Erick Carreira elected member of the Leopoldina
- D-CHAB
- LOC
Among the newly elected members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina is Erick Carreira, Professor of Organic Chemistry at the LOC. The Leopoldina is the oldest continuously existing academy of sciences in the world. Its mission is to provide science-based advice to policymakers and the public and to represent German science in international bodies in which mainly national academies are active.
The German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (German: Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina – Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften), in short Leopoldina, is the national academy of Germany, and is located in Halle (Saale). Founded in 1652, it was originally named Academia Naturae Curiosorum until 1687 when Emperor Leopold I confirmed it as the academy of the Holy Roman Empire and it was named after him. It was later known under the German name Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina. In 2008, it was declared German National Academy of Sciences.
The election to membership of the Leopoldina is the highest academic honor awarded by an institution in Germany. Three quarters of the 1600 members are from German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) and one quarter from about 30 other nations.
As the National Academy of Sciences, the Leopoldina provides independent science-based policy advice on socially relevant issues. To this end, the Academy prepares interdisciplinary statements based on scientific findings. These publications identify options for action; however, it is the task of democratically legitimized representatives to decide. These statements are written by experts on an honorary basis and unbiasedly. The Leopoldina also represents German science in international bodies, for example to collaborate in the preparation of science-based advice to the annual G7 and G20 summits.