Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
Award year: 2018
Category: Award / Honour
Type: Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
Awarding organization: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
Heike Paul has made a name for herself both in Germany and internationally with her work on American literature, cultural theory and popular culture. As one of the most eminent researchers of American studies in Germany, she is an authority on the field of American myths, and takes an innovative approach to investigate and analyse these in various sectors of society such as art, politics and religion. In addition, Paul has dedicated herself to promoting the transfer of knowledge between the world of academia and the general public, in particular through museums, schools and cultural institutions, and acts as a mentor to young researchers.