Report on the meeting of the world’s most talented mathematicians and computer scientists.

This September, recipients of the Abel Prize, ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize in Computing, Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal and the Nevanlinna Prize are invited to gather in Heidelberg to meet with 200 young researchers from all over the world at the 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF). In order to reach a broader, more diverse and international audience, the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) encourages journalists to cover the event and affords them the chance to interact with the preeminent scientists of mathematics and computer science. The 13th HLF will take place from September 13 to 18, 2026, and applications for journalist travel grants are accepted until April 8, 2026.

The HLF is an annual networking conference where 200 carefully selected young researchers in mathematics and computer science have the unique chance to meet distinguished scientists in their fields for one week of interdisciplinary academic dialogue. The vibrant atmosphere of the event inspires a blend of scientific discussion and informal interactions among the participants, setting the HLF apart from traditional conferences. Panel discussions, lectures and workshops spur scientifically driven debate, which is then balanced by a variety of social events, permitting participants to pursue their discourse in an inviting environment.

In addition to classic plenary lectures and panel discussions, the HLF features more dynamic formats such as shorter Spark Sessions and presentations by young researchers providing insight into cutting-edge research topics. The Lindau Lecture, held each year to signify the bond between the HLF and the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings, will be held by noted physicist Brian Schmidt, who received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2011 “for the discovery of the accelerating expansion of the Universe through observations of distant supernovae.”

Attending journalists will have the exclusive opportunity to interview renowned laureates from mathematics and computer science, both in press panels and one-on-one. In addition, they will be able to engage directly with some of the most promising young researchers from those fields. Journalists are permitted to take part in virtually all of the Forum’s scientific program elements as well as social gatherings in the evenings. Opportunities will also be provided for journalists to network and collaborate with their peers in the press corps.

The HLFF offers a limited number of travel grants for international journalists to report on this compelling event: Until April 8, 2026, journalists from all over the world, irrespective of their media affiliation (print, TV, online, radio), are invited to apply for a travel grant for the event via our online registration tool. These applications must include a short CV, three samples of work (indicating respective medium), an overview of publications (indicating respective medium) and planned coverage regarding the HLF.

Grants cover travel and visa costs as well as room and board during the stay in Heidelberg.

Journalists who do not receive a travel grant or who have missed the travel grant application deadline may nevertheless apply for accreditation to cover the Forum at their own expense.

 

Apply for a travel grant and/or accreditation here: application.heidelberg-laureate-forum.org

Application periods:

Travel Grant: March 2 – April 8, 2026

Non-Travel Grant: March 2 – September 9, 2026

 

Background 

The Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) annually organizes the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), which is a networking event for mathematicians and computer scientists from all over the world. The 13th Heidelberg Laureate Forum will take place from September 13 to 18, 2026. The HLFF was established and is funded by the German foundation Klaus Tschira Stiftung (KTS), which promotes natural sciences, mathematics and computer science. The scientific partners of the HLF are the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies (HITS) and Heidelberg University. The HLF is strongly supported by the award-granting institutions, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the International Mathematical Union (IMU), and the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters (DNVA).

 

Press Inquiries

Nicole Schmitt
Nikolas Mariani
Communications
Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation
Schloss-Wolfsbrunnenweg 33, 69118 Heidelberg, Germany
media@heidelberg-laureate-forum.org
Telephone: +49 6221 533-384

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