Two Women Scientists Honored with Lieben and Bader Awards

The prestigious Ignaz L. Lieben Prize, awarded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW), has been bestowed upon Edit Mátyus, a prominent Hungarian chemist from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest. This award, which recognizes exceptional research contributions, will be presented on May 14. In addition, the ÖAW will honor Sophie Morawitz, a Vienna-based art historian, with the Bader Prize for her significant work in art history.

Both awards carry a monetary value of $36,000 (approximately EUR32,000). Mátyus is being recognized for her groundbreaking advancements in theoretical chemistry, particularly her research in molecular quantum electrodynamics. Her work has led to the development of highly accurate models that describe molecular quantum states, which are crucial for applications in spectroscopy, quantum chemistry, and molecular astrophysics. The Lieben Prize is an annual accolade that celebrates outstanding research achievements by scientists under 40 from Austria and neighboring countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, focusing on molecular biology, chemistry, and physics.

On the other hand, Morawitz has received the Bader Prize for her dissertation that explores the St. Ägidius parish church and the contributions of Koloman Steyr. Her research shines a light on the often-overlooked medium of early modern art: stained glass. Morawitz has meticulously reconstructed the largely lost collection of stained glass from the 1520s, examining its liturgical and social functions within the church setting. The Bader Prize is awarded to young Austrian art historians who specialize in painting and drawing from the period of 1500 to 1850.

The Ignaz L. Lieben Prize was originally established in 1863 but was temporarily suspended in 1938 due to the persecution of the Lieben family by the Nazis. The award was reactivated in 2004 with the financial support of Isabel and Alfred Bader, a couple from the United States. Alfred Bader, who was born in Vienna in 1924, fled to England in 1938 as part of a children's transport to escape the Nazi regime.