During Mayor Andreas Bovenschulte’s remarks at the award ceremony, he said, “As a child, Antje Boetius dreamed of her future career – as a pirate or a scientist.” Bremen is fortunate that she chose science, and not just because our status as a trading and port city means we have an aversion to pirates. Antje Boetius is such an excellent ambassador for the Alfred Wegener Institute, for marine research, and for Bremerhaven. Her views carry as much weight in scientific circles as they do in the general public, and are valued just as much in the science series Terra X as they are in her role as a consultant for a fictional TV series. She is passionate about sharing scientific knowledge.”
“Boetius is an inspiration not only to the scientific community, but to society at large”
Senator Kathrin Moosdorf: “Antje Boetius is an excellent representative of marine research and climate protection in Germany. Her tireless work is recognized far beyond Bremen’s borders and has made our state internationally visible as a center of science. Prof. Boetius has a unique ability to connect international top research with local networking and build bridges between science, society, and politics. Her move to the renowned Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute underscores the quality of Bremen’s marine research. Although her departure is a loss for us, it opens up new opportunities for international collaboration and the advancement of marine science and conservation.
President of the University of Bremen, Professor Jutta Günther said, “We congratulate Antje Boetius on being awarded the senate medal for art and science of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Her outstanding research in marine science and her tireless work on climate protection are an inspiration not only to the scientific community, but to society at large. We are delighted that she will remain a professor at the University of Bremen and member of the Cluster of Excellence ‘The Ocean Floor.’”
Prof. Antje Boetius: “Receiving this medal is a great honor for me, especially when I think of those who have received it before. I am very pleased, in particular because of the many close collaborations between art and science that I have been able to put to the test. Bremen and Bremerhaven have built up a wonderful network of people who participate in and support internationally outstanding activities in the arts and sciences. This is part of what makes our state so endearing and pleasant and deserves more attention and spotlight. I am grateful to the Senate and all of you for your work and the special solidarity.
Ceremony with the Orchester des Wandels
Mayor Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte and the Senator for the Environment, Climate, and Science, Kathrin Moosdorf, presented Antje Boetius with a certificate and a medal in a ceremony on the upper floor of Bremen City Hall. The Senate decided in June of 2024 to present her with the award. Musicians from the Orchester des Wandels e.V. (Orchestra of Change) provided musical accompaniment for the award ceremony.
Prof. Antje Boetius is a polar and deep-sea researcher, Director of the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and professor for geomicrobiology at the University of Bremen. She is part of the MARUM’s Cluster of Excellence “The Ocean Floor – Earth’s Uncharted Interface” and with AWI is a founding member of the German Marine Research Alliance (DAM).
2009: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize was Awarded
Antje Boetius has received widespread national and international recognition for her outstanding achievements in research and scientific communication, including the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize in 2009, Germany’s most prestigious research award; the German Environmental Award in 2018, one of Europe’s most prestigious environmental prizes; and the Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker Prize in 2022, awarded by the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and the Stifterverband (innovation agency for the German science system).
Born and raised in Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt, she moved to northern Germany to study and research. Since 1999, Bremen and Bremerhaven have served as the base camp for her expeditions. A significant part of her work takes place on the high seas. Since 1989, she has taken part in around 50 expeditions on German and foreign research vessels, using innovative methods to collect and analyze samples.
Prof. Antje Boetius will relocate to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) on May 1, 2025, where she will become director. The MBARI is one of the world’s most renowned institutes for marine research and technology.
