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.
5 June 2024
„Physical and Chemical Models for the Emergence of Biological Homochirality“
Prof. Dr. Donna G. Blackmond
Scripps Institute, La Jolla
15 June 2023
„Evolving virus-like assemblies in the lab“
Prof. Dr. Donald Hilvert
ETH Zürich
23 June 2022
„SYNTHESIS – MATERIALS – ENERGY: From Molecules to organic solar cells“
Prof. Dr. Peter Bäuerle
University of Ulm
6 June 2019
„Coordination Self-Assembly: From the Origins to the Latest Advances“
Prof. Dr. Makoto Fujita
The University of Tokyo
7 June 2018
„DNA Damage in G-quadruplexes Regulates Gene Expression via BER“
Prof. Dr. Cynthia Burrows
University of Utah
27 April 2017
„Chemistry: A Bridge between Molecular World and Real World“
Prof. Dr. Eichii Nakamura
The University of Tokyo
12 May 2016
„Frustrated Lewis Pairs:
Metal-Free Dihydrogen Activation and More“
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Erker
Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
21 May 2015
„Dynamic Molecular Systems, From Molecular Switches To Motors“
Prof. Dr. Ben L. Feringa
University of Groningen
26 May 2014
„Catalysis for Total Synthesis“
Prof. Dr. Alois Fürstner
Max Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung, Mülheim, Germany
6 May 2013
„Abiological Self-Assembly: Predesigned Metallacycles and Metallacages via Coordination“
Prof. Dr. Peter J. Stang
University of Utah
7 May 2012
„Perspectives in Chemistry: From Supramolecular Chemistry towards Adaptive Chemistry“
Prof. Dr. Jean-Marie Lehn
Université de Strasbourg
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
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
