GfBS honours two achievements in the field of taxonomy:
Since 2004, the Bernhard Rensch Prize has been awarded by the Society in recognition of outstanding achievements by young scientists in the field of biological systematics.
The awarding of the prize goes back to the initiative of the late GfBS honorary member Prof. Dr. Ernst Mayr, who made a generous donation to the capital stock for an annual awarding of the prize.
Bernhard Rensch is regarded as one of the pioneers of the synthetic theory of evolution, alongside the better known Ernst Mayr and Julian Huxley, which is now regarded as the standard model of evolution.
The titles of the works for which the prize winners received the award in the past show the diversity of topics in biological systematics.
The mode of allocation and the requirements for application are always the same. The current call for applications is announced in due time via the listserver, on our website and in the newsletter.
Prof. Dr. Horst-Kurt Schminke received the second Badge of Honour of the GfBS in March 2015 for his services to systematics and taxonomy in general and the GfBS in particular, of which he was the founding president.
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Prof. Dr. Horst-Kurt Schminke (center) received the Badge of Honour of the GfBS together with a certificate from the hands of the president, Prof. Uwe Fritz, who also gave the laudation. Prof. Wolfgang Wägele, conference president of the 16th annual conference of the GfBS, congratulated.
![[Translate to English:] Prof. Dr. Horst-Kurt Schminke inmitten amtierender und früherer Präsidenten der GfBS: Prof. Dr. Uwe Fritz, Ehrennadelträger Schminke, Dr. Regine Jahn, Prof. Wolfgang Wägele, Prof. Gerhard Haszprunar (v.l.n.r.).](/fileadmin/user_upload/Images_Ehrennadel/GfBS_Jahrestagung_Ehrennadel.jpg) |
Founding president Schminke in the midst of the current and former president of the GfBS: Prof. Dr. Uwe Fritz, Badge of Honour awardee Schminke, Dr. Regine Jahn, Prof. Wolfgang Wägele, Prof. Gerhard Haszprunar (from left to right).
2014 the first Badge of Honour of the GfBS was awarded to Prof. Dr. Dieter Waloßek from the University of Ulm during the 15th annual conference for his services to the society, combined with a life-long membership. Waloßek was Secretary of the GfBS for a period of 10 years after its foundation (1997-2007).