News
Lev Vaidman awarded Humboldt Research Award
30 Mar 2026
Strengthening collaboration between Physics and Philosophy at LMU Munich
We are pleased to announce that Lev Vaidman (Tel Aviv University) has been awarded a Humboldt Research Award by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. The award recognizes internationally leading researchers and supports long-term academic collaboration with colleagues in Germany.
Professor Vaidman is one of the most influential figures in the foundations of quantum mechanics. His work has fundamentally shaped the field, including pioneering contributions to interaction-free measurements, weak values and weak measurements, quantum nonlocality, and the interpretation of quantum theory—especially the Many-Worlds Interpretation. His research is distinguished by its combination of conceptual depth, technical innovation, and philosophical significance.
The award is based on a joint nomination by Stephan Hartmann (Faculty of Philosophy) and Harald Weinfurter (Faculty of Physics). It will enable Professor Vaidman to spend extended research periods at LMU Munich over the coming years.
During his stays, Professor Vaidman will collaborate closely with researchers in both faculties. On the physics side, he will work with Harald Weinfurter’s group on experimental and theoretical aspects of weak measurements and related quantum phenomena. On the philosophy side, he will engage with researchers at the Munich Center for Mathematical Philosophy (MCMP) and the Chair of Metaphysics on the conceptual and interpretative foundations of quantum mechanics, with particular attention to the ontological status and explanatory role of weak values.
This collaboration is expected to deepen the integration of physics and philosophy at LMU and to advance interdisciplinary research on the conceptual foundations of modern quantum theory. It further strengthens Munich’s position as an international hub for foundational research in quantum physics and philosophy of science.
The Faculty warmly welcomes Professor Vaidman and looks forward to the collaboration.