Angela D. Friederici

Angela D. Friederici is a renowned scholar in Linguistic Neuroscience and Neurophysiology, currently serving as the Founding Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany. She holds Honorary Professorships at the University of Leipzig (since 1995), University of Potsdam (since 1997), and Charité University Medicine Berlin (since 2004). Her academic career spans prestigious roles at the Free University of Berlin and Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics.

Education

• Ph.D. in Linguistics (1976), University of Bonn
• Diploma in Psychology (1980), University of Bonn
• Habilitation in Psychology (1986), Justus Liebig University, Giessen

Research Focus
Friederici's work bridges Psycholinguistics and Cognitive Neuroscience, emphasizing the neural mechanisms of language processing, brain development, and cognitive disorders. Her interdisciplinary approach integrates Neuroimaging and Developmental Psychology to explore the mental lexicon, language acquisition, and neurocognitive models.

Scientific Honors

• Heisenberg Fellowship (1987) and Research Fellowship (1979) from the Max Planck Society
• Alfried Krupp Prize (1990) and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize (1997)
• Doctor Honoris Causa (2011), University of Mons, Belgium
• Carl Friedrich Gauss Medal (2011), Wilhelm Wundt Medal (2018), and Justine and Yves Sergent Award (2019)
• Key memberships: German Academy of Natural Science (Leopoldina), Academia Europaea, and Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences

Administrative Leadership
Friederici held pivotal roles in research governance, including Vice-President of the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences (2005-2007) and Chairperson of the Scientific Council of the Max Planck Society (since 2006). She also served on the Senate of the Max Planck Society (2002-2008) and the Health Research Council of Germany's Federal Ministry of Education and Science (since 2003).