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The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation has selected the first four Alexander von Humboldt Professors in 2009. A classicist, a mathematician, a quantum physicist and an economist are the recipients of the international award for research in Germany worth up to 5 million EUR and funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.

Just as last year, a total of ten awards can be granted in 2009. The other award winners will be selected in the summer and autumn selection rounds. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation grants this international award to global leaders in all academic disciplines working abroad. It is designed to allow the winners to spend extended periods working on ground-breaking research at German universities and provides funding for the first five years in Germany.

The award winners will now embark on the final round of negotiations with the nominating universities in Germany:

Economist, Gerard J. van den Berg (47), Amsterdam Free University,  is due to conduct research at Mannheim University.

Classicist, Philip van der Eijk (46), Newcastle University,UK, will move to Berlin’s Humboldt University.

Mathematician, Marc Levine (56), Northeastern University, Boston, USA, will relocate to the University of Duisburg-Essen.

Quantum physicist, Mikhail Lukin (37), Harvard University, Cambridge, USA, will move to Technical University of Munich.

Next closing dates for new applications: 25 September 2009 and 22 January 2010. Nominations can be submitted by German universities – where appropriate in cooperation with non-university research institutions.

Further information: www.humboldt-foundation.de/ahp-2009