By UBC
The Austrian Academy of Sciences (ÖAW) recently honored Michael Schober, a member of the UBC team and a historian of science from Montanuniversität Leoben, with the prestigious Bader Prize for the History of Natural Sciences 2023. This award, endowed with 36,000 USD, was presented on May 8, 2024, in a ceremonial setting at the ÖAW premises. At this point, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Bader Philanthropies Foundation (https://bader.org) for their generous support! The prize is part of an event that also includes the awarding of the Ignaz L. Lieben Prize (awarded to Prof. Hannes Pichler, IQOQI, ÖAW) and was held in memory of Alfred Bader, who would have celebrated his 100th birthday these days.
Michael Schober was recognized for his dissertation project “Richard Herzog (1911–1999): the scientific career of an Austrian inventor in the field of mass spectrometry”. In his work, Schober illuminates the complex life story and scientific achievements of Herzog, set against the political and social context of his time. Herzog, a key figure in the development of mass spectrometry in Austria, was both a pioneer in his discipline and a politically active player during the turbulent times of Austrofascism and National Socialism.
The significance of Herzog’s work, especially regarding advances in ion and electron optics and the early applications of Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), remains of enduring relevance in modern scientific research. Schober uses Herzog’s career to provide deeper insights into the challenges and opportunities of scientific careers under various political systems. This historical perspective is crucial for understanding how scientific innovations can be both enabled and hindered.
Michael Schober's dissertation project is supervised by Dr. Linda Erker (University of Vienna), Assoc. Prof. Dr. Johanna Irrgeher (MUL), and Univ. Prof. Dr. Thomas Prohaska (MUL).
The awarding of the Bader Prize to Michael Schober underscores the importance of historical research in the natural sciences and honors his remarkable contributions to the scientific community. The prize allows Michael to combine his two passions, natural science and the history of science. Through his work, the history of natural sciences is understood not just as a sequence of discoveries, but also as a mirror of social and political dynamics. We warmly congratulate Michael!
