Kurt of Figura

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Kurt von Figura in October 2010

Kurt von Figura (born May 16, 1944 in Heiningen / Baden-Württemberg ) is a German medic . From 1986 to 2004 he was Professor of Biochemistry at the Göttingen Center for Biochemistry and Molecular Cell Biology and from 2005 to 2010 President of the Georg August University in Göttingen .

Scientific activity

In the course of his research activities, Figura was significantly involved in the elucidation of the function of the lysosomes and in the discovery of the molecular causes of a large number of congenital metabolic diseases . He is the author of numerous scientific articles in specialist journals. His dissertation is from 1969. He has received several awards for his scientific work, including the Otto Warburg Medal (2002) and the Körber Prize (2004).

University President

Von Figura was President of the Georg-August University in Göttingen from 2005 to 2010. He successfully led the Georg August University into the decisive third funding line of the nationwide Excellence Initiative .

Under von Figura, the University's Presidium made proposals for the restructuring and profiling of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The proposals attracted a nationwide sensation because they provided for a considerable reduction in jobs in the political science seminar. The renowned political scientists Bassam Tibi , Peter Lösche and Franz Walter would have been affected by this reduction . The proposals would have led to the reallocation of two professorships from the Department of Political Science to Sociology. The plans initiated by the reports of the Scientific Commission of Lower Saxony (WKN) and the Central Evaluation and Accreditation Agency in Lower Saxony (ZEvA) and supported by the Lower Saxony CDU state government ( Christian Wulff was Prime Minister) met with violent protests from students and the political scientists concerned. Walter (SPD member) and Lösche are considered left-liberal .

Von Figura said in the public discussion about the restructuring that the institute was a "weak point" that had to be "eliminated". This statement has been criticized. The charge was made of using "Nazi jargon". According to statements by the university, von Figura had regretfully withdrew the use of the word "eradicate" in the discussion event "immediately - and without any reaction from the audience."

In 2011, Ulrike Beisiegel succeeded him as university president . Von Figura has been a member of the Leopoldina since 2004 . In 1998 he became a full member of the Academy of Sciences in Göttingen .

personal interests

Kurt von Figura is interested in the fine arts and has been a board member of the Göttingen Art Association for many years.

swell

  1. ^ Draft by the Presidium - Development Planning
  2. ↑ Position planning (PDF; 56 kB)
  3. ↑ a b Open letter to the publishing house Kiepenheuer & Witsch
  4. ↑ Tobias Lill: War of Scientists, in: Spiegel Online / Unispiegel, December 9, 2005

Web links

Reports on the dispute between von Figura and the political scientists:

predecessor Office successor
Horst Kern President of the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
2005–2010 		Ulrike Beisiegel
personal data
SURNAME Figura, Kurt of
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German biochemist, molecular biologist
DATE OF BIRTH May 16, 1944
PLACE OF BIRTH Heiningen , Baden-Wuerttemberg