Award Hans-Peter Wild Talent Scholarships Awarded
13 November 2025
Fifth funding year: twelve Heidelberg University students receive funding for their MINT subject study programs
Remaining open to the diversity of knowledge and looking beyond one’s own field of study with curiosity: this was the appeal made by Prof. Dr Frauke Melchior, Rector of Heidelberg University, to the twelve students who can enjoy special support for their courses. They have been awarded a Hans-Peter Wild Talent Scholarship, which is open to gifted, motivated young people with enthusiasm for mathematics, computer science, natural science or technology – known as the MINT subjects. The scholarship certificates were presented at an award ceremony in the Great Hall of the Old University.
In her words of welcome, Prof. Melchior emphasized the key role of MINT subjects in society in light of major global challenges such as climate change. At the same time, she extended her thanks to Dr Hans-Peter Wild as a special friend and generous sponsor of Heidelberg University. Dr Martin Kleppe from the WILD Group spoke on behalf of the donor – the alumnus and honorary senator of Ruperto Carola was unable to be personally present on the occasion. He conveyed Dr Wild’s “best wishes” and pointed out that the scholarship goes far beyond mere financial support, for instance by also offering a valuable accompanying program and numerous networking opportunities. The awardees, chosen by an internal university selection committee for the scholarship, rank among the best of their year. They had prevailed against strong competition in a demanding selection process. The nearly 450 applications for this fifth round of awards are proof of the great interest in the scholarship program, according to Martin Kleppe.
Maurice Beringuier, a doctoral candidate at the Institute for Theoretical Physics and a former Wild scholarship holder, offered entertaining insights into his master’s thesis entitled “Can Atoms Learn How to Read? A Different Take on Machine Learning”, which he completed this year. Alisa Hovsepyan, a current scholarship holder, spoke about her experience studying Molecular Biotechnology. In addition, physicist Dr Lisa Ringena from the Collaborative Research Centre “Isoquant” reported on her work in science communication and encouraged the scholarship holders to become active in this field themselves.
Martin Kleppe and the Rector together presented the scholarship certificates. Financial support is going to students from all five faculties in the MINT field who began their bachelor’s or master’s course at Heidelberg University in the 2025/2026 winter semester. The eight women and four men selected in the fifth funding year are from Austria, Bangladesh, China, the Faroe Islands, Germany, Iran and Italy. The event on 5 November 2025 was framed musically by cellist Nicholas Riedel, a member of Ruperto Carola’s university orchestra. He presented, among other pieces, an original composition entitled “The Machinist”.