In honour of Theodor Förster (1910-1974), the GDCh Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry usually award the Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture every two years to personalities who have made outstanding scientific achievements and special contributions in the field of photochemistry. The named lecture is accompanied by an award certificate and an invitation to give four lectures. The first of these lectures will be given following the award ceremony at the "Lecture Conference on Photochemistry" held in even-numbered years. A selection committee appointed for this purpose, representing the Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society, will decide on the award.

Deadline: 15 April 2026

Objective
The GDCh Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry award the Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture in even-numbered years to personalities who have made outstanding scientific achievements and special contributions in the field of photochemistry.

The prize
The prize is associated with an award certificate and comprises a series of up to four lectures. The first of these lectures will be given following the award ceremony at the 30th Lecture Conference on Photochemistry which will take place from 14 to 16 September 2026 in Braunschweig. The award will be decided by a jointly appointed selection committee representing the Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society.

The Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture of the GDCh Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry was organised on the occasion of the 29th Lecture Conference on Photochemistry in Mainz on 17. September 2024 to Prof. Dr Katja Heinze awarded.

"In recognition of her pioneering work in the field of molecular photophysics and photochemistry, Ms Heinze has built an exemplary bridge between coordination chemistry, photophysics and the theoretical description of electronically excited states with her research. This methodological-holistic approach has enabled Ms Heinze to produce highly innovative work on the investigation of various luminescence phenomena, spectral upconversion, intra- and intermolecular energy and electron transfer processes and molecular sensor technology. The focus here is on coordination compounds of frequently occurring metals, which has led to a paradigm shift away from the "classic" but rare elements Ru, Ir and Pt. Mrs Heinze's work opens the door to fundamentally new concepts in the development of photoactive coordination compounds and lays the foundation for their technological applications in the coming decades."

The self-chosen title of the Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture 2024 is:
"Photophysics and Photochemistry of Complexes with Earth-abundant Metals"

The Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture of the GDCh Photochemistry Division and the German Bunsen Society for Physical Chemistry was awarded to 28th Lecture Conference on Photochemistry in Düsseldorf on 20 September 2022 to Prof. Dr Thorsten Bach

"In honour of his outstanding achievements in the development and application of organic photochemistry and asymmetric photocatalysis. As a long-standing Chair of Organic Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich, he succeeded in combining two major research areas, photochemistry and asymmetric catalysis, in his contributions. Professor Bach is one of the most important contemporary organic photochemists, who has revolutionised the fields of enantioselective photochemistry, [2+2] photocycloadditions and asymmetric photochemistry with chiral catalysts, among others, in his sometimes groundbreaking work. Using these new methods and catalyses, he has succeeded in producing numerous natural and active substances in a targeted manner and with high yields. We honour Professor Bach with the Theodor Förster Memorial Lecture for his extraordinary contributions to the combination of photochemistry and organic chemistry".

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland

Perrysburg, Ohio

University of Groningen

University of Ottawa

Universidad Politecnica Valencia

University, Tokyo

University of Bern

Columbia University, New York

University of Basel

Max Planck Institute, Mülheim

University of Leuven