Siegfried Hünig Lecture: Origins and Chronicle

The Siegfried Hünig Lecture was initiated in 2011, on the occasion of the 90th birthday of Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Siegfried Hünig. Each year an internationally renowned chemist is invited to give a talk at the University of Würzburg.

In March 2021, on the occasion of his upcoming 100th birthday, the journal "Angewandte Chemie" added Professor Hünig to its Heroes of Chemistry and Nobel Laureates. At the same time, they published an essay titled A Homage to Siegfried Hünig and His Research by Professor Hans-Ulrich Reißig. Unfortunately, Professor Hünig did not have the chance to learn about this honor. He died on March 24, 2021, just a few days befor his 100th birthday.

Listed below all Siegfried Hünig Lecturers as well as persons, companies, and institutions, whose generous donations made this lecture series possible.

Previous Lecturers

5 June 2024

„Physical and Chemical Models for the Emergence of Biological Homochirality“

Prof. Dr. Donna G. Blackmond

Scripps Institute, La Jolla

press article

15 June 2023

„Evolving virus-like assemblies in the lab“

Prof. Dr. Donald Hilvert

ETH Zürich

press article

23 June 2022

„SYNTHESIS – MATERIALS – ENERGY: From Molecules to organic solar cells“

Prof. Dr. Peter Bäuerle

University of Ulm

press article

6 June 2019

„Coordination Self-Assembly: From the Origins to the Latest Advances“

Prof. Dr. Makoto Fujita

The University of Tokyo

press article

7 June 2018

„DNA Damage in G-quadruplexes Regulates Gene Expression via BER“

Prof. Dr. Cynthia Burrows

University of Utah

press article

27 April 2017

„Chemistry: A Bridge between Molecular World and Real World“

Prof. Dr. Eichii Nakamura

The University of Tokyo

press article

12 May 2016

„Frustrated Lewis Pairs:
Metal-Free Dihydrogen Activation and More“

Prof. Dr. Gerhard Erker

Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster

press article

21 May 2015

„Dynamic Molecular Systems, From Molecular Switches To Motors“

Prof. Dr. Ben L. Feringa

University of Groningen

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26 May 2014

„Catalysis for Total Synthesis“

Prof. Dr. Alois Fürstner

Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim, Germany

press article

6 May 2013

Abiological Self-Assembly: Predesigned Metallacycles and Metallacages via Coordination

Prof. Dr. Peter J. Stang

University of Utah

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7 May 2012

„Perspectives in Chemistry: From Supramolecular Chemistry towards Adaptive Chemistry“

Prof. Dr. Jean-Marie Lehn

Université de Strasbourg

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20 May 2011

"Evolution im Reagenzglas: Eine ergiebige Katalysator-Quelle für asymmetrische Reaktionen"

Prof. Dr. Manfred Reetz

Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung & Philipps-Universität Marburg

press article

Supporters and Sponsors

Part of the costs are borne by the Institute of Organic Chemistry. However, the Siegfried Hünig Lecture was mainly financed by donations over many years. Many colleagues and former students of Prof. Hünig have been generous, as have the chemical industry companies listed below. Since 2024, the Tauber-Dr. Reich Foundation has been contributing significantly to the funding.

  • BASF SE
  • Bayer AG
  • Clariant SE
  • Evonik Industries AG
  • Sanofi-Aventis Germany GmbH