Division of Fundamental Research

The aims of the DFR are

• to offer a network for all researchers in the chemical sciences in Switzerland.
• to promote research in all fields of chemistry, and in particular interdisciplinary collaborations.
• to facilitate the organization of conferences, seminars and courses.
• to stimulate contacts between the different chemistry departments and research units of the Swiss academic institutions and industry.
• to encourage the publication of research results in the journals supported by the society.
• to support the organization of international chemistry conferences in Switzerland.

Main activities

• Organize the SCS Fall Meeting, one of the largest annual scientific conferences in Switzerland with about 1000 participants and up to 600 scientific presentations (lectures, short talks, posters)
• Coordinate the organization of the SCS Spring Meeting and define topics, chairs and locations for each event.
• Invite world-class distinguished scientists to Swiss research institutions for the SCS Lectureship Tours and organize the Heilbronner-Hückel Lectureship in collaboration with the GDCh.
• Represent Switzerland in the EuChemS divisions of Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Organometallic Chemistry and Radio Chemistry.
• Publish the CHIMIA column ‘Swiss Science Concentrates.
• Support the Editor in Chief of CHIMIA do publish issue on DFR related topics.
• Honor excellence in chemical sciences with the Paracelsus Prize and the Werner Prize.
• Support the organization of international chemistry conferences in Switzerland. 

Prof. Thomas Bürgi, University of Geneva
President

Prof. Stefan Willitsch, University of Basel
Past-President

Prof. Martin Albrecht, University of Berne
Member of the Board

Dr.  Stephan Bachmann, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG
Treasurer

Prof. Christian Bochet, University of Fribourg
Member of the Board

Dr. Brigitte Buchmann, EMPA Dübendorf
Member of the Board

Prof. Sandrine Gerber, EPFL Lausanne
Member of the Board and Chair of the SCS Fall Meeting Lausanne

Prof. Dennis Gillingham, University of Basel
Member of the Board

Prof. Eva Hevia, University of Berne
Member of the Board

Prof. Michal Juricek, University of Zurich
Member of the Board

Dr. Hans Peter Lüthi, ETH Zurich
Member of the Board and Delegate in the EuChemS Division of Computational and Theoretical Chemistry

Prof. Frédéric Merkt, ETH Zurich
Member of the Board

Prof. Bill Morandi, ETH Zurich
Member of the Board

Prof. Javier Perez-Ramirez, ETH Zurich
Member of the Board

Prof. Martin Quack, ETH Zurich
Member of the Board

Prof. Philippe Renaud, University of Berne
Member of the Board

Prof. Pablo Rivera Fuentes, EPFL Lausanne
Member of the Board

Prof. Bruno Therrien, University of Neuchâtel
Member of the Board

Prof. Nicolas Winssinger, University of Geneva
Member of the Board

The DFR financially supports the organizers of conferences, symposia, summer schools and similar events of cutting-edge chemical sciences in Switzerland.

Basic Criteria for the event

1. The topic covered by the conference must be in the chemical sciences. The conference program must meet international standards.
2. The event shall be attractive for young students of the chemical sciences.
3. Outstanding speakers from outside Switzerland are desirable
4. The organizers must be members of a Swiss research institution (Academia or Industry) and be members of the SCS.
5. The conference should take place in Switzerland.
6. The conference should not duplicate an activity already covered by a Swiss Chemical Institution and be primarily research oriented.
7. The event should be unique and not being recurrent
8. Minimal duration of half a day (4h) is required

Application process

The application must be concise and comprise the following sections/information. 

1. Scientific description of the event – topic in chemical sciences
2. Targeted audience and expected number of participants
3. Final or preliminary program including speaker's names and affiliation
4. Provisional budget, providing details about further third party funds
5. Names of the organizing/scientific committee
6. Selection process
7. The DFR board will review the application and decide at one of its two annual meetings according to the basic criteria for funding.
8. The applicants are informed immediately after the meeting about the board's decision.
9. The approved amount shall not exceed 10'000 CHF for an event lasting more than one day and 5'000 CHF for a one-day event. The DFR can provide a sum of money or give a shortfall guarantee.

Applications must be sent directly to the president of the DFR. Annual deadlines for submission are April 15 and September 15. Applications for past events or events taking place before the next DFR board meeting will not be considered.

After the event

1. The organizers are strongly encouraged to report in Chimia about larger events.