New FWF Scientific Board Elected

The FWF’s Scientific Consultants meet five times a year at Scientific Board meetings to decide on funding applications based on the results of international peer review. The Scientific Board will re-convene in October with a number of new members.
October 1, 2026
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The Consultants’ expertise covers the full spectrum of basic research: Five times a year, the 73 FWF Scientific Consultants decide on the funding applications received based on an international peer review process. © Unsplash

At its most recent meeting, the FWF Assembly of Delegates elected and appointed the new members of the Scientific Board for the upcoming three-year term, which runs through 2029. As the FWF’s main scientific body, the Scientific Board meets five times a year to decide on funding for outstanding research projects based on international peer reviews. In addition to the FWF Executive Board, the newly constituted Scientific Board will have a total of 73 members whose term of office begins on October 1, 2026.

In addition to the reelection of 46 incumbent members, the following 27 Consultants were newly appointed to the FWF Scientific Board:

  • Classical Studies: Matthias Grawehr (University of Graz), Bernhard Palme (University of Vienna)
  • Inorganic Chemistry: Nicola Hüsing (University of Salzburg)
  • Biochemistry and Structural Biology: Tobias Madl (Medical University of Graz)
  • Biology I: Julius Brennecke (IMBA – Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, OeAW)
  • Biomedical Research I: Sylvia Knapp (Medical University of Vienna)
  • Biomedical Research II: Francesco Moscato (Medical University of Vienna), Clemens Schmitt (Johannes Kepler University Linz)
  • Experimental Physics: Martin Sterrer (University of Graz), Marcus Ossiander (Graz University of Technology)
  • Geosciences: Bastian Joachim-Mrosko (University of Innsbruck), Jakob Abermann (University of Graz)
  • Computer Science II: Markus Schedl (Johannes Kepler University Linz), Wolfgang Faber (University of Klagenfurt)
  • Arts and Humanities: Sarah Weiss (University of Music and Performing Arts Graz)
  • Literature and Linguistics: Stephan Elspass (University of Salzburg)
  • Materials Science: Daniel Kiener (Montanuniversität Leoben), Bernhard Sonderegger (Johannes Kepler University Linz)
  • Neuroscience I: Bernhard Flucher (Medical University of Innsbruck), Rupert Lanzenberger (Medical University of Vienna)
  • Organic Chemistry: Mario Waser (Johannes Kepler University Linz)
  • Political Science, Law, and Public Administration: Florian Weiler (Central European University)
  • Psychology and Educational Sciences: Nora Ruck (Sigmund Freud Private University, Vienna), Kathrin M. Otrel-Cass (University of Graz)
  • Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Sciences: Dženeta Karabegović (University of Salzburg), Valerie Hase (University of Klagenfurt)
  • Cell Biology: Corina Madreiter-Sokolowski (Medical University of Graz)

Click here for a list of the members of the FWF Scientific Board, as well as additional information about the board’s work.

Independent funding decisions based on international peer review 

The Scientific Board is made up of renowned scholars from a wide variety of universities and non-university research institutions in Austria. All disciplines in basic research are represented. The Board’s job is to select internationally recognized reviewers with specialized knowledge and to make decisions based on the reviews received, ensuring the scientific excellence and high level of innovation of all FWF-funded projects. They are elected for a three-year term and may serve a maximum of three consecutive terms. Ensuring impartiality among everyone involved in the decision-making process is very important to the FWF, and the members of the Scientific Board are subject to the FWF's strict compliance regulations.

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