Annette Beck-Sickinger

Annette Gabriele Beck-Sickinger
Born Annette Gabriele Beck-Sickinger
(1960-10-28) 28 October 1960
Nationality German
Institutions University of Leipzig
Alma mater University of Tubingen
Known for Leipzig University internship controversy
Notable awards Leonidas Zervas Award of the European Peptide Society
Website
www.saw-leipzig.de/de/mitglieder/becka

Annette Gabriele Beck-Sickinger (born 28 October 1960[1]) is a German chemist and biologist. She was in the news in 2015 for denying internship to a student with the justification that India is a country of rapists. She has been a full professor of Biochemistry and Bioorganic Chemistry at the University of Leipzig since 1999.

Career

Beck-Sickinger received her doctorate in organic chemistry from the University of Tübingen in 1989. From 1996 to 1999 she was an assistant professor of biochemistry at ETH Zurich, after which she moved to the University of Leipzig, where she has remained since. She is a member of the German Chemical Society, the Saxonian Academy of Sciences[2] and the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.[3] She is known for her work on peptide signaling; she has coauthored reference works on combinatorial chemistry as applied to peptides[4] and has participated in International Union of Pharmacology projects on standardization of nomenclature for G protein-coupled receptor peptide ligands.[5]

Beck-Sickinger received multiple awards including Leonidas Zervas Award of the European Peptide Society (1998)[6] and the Gold Medal of the Max Bergmann Society (2009).

Controversy

In March 2015, Beck-Sickinger was at the center of a controversy related to comments made during correspondence with an internship applicant in which she stated she would not accept any male students from India.[7][8][9][10]

The University declined to publish e-mails between Prof. Dr. Annette Beck-Sickinger and the student from India. However, according to a statement released by the rector of the university, Prof. Dr. Beate Schücking, the students council of the university was said to have had the opportunity to review all relevant e-mails. The statement also restated that the student was declined for formal reasons.[11][12]

Germany's ambassador to India wrote a letter condemning Beck-Sickinger and, stating: “Your oversimplifying and discriminating generalisation is an offence to women and men ardently committed to furthering women's empowerment in India; and is an offence to millions of law-abiding, tolerant, open-minded and hard-working Indians. Let's be clear: India is not a country of rapists,” he wrote.[13] [14][15] “I would encourage you to learn more about the diverse, dynamic and fascinating country and the many welcoming and open-minded people of India so that you could correct a simplistic image, which – in my opinion – is particularly unsuitable for a professor and teacher.”[16][17][18][19][20]

Selected bibliography

Books

Journal articles

References

  1. ↑ "Profile: Annette G. Beck-Sickinger, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil.". Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Leipzig.
  2. ↑ "Prof. Dr. Annette Beck-Sickinger". University of Leipzig. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
  3. ↑ "List of members: Prof. Dr. Annette G. Beck-Sickinger". Leopoldina Nationale Akademie der Wissenschaften.
  4. ↑ Beck-Sickinger, Annette; Soderman, Peter Weber (2002). Combinatorial strategies in biology and chemistry. Translated by Michael Weir Allan. Chichester: John Wiley. ISBN 0471497274.
  5. ↑ Michel, MC; Beck-Sickinger, A; Cox, H; Doods, HN; Herzog, H; Larhammar, D; Quirion, R; Schwartz, T; Westfall, T (March 1998). "XVI. International Union of Pharmacology recommendations for the nomenclature of neuropeptide Y, peptide YY, and pancreatic polypeptide receptors.". Pharmacological Reviews. American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics. 50 (1): 143–50. PMID 9549761.
  6. ↑ "Leonidas Zervas Award". The European Peptide Society. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Mascherin, Von Claudia (9 March 2015). "Keine Inder - das sind Vergewaltiger!". Blick (in German). Ringier. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Varghese, Johnlee (9 March 2015). "German professor apologises for denying internship to Indian student, citing 'rape problem'". International Business Times. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Phillip, Abby (9 March 2015). "German professor cites India's 'rape problem' in rejection of Indian applicant". The Washington Post. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  10. ↑ Wendling, Mike (11 March 2015). "Second student allegedly rejected because of India's 'rape problem'". BBC Trending. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  11. ↑ Universität Leipzig. "Universität Leipzig: Nachrichten". Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Statement in der Causa Beck-Sickinger". StuRa Leipzig. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  13. ↑ http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-31834228
  14. ↑ http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/10/asia/india-rape-german-professor/
  15. ↑ http://rt.com/news/239105-german-professor-indian-student/
  16. ↑ India is not a country of rapists: German envoy to discriminating German professor (The Hindu)
  17. ↑ Prof rejects Indian intern over 'rape problem'
  18. ↑ German Professor Apologises for Denying Internship to Indian Student, Citing 'Rape Problem' (India Business Times)
  19. ↑ German professor denies internship to Indian student citing India’s ‘rape problem’ (Deccan Chronicle)
  20. ↑ German professor apologises for rejecting internship to student citing 'India's rape problem' (Hindustan Times)

External links

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