Dear Humboldtians,
As the year draws to a close, I write to provide you with a Rückblick on 2024 and to offer you and your loved ones season’s greetings. I am pleased to be able to update you on some of the activities of the Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows (AAvHF) but also of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
The Humboldt Network
I read with interest a report of the Foundation’s 2024 annual meeting, which was held in Berlin on 27-28 June with 560 researchers from 70 nations and the motto of #AvHBridgeBuilders. Foundation President Professor Robert Schlögl opened the meeting. In a time of wars and conflicts, he called on Humboldtians to be “diplomats … You are bridge builders between countries, bridge builders to Germany”.
In his address Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier characterised the Foundation as “an outstanding ambassador for our outward-looking and future-oriented nation”. Humboldt awardees “help build bridges and make us aware that we can shape a better future when we work together worldwide”.
Minister of State in Germany’s Federal Foreign Office Katja Keul highlighted the importance of personal relationships and collaboration, stating “no international agreement in the world can master global challenges single-handedly. It takes people who will build bridges and seek solutions together”. In acknowledging the Foundation’s vital contribution to foreign policy work, she stated: “The Humboldt network is globally unparallelled and is a beacon for our cultural relations and education policy”.
The Foundation has a long-standing ‘bridge’ with Australia and the Australian Association is proud to be part of the Humboldt network.
Farewell to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Secretary General
Dr Enno Aufderheide retired as Secretary General of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation on 1 April 2024. As a surprise for his farewell, Humboldtians from around the world were invited to contribute to a video showing the diversity of the Humboldt Network. It would be a souvenir of that occasion which would remind him of his encounters with researchers from all over the world. I was asked to send a video on behalf of the Australian Association – a copy of the video is attached to this email.
Association members were asked to send greetings with a photograph. Here are the contributions of Distinguished Professor Ingrid Piller FAHA, currently Research Director in the Linguistics Department at Macquarie University, and AAvHF Honorary Secretary Trevor Finlayson who was conducting research with colleagues at ANSTO at the time:
Enno responded on 20 March 2024 and asked that his greetings be passed on to you all:
Dear Gabrielle,
I was deeply moved by your words in the “Abschiedsvideo” that was presented on my farewell in the Foundation. Your warm words and your friendliness have really touched me. Australia is far away and I cannot be sure whether we will see each other again, but I will certainly remember our encounters and your engagement for the Humboldt family. Please give my warm regards to the entire Humboldt-Club. With all my best wishes,
Enno
Dr. Enno Aufderheide, Bonn
Promoting the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation
Our contact in the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Dr Martin Schaffartzik, Programme Director – North America, Australia, New Zealand, Oceania, recently provided details of a new web-site with a presentation on the Foundation and its programmes as well as brochures and other up-to-date informational materials. He asked me to pass on these resources to anybody who might be interested in “spreading the word” – my experience is that Australian Fellows are most appreciative of belonging to the Humboldt family and happy to “spread the word’! The website is here.
Death of Associate Professor Harold Goodwin
In January 2024 the Association heard belatedly of the death of Associate Professor Harold Goodwin in July 2020. At the time, the School of Chemistry at the University of New South Wales published an obituary acknowledging him as “a much-loved and admired former member of staff … a man with time for everyone … a humble man, of great integrity”. Those words capture the Fellow whom we also valued as a member of the Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows.
New Australian Alexander von Humboldt Professor
On behalf of the AAvHF, I offer our warm congratulations to Professor Piller on receiving one of the five 2025 Humboldt Professorships – “an Alexander von Humboldt Professorship which comes with up to €5 million in funding offers not only optimal financial conditions but also maximum flexibility for conducting leading-edge research in Germany”. An award winner uses “Germany’s most valuable international research award to work for an extended period at a German research institute” – Professor Piller, who hosted our 18th biennial colloquium, “Sharing Knowledge in the Spirit of Humboldt” at Macquarie University in 2019, will take up her award at Universität Hamburg. [https://www.humboldt-foundation.de/en/explore/newsroom/press-releases/five-new-alexander-von-humboldt-professors-selected].
A Letter from Alexander von Humboldt
In June Tasmanian AAvHF representative and our Web Master, Nathan Kilah, recounted that he had been speaking to a German colleague who has a family heirloom of a letter from Humboldt regarding his research. Nathan provided the executive with a copy and translation of the letter, which includes the following message from Humboldt to the letter’s recipient: “The fact that your beautiful intellectual activity has finally rewarded you with an independent, honourable position prompts me to vividly express this joy. What the free man creates with his own strength is the most secure possession.” We might join with Humboldt in wishing all Fellows returning to Australia from their time in Germany similar good fortunate!
Celebration of Alexander von Humboldt’s Birthday
Australian and New Zealand Associations of von Humboldt Fellows held their annual online celebration of Alexander von Humboldt’s birthday on the evening of 23 September, joined by members of the Foundation. Our special guest was Dr Katrin Amian, the Foundation’s Head of Division – North America, Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, who addressed us on “Developments at the Humboldt Foundation”. Following her presentation and discussion, Vice-President of the New Zealand Association Professor Nancy November presented the toast to Alexander von Humboldt.
In a number of locations across the country, the practice of local dinners to mark Humboldt’s birthday continued. I joined the Melbourne gathering at University House at the University of Melbourne on 18 September. We were pleased to be joined by Honorary Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany Michael Pearce SC.
German Week in Melbourne
On 21 October Associate Professor Finlayson and I were pleased to attend a function at the BMW Centre in South Melbourne, which both marked the Day of German Unity and launched the first Melbourne German Week since the COVID-19 pandemic. The occasion was hosted by Honorary Consul Pearce. The official speaker at the function was Sigrid Sommer, Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy in Canberra. Following the event, she kindly provided a copy of her text to Associate Professor Finlayson for distribution to AAvHF members.
20th Biennial AAvHF Conference in February 2025
The 20th Biennial Conference of the Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows will be held at RMIT University, Melbourne from 4pm on Thursday, 13 February to 1pm on Saturday, 15 February. The theme of the meeting is “The Humboldtian Vision: Integrating Fundamentals with Applied Research”. I express our gratitude to AAvHF Treasurer Professor Gary Bryant and Victorian representative Dr Sarah Turpin-Nolan and their colleagues for arranging and hosting the conference. I hope to see many of you in Melbourne for our gathering.
Service of AAvHF Executive
On behalf of the Association, I express our appreciation to the members of the AAvHF national committee and especially to Vice-President Professor Jeff Malpas, Honorary Secretary Associate Professor Finlayson and Treasurer Professor Bryant – each of them makes a generous contribution to the Association on your behalf and we are indebted to them.
The 2025 general meeting of the Australian Association at the biennial conference will elect office bearers for the period 2025-2026. The current office bearers are:
AAvHF Executive and National Committee 2023-2024 | |
| President | Professor Gabrielle McMullen AM |
| Vice-President | Professor Jeff Malpas |
| Secretary | Associate Professor Trevor Finlayson |
| Treasurer | Professor Gary Bryant |
| Australian Capital Territory representative | Professor Hans Bachor |
| New South Wales representative | Dr Glen Wheeler |
| Northern Territory representative | Professor Michael Fellows |
| Queensland representative | Associate Professor Thomas Haselhorst |
| South Australia representative | Revd Dr Stephen Hultgren |
| Tasmania representative and Webmaster | Dr Nathan Kilah |
| Victoria representative | Dr Sarah Turpin-Nolan |
| West Australia representative | Associate Professor Scott Stewart |
| Member of the executive (immediate Past President) | Professor Rob Robson |
| Member of the executive | Dr Christoph Nitsche |
I strongly encourage AAVHF members to recruit other Humboldtians to join the Association and take part in our activities. Professor Bryant as Treasurer works actively to recruit Fellows to the Association and then to support members. Membership applications from former Alexander von Humboldt and Feodor Lynen Fellows should be sent to him – the biennial membership fee is $40, and Professor Bryant sends a renewal reminder every two years. His contact details are:
Professor Gary Bryant
Associate Dean Physics, School of Science, RMIT University
GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, 3001
Email: gary.bryant@rmit.edu.au
Frohe Weihnachten und alles Gute zum Neuen Jahr!
With very best wishes,
Gabrielle McMullen AM
President, Australian Association of von Humboldt Fellows