The Colloid Society was founded in Leipzig in 1922 on the initiative of W. Ostwald and an association of several hundred colloid scientists from universities and companies.
The founding history is presented in detail and with many historical documents in the book “70 Years Colloid Society” by Klaus Beneke.
Further historical information on colloid science can be found on the website of Mr. Klaus Beneke at CAU Kiel: History of Colloid and Interface Sciences.
The Colloid Society has been awarding various prizes and grants since it was founded. You can find an overview of the award winners in the Awards section.
For example, you can see the Laura R. Leonard Prize on the left, donated by the physician Martin Heinrich Fischer (1879 – 1962), who was born in Kiel and worked in Cincinnati (USA).
President of the Colloid Society
- 1922 to 1943 Wolfgang Ostwald (1883 – 1943), Leipzig. After the unexpected death of Wolfgang Ostwald, the second chairman, Alfred Lottermoser (1870 – 1945), Dresden, continued to run the office from 1943 until he died in 1945.
- 1949 bis 1967 Hans Erbring (1903 – 1982), Bensberg
- 1967 bis 1987 Armin Weiss (1927-2011), München
- 1987 bis 1991 Heinz Hoffmann, Bayreuth
- 1991 bis 1999 Milan Schwuger, Jülich
- 1999 bis 2003 Wolfgang von Rybinski, Düsseldorf
- 2003 bis 2007 Helmuth Möhwald, Golm
- 2007 bis 2011 Hans-Jürgen Butt, Mainz
- 2011 bis 2015 Joachim Venzmer, Essen
- 2015 bis 2019 Walter Richtering, Aachen
- seit 2019 Michael Gradzielski, Berlin
Vice-chairman
- 1991 bis 1999 Wolfgang von Rybinski, Düsseldorf
- 1999 bis 2003 Heinz Rehage, Dortmund
- 2003 bis 2005 Helmut Auweter, Ludwigshafen
- 2005 bis 2011 Joachim Venzmer, Essen
- 2011 bis 2015 Walter Richtering, Aachen
- 2015 bis 2019 Michael Gradzielski, Berlin
- seit 2019 Andreas Fery, Dresden
Managing directors
- 1979 bis 2003 Gerhard Lagaly, Kiel
- 2003 bis 2009 Heinz Rehage, Dortmund
- 2009 bis 2015 Monika Schönhoff, Münster
- 2015 bis 2022 Claudia Schmidt, Paderborn
- seit 2022 Annette Andrieu-Brunsen, TU Darmstadt