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Edith Heard elected to the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
EMBL’s Director General becomes a member of the Leopoldina, the world’s oldest continuously existing scientific academy
Following nomination by renowned members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, EMBL Director General, Professor Edith Heard FRS, was elected as a member of the academy in the ‘Human Genetics and Molecular Medicine’ section for her outstanding professional contributions to science.
The academy is a society of scholars who work beyond specialist areas and geographical borders to benefit scientific progress for the common good. The main objectives of the international Leopoldina community are providing scientific advice to policymakers and the public and representing the German scientific community on a variety of committees. Through these activities, members promote the sciences – primarily natural and medical sciences – both nationally and internationally. Members are elected on the basis of their excellent academic achievements and include Nobel laureates such as Albert Einstein, Max Planck and Ernest Rutherford.
“It is an honour to accept the election by such an established scientific academy,” said Heard. She especially values the nomination, which is made by peer scientists within the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
Edith Heard is the sixth EMBL scientist to be elected as a Leopoldina member while working at the organisation. Several EMBL alumni have been elected to the academy after completing their research activities at EMBL.
