Heidelberg, April 1, 2025 – The Foundation Council of the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) has unanimously appointed Dr. Agnes Szmolenszky as Executive Director and Member of the HLFF Board, effective April 1, 2025. Dr. Szmolenszky holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and brings extensive experience in the fields of science management, education, outreach and international cooperation to the role.
The position of Executive Director has been newly created and is part of an upcoming restructuring process within the HLFF. “These changes are intended to help future-proof the HLFF and pursue the Foundation's goals even more effectively,” says Prof. Dr. Rafael Lang, Chairperson of the HLFF Board of Directors. “I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Szmolenszky to this key position and am convinced that her expertise and ideas will make a decisive contribution towards increasing the Foundation's impact and helping spark more excitement for mathematics and computer science.”
Most recently, Dr. Szmolenszky was the Head of Science Education and Public Engagement at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg. In this role, she was responsible for the strategic development and implementation of the science education and engagement program for five EMBL sites in Europe.
Previously, she headed the European Learning Laboratory for the Life Sciences at EMBL and was Director of International Relations at Bay Zoltan Ltd. for Applied Research in Budapest.
“I look forward to taking on my responsibilities in this new role and am grateful for the trust that has been placed in me. I am deeply committed to advancing the Foundation’s goals in close collaboration with its dedicated team, and to shaping the HLFF and its activities in the long term,” says Dr. Szmolenszky.
Dr. Szmolenszky will initially lead the HLFF together with the Chairperson of the Board Prof. Dr. Rafael Lang, the Scientific Chair Prof. Dr. Anna Wienhard and the long-standing Managing Director Ruth Wetzlar, who plans to retire at the end of the year. “I have had the great privilege of helping to build the HLFF from the very beginning, and I am delighted that we have found such a capable successor in Dr. Szmolenszky. I wish her a smooth start and look forward to working together.”
Background
The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) organizes the annual Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), a networking conference where 200 outstanding young researchers in mathematics and computer science interact with the recipients of the most renowned prizes in the fields. Another primary focus of the Foundation is turning the public’s attention toward mathematics and computer science, not only to awaken but to strengthen their interest, such as through events and exhibitions held in their Mathematics Informatics Station (MAINS). The HLFF was established and is funded by the German foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS), which promotes natural sciences, mathematics and computer science.
www.hlf-foundation.org