Members
The Academy comprises approx. 1300 elected members in 28 subject sections that include all natural science and medicine disciplines as well as some borderline areas of the empirical behavioural and social sciences as well as the humanities. The election of Academy members is carried out in a free and secret ballot by the Presidium on the submittal of applications by the members. Around three quarters of the members live in the German-speaking countries Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, while a quarter are residents of other countries around the world.
The members of the Leopoldina need to be more and more involved in the projects of the National Academy, e. g. in policy making. Therefore the following options for members were created:
- The status Full Member applies for all current members;
- Full members who do not live in Germany and do not wish to take over the tasks of a National Academy can become Corresponding Members upon request.
- New members are Full Members. Full Members agree to support the tasks of the Academy, e. g. through the participation in working groups.
- A member may apply to retire from his or her duties for a limited or unlimited period. All rights to vote and all duties then expire.
Members’ General Assembly
In the Members’ General Assembly, the Presidium disseminates information among members and the members deliberate the objectives and the development of the Academy. The Members’ General Assembly meets as provided for in the Statutes and in exceptional circumstances. Usually, members meet every two years, and the Members’ General Meeting is held on the occasion of the Biennial Assemblies (Jahresversammlungen). The Members’ General Meeting decides on revisions of the Statutes, as prepared and proposed by the Senate.
The Leopoldina expects its members, in addition to discharging of ordinary duties such as occasionally giving a lecture, to cooperate in the election of new members, the initiation and organisation of scientific events and to participate in ad-hoc commissions dealing with matters of particular social and political relevance in an interdisciplinary environment.
Leopoldina members since the foundation of the Academy in 1652
List of present members
Nobel Prize winners and Leopoldina members (1903–2009)
