Professor Franz Honored with Humboldt Research Award

Chancellor’s Professor of Computer Science Michael Franz has been named a recipient of the 2019 Humboldt Research Award, also known as the “Humboldt Prize.”

The award, given by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Germany and funded by the German federal government, recognizes renowned researchers outside of Germany whose “fundamental discoveries, new theories or insights have had a significant impact on their own discipline and who are expected to continue producing cutting-edge achievements in the future.”

Franz will be presented with the award by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany at a June 2019 ceremony in Berlin.

The award includes a cash prize of €60,000 as well as an additional travel stipend for prize winners and their spouses to travel to Germany.

Franz, who is also director of the Secure Systems and Languages Laboratory, was pleased to receive the award. “It is a great honor,” he said. “This is the highest research award given by the German government to people who don’t work in Germany.”

In addition to the prize money, the award comes with an invitation to spend a period of up to one year cooperating on a long-term research project with specialist colleagues at a research institution in Germany, as well as a life-long membership in the worldwide “Humboldtians” network connecting alumni of all Humboldt award categories.

— Shani Murray