeus Precious Metals GmbH & Co. KG since 2026 –

1. The German Catalysis Society awards a prize to recognize and promote scientists in the early stages of their careers in the field of catalysis.
2. The prize is awarded in recognition of outstanding doctoral work. The prize is named the “Johann Wolfgang Döbereiner Doctoral Prize of the German Catalysis Society”.
3. The prize consists of
   a) a cash award of €1,000 and
   b) a certificate from the Executive Board of the German Catalysis Society acknowledging the award-winning work.
4. The prize is awarded annually, with the dates for application calls determined by the Executive Board of the German Catalysis Society.
5. Eligibility Criteria:
   The prize is awarded for outstanding research work in the field of catalysis that has been conducted as part of a doctoral degree at a German university or research institution. At the time of application, the doctoral degree must already be completed (with the date of the defense being the deciding factor), and typically, no more than one year should have passed since the application deadline specified in the call for applications.
6. The call for nominations will be disseminated to all individuals interested in catalysis research in an appropriate manner. There are no restrictions on who can submit nominations; however, self-nominations are not permitted.
7. The winner will be selected by a jury convened by the Executive Board of the German Catalysis Society.
8. The award ceremony usually takes place at the annual meeting of German catalysts (das Jahrestreffen Deutscher Katalytiker).