Bader Award for Chemistry Innovation
Forecasted
Bader Award for Chemistry Innovation supports graduate students through recognition and conference travel for innovative chemistry research that advances new ideas toward a more sustainable future.
Funder: Merck KGaA (EMD Group)
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: €1,000 honorarium, economy flight, and accommodations to attend and present at Curious2027 (2026 award package)
Summary: Recognizes innovative chemistry research by graduate students and encourages scientific advances toward a more sustainable future.
Key Information: Awardees must present their research results at the Curious – Future Insight conference.
Description
The Bader Award for Chemistry Innovation is run by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and honors talented graduate students in the chemical sciences. Established in 2005 as the Alfred R. Bader Award for Student Innovation, it continues the legacy of the Aldrich Chemical Company co-founder and his commitment to education and students. The program brings together young researchers to spark new ideas, push the boundaries of chemistry, and encourage a vision of a more sustainable future.
The award recognizes research addressing challenges in chemistry. Recent winning work includes covalent organic frameworks for environmental remediation and renewable energy, AI-guided small-molecule design incorporating synthesizability, and carbonyl-to-sulfur transformations for molecular diversification. Winners receive an honorarium and travel support to present their research at the Curious – Future Insight conference.
