Prof. Michael Backes: Prizes, awards and recognition

Prizes, awards and recognition

Associate of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP): 2024–2029
- ^{Highly competitive honor awarded to mid-career scientists from developing countries that funds research visits to the ICTP to foster international collaboration and advance global scientific research.}
Member of the Global Young Academy (GYA); 2018–2023
- ^{Global academy of never more than 200 early-career researchers, selected for scientific excellence and commitment to making a difference in society.}
Fellow of GSO Leadership Academy 2018/19, German Scholars Organization (GSO); June 2018–Feb 2019
- ^{The GSO Leadership Academy prepares yearly 25 outstanding researchers for their future management responsibilities, both within as well as outside academia.}

3rd U.S.-Africa Frontiers of Science, Eng., and Medicine Symposium, Plenary Speaker; Kigali (RW), Feb 2025
- ^{Prestigious, highly selective event sponsored by the U.S. National Academies to deliver a plenary presentation on cutting-edge, cross-continental scientific advancements in space research to an audience of top global researchers.}
11th World Science Forum, Budapest (HU), Nov 2024 [declined]
6th World Laureates Forum, Speaker; Shanghai (CN), Nov 2023
- ^{Premier global science summit that brought together over 300 elite researchers, including 27 Nobel laureates, to present cutting-edge advancements and drive cross-generational scientific transformation.}
10th World Science Forum, Plenary Speaker; Cape Town (ZA), Dec 2022: Speech available below, coverage in NatureAfrica
- ^{Premier global science diplomacy event convened under the theme "Science for Social Justice".}
69th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, Heraeus-Fellow; Lindau (D), June 2019
- ^{Attending the annual gathering of Nobel Laureates at Lindau is provided exclusively to outstanding young scientists aged up to 35 who undoubtedly represent the emerging generation of leading scientists.}

NRF Rating: Established Researcher - Category C2, National Research Foundation (NRF); Jan 2021–Dec 2026
- ^{In South Africa, only 7.5% (4,177 of 55,632) of researchers hold an NRF-rating (2020). The number of "Rated Researchers" aged 30–39 is 475; of these, 94 hold a rating in category C or better (C: 72, P: 17, B: 5).}
UNAM Meritorious Award 2017 for Best Academic Performance in the Faculty of Science, University of Namibia (UNAM); Apr 2018
- ^{In recognition of outstanding service.}
Honorable Mention in Gustav-Hertz-Award, German Physical Society (DPG); Mar 2015 (not eligible as not yet post-doc during the achievements leading to the award)
- ^{One of Germany's most prestigious awards for young physicists, recognizing an outstanding and recently completed experimental or theoretical research breakthrough that provides significant new insights to the physics community.}
GfKl Application Award 2012, German Data Science Society (GfKl); July 2013
- ^Peer-juried^{Best Paper Award}^{recognizing outstanding and innovative empirical method applications within data analysis, machine learning, and knowledge discovery.}

Online-Scholarship, e-fellows.net GmbH & Co. KG; Aug 2010–Feb 2012
- ^{Scholarship holders achieve outstanding results in their studies and internships (domestic and abroad) as well as in their extracurricular activities.}
Ph.D. Scholarship, Physics Faculty, TU Dortmund University; Apr 2008–Mar 2011
Dean's List: Top-25% MSc graduates, Physics Faculty, TU Dortmund University; 2008
DPG A-levels Award, German Physical Society (DPG); June 2002
- ^{For extraordinary achievements in physics during high school.}

National Research Excellence Award for Science Communication & Public Engagement (institution): Namibia Scientific Society (as Chair of the Executive Board), National Commission on Research, Science & Technology; Mar 2026
- ^{Premier national accolade recognizing outstanding and impactful contributions to translating complex scientific concepts for the public and driving socio-economic awareness across Namibia's research and innovation ecosystem.}
Annie Maunder Medal for Outreach 2024: AMT Mobile Planetarium Team (as PI), Royal Astronomical Society; Jan 2024
- ^{Prestigious international honour,}^{recognizing an outstanding piece of work or activity by an individual or a team}^{that has significantly advanced the public understanding of astronomy or geophysics.}