Julia Heidemann of the University of Augsburg is Young Researcher of the Year 2009

Dr. rer. pol. Julia Heidemann, 27, has been awarded this year's academics prize as Young Researcher of the Year. Julia Heidemann completed her doctorate, granted "summa cum laude", on the subject of "Value-oriented Customer Relationship Management" at the University of Augsburg in only two and a half years. She works as a PostDoc at Prof. Dr. Hans Ulrich Buhl's Chair of Information Systems Engineering and Financial Management.

In addition to Heidemann's outstanding achievements in research, the jury highlighted her commitment to supporting young students by acting as a coach on scientific publications or as a juror on the Germany-wide ideas competition "Generation-D", among other things. Julia Heidemann was also active in promoting the advancement of women through her participation in the lecture series "Successful Women in Leadership Positions".

Further awards

Three other young researchers are also commended:

• Prof. Dr. phil. habil. Eva Traut-Mattausch (Universität Salzburg, LMU)
• Prof. Dr. Tobias Nef (Catholic University of America, ETH Zürich)
• Dr. Cornelia M. Keck (FH Kaiserslautern, FU Berlin)

About the academics award

Since 2007, the No. 1 website for jobs in research and higher education in Germany has been honouring one young researcher each year who has had a lasting positive impact on research or higher education through outstanding commitment, visionary ideas or exemplary action.

The academics Young Researcher Award is presented to an individual who is a member of a higher education institution or university-affiliated research institute. The competition is open to young reasearchers of all disciplines up to the age of 35.

Jury

The jury consists of:

• Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jutta Binder-Hobbach, Vice-President of the Worms University of Applied Sciences
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Bradtke, Dean of the HAW Hamburg
• Prof. Dr. Werner Nau, Jacobs University Bremen
• Univ.-Prof. Dr. Marion A. Weissenberger-Eibl, Member of the Advisory Council to the Federal Ministry of Education and Research: Federal Report on the Promotion of Young Scientists, Member of the Executive Committee of the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers

Young Researcher of the Year 2008

Last year, the prize for "Young Researcher of the Year" was awarded to Privatdozent Dr. med. Christoph Kleinschnitz of the Department of Neurology at the University Clinic Würzburg.

Privatdozent Dr. med. Christoph Kleinschnitz has been a senior physician at the Department of Neurology at Würzburg University Hospital since May 2008. His scientific work focuses mainly on developing innovative strategies for treating strokes.

The jury emphasised Kleinschnitz' dedication, both in treating patients in his work as a doctor and in research. Christoph Kleinschnitz' support for young researchers from structurally weaker countries to make it easier for them to publish their work was also considered especially praiseworthy. Together with other scientists from the USA and China, Christoph Kleinschnitz founded the world's first open-access journal in the field of stroke research, enabling the free publication and viewing of manuscripts.

Three other young researchers were also commended:
PD Dr. med. Sonja Schrepfer (Stanford University), Dr. Christian Wild (Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich), Mag. Julia Novak (University of Vienna).