Rector Roman Gladyshevskii awarded with August Wilhelm Hofmann Medal

Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academician of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Prof. Roman Gladyshevskii received the August Wilhem Hofmann Medal. German Chemical Society (GDCh) bestowed this prestigious award upon him for his scientific achievements and merits in the field of chemistry, as well as for his dedication to science during wartime.

The award ceremony happened on July 16th, 2026, at 10th Chemistry Congress of the European Chemical Society (EuChemS) in Antwerp, Belgium. During four days of scientific agenda, almost 1400 participants of the congress had the possibility to listen to plenary reports from innovative scholars, invited scientists, participate in poster sessions, thematic symposiums and workshops. The agenda covered a wide range of modern directions of chemistry – from metallurgy, molecular design, analytical, physical, and computoral chemistry to chemical biology, energy studies, ecology, sustainable development and methods of applying artificial intelligence during scientific work. Significant attention was also paid to the questions of chemistry education, international scientific cooperation, supporting young scientists, development of interdisciplinary studies and the role of chemistry in solving global societal challenges.

On the last day of the event, the official ceremony for awarding Rector Roman Gladyshevskii with August Wilhelm Hofmann Medal took place. Before that, the head of German Chemical Society (GDCh), Dr. Ruth Bieringer, performed a speech where she told the participants about the August Wilhelm Hofmann Medal – the award GDCh gives for outstanding contribution to chemistry. The medal is awarded to foreign chemists or Germans who are not chemists, but have achieved special merits in chemistry. This award is rooted in long-standing tradition: it was created in 1902 by the predecessor society – DChG – and bears the name of the founder and long-term president of the DChG,  August Wilhelm von Hofmann (1818-1892). Among those who have been awarded before are the scientists that made significant progress in the development of chemistry, especially William Lawrence Bragg (1967) – laureate of Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1915 for contributions in studying the structure of crystals using X-rays, one of the founders of the tools used in modern crystal chemistry, Omar Yaghi (2020) – laureate of Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2025 for developing metal-organic frameworks, Paul Anastas and John Charles Warner (2022) – the founders of green chemistry.

This year’s laureate – Roman Gladyshevskii – was introduced by Thomas Fässler, Professor of Technical University of Munich. Appealing to the international community, he said that the scientific achievements of Roman Gladyshevskii are combined with quality leadership under extremely complicated conditions for Ukraine. He noted that Ivan Franko National University of Lviv continues providing quality education and facilitating important research, supports the students and the scholars, opens laboratories for colleagues from all over the country and maintains international scientific cooperation, even under the conditions of the full-scale war. According to  Thomas Fässler, this award is both a recognition of the individual contribution of the Rector to the development of chemistry and a symbol of solidarity with the entire Ukrainian chemistry community which continues to work despite the challenges of wartime.

“A true merit of the scientists’s professionalism is not only the discoveries that they make, but also the way they defend the scientific values and how they preserve the knowledge for future generations. During a time when missiles hit Ukrainian cities and air raid sirens interrupt lectures, laboratory work and exams, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv remains the space for education, scientific discoveries, and hope. This is thanks to those who are dedicated to their work, like Roman Gladyshevskii. With this medal, we remark the indomitable belief that science and education are the strongest foundation of a free and democratic society. This award is a symbol of our outmost respect and solidarity with the entire Ukrainian chemistry community. We honour all those who support the development of chemistry, who support the universities and preserves the hope under the most difficult conditions we can imagine”, Thomas Fässler highlighted and gave the floor to Roman Gladyshevskii.

In his lecture after receiving the highest merit of German Chemical Society, Professor Roman Gladyshevskii presented before the international community the history and modernity of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, which continues to perform its educational and scientific mission amidst the full-scale war for more than three years.

Rector began his presentation with an overview of Lviv and the University, where he highlighted that the full-scale invasion changed the life of the entire Ukrainian academic community. At the same time, even under the most difficult conditions, Ukrainian universities remain a place for generating new ideas, conducting research and fostering international cooperation.

Roman Gladyshevskii paid particular attention to how the war influenced the way the University and other Ukrainian educational and scientific institutions function. He told the international community about the education during air raid alerts, the support for internally displaced students and scholars, the psychological support, the adaptation of educational and scientific processes to the new reality and creating conditions for conducting laboratory classes. “Even during the periods of massive attacks the universities do not seize their activity. Scientific research in many cities became a lot more complicated or sometimes even impossible to conduct because of constant enemy attacks. That is why our University opened its research infrastructure and laboratories for colleagues from all over Ukraine,” Roman Gladyshevskii noted.

A separate part of the presentation was about people who make the modernity of the University happen. Rector remembered the students and the teachers that defend Ukraine, the scholars that continue working in spite of personal losses, and also the representatives of the academic community that were killed on the frontline.

At the same time, the majority of Roman Gladyshevskii’s presentation was dedicated to continuous advancements of science. Professor presented the Lviv Crystal Chemistry School, the results of long-term research in the field of crystal chemistry of functional materials – semiconductors, thermoelectrics, catalysts, materials for accumulating hydrogen. He noted that the research conducted in Ivan Franko National University of Lviv has practical application in energy industry, information technology, medicine and materials science.

The audience was especially drawn to the part about international cooperation. Roman Gladyshevskii highlighted that it is because of the support of the international partners that Ukrainian scientists can continue the research, develop new laboratories and facilitate international projects even during wartime.

A topic no less important – the support of the younger generation of scientists. Rector told the participants about The All-Ukrainian Contest “Crystal” that for many years has been telling schoolchildren about science through personal research projects, as well as about the development of the innovative ecosystem of the University, creation of new laboratories, Science Park and supporting start-ups. “Our duty is to create the conditions for the younger generation that would allow them to stay in the realm of science, realise their ideas and develop Ukraine”, Rector added.

At the closing part of the presentation, Professor Roman Gladyshevskii thanked Ukrainian and international colleagues, as well as the GDCh for supporting Ukrainian science. “It is a great honour for me to receive the August Wilhelm Hofmann Medal. I sincerely thank the German Chemistry Society for this high merit. I perceive this award not only as personal recognition, but as a recognition of my colleagues from Ivan Franko National University of Lviv and all Ukrainian scholars, teachers, and students that continue to work despite the hardships of war”, stressed Roman Gladyshevskii, and later added: “I believe that peace will return to Ukraine. This very belief motivates us to not surrender, to continue cooperating and to find valuable solutions for the future Victory”.

Thus, the presentation of Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv about Ukrainian science that continues developing despite the war, about the people that facilitate continuous education and scientific research, and about the strength of international academic solidarity struck an emotional chord among the participants of the Congress.

We sincerely congratulate the Rector of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, academician of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor Roman Gladyshevskii with receiving the  August Wilhelm Hofmann Medal. We wish him new scientific achievements, successful realisation of important projects, and unlimited enthusiasm in connection with working for the benefit of the University and Ukraine.

Communications Centre