Martin Pessah Receives Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award
Martin Pessah, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the Niels Bohr Institute and Deputy Director of the Niels Bohr International Academy, has received the 2026 Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation.
The award recognizes internationally renowned researchers for their outstanding academic achievements and future potential. It will support extended research visits to Germany, during which Martin Pessah will strengthen collaborations with colleagues at Heidelberg University, the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, and the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies.
The laudation from the Humboldt Foundation states: "Professor Pessah is a leading theorist in astrophysical fluid dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics with a focus on protoplanetary disks. He has made major contributions to our understanding of planet formation and evolution and is internationally known for his research on magnetorotational instability. During his stay in Germany, Professor Pessah will continue to study the influence of dust in planetary migration and how compact-object binaries form and evolve in gaseous disks around supermassive black holes at the center of most galaxies."
The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation supports outstanding researchers across all disciplines and nationalities. Named after the German astronomer and mathematician Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel, the award is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space. Further information is available on the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s website [link].
The Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Award was presented to Professor Martin Pessah at a ceremony held on June 25, 2026, during the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation’s Annual Meeting in Berlin.