Gerhard Fettweis Wins Inaugural Pioneer Award
We are proud to congratulate our Scientific Director, Prof. Gerhard Fettweis, on receiving the inaugural Pioneer Award from the Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities. This newly established high-tech prize, endowed with €300,000, honors outstanding technological innovation with broad societal impact. The award ceremony will take place on 9 April in Munich.
“This award is a very special honor for me – it highlights just how essential trustworthy technologies are for our connected society. Trustworthiness is not an added feature; it’s a prerequisite. This recognition motivates me to continue pursuing this path in research,” said Gerhard Fettweis ahead of the ceremony.
As a pioneer of mobile communication, Gerhard Fettweis has shaped the evolution of cellular standards for decades—from 3G to the upcoming 6G. His research bridges the gap between deep theoretical insight and practical applications that already influence everyday life. Concepts such as the Tactile Internet and Joint Communications and Sensing have become central pillars of future communication technologies.
The Barkhausen Institut (BI) also reflects his vision. As the founding father, Fettweis designed and founded the independent research institute in Dresden. Under his scientific leadership, BI has become a hub for novel approaches to trustworthy technologies in microelectronics, systems architecture, and wireless communications—always with a clear focus on societal relevance, security, and transparency. The institute’s research is deeply rooted in social responsibility and aims to make technology both understandable and usable.9
A driving force behind numerous spin-offs, Gerhard Fettweis is a key figure in technology transfer. His influence reaches far beyond academia—into industry, policymaking, and civil society. He serves as an advisor to the German federal government on digital infrastructure, is a member of the National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, and was elected to the prestigious U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2024.
With the Pioneer Award, these exceptional contributions are now being recognized in a remarkable way. All of us at the Barkhausen Institut warmly congratulate Prof. Fettweis and celebrate this well-deserved honor for our Scientific Director.