Henning Scheich was a renowned German neurophysiologist and learning researcher.
Following German reunification, he became the founding director of the Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology in Magdeburg, building up a highly visible centre for modern neuroscience around the institute with great enthusiasm and political skill. He was also one of the founding fathers of the Centre for Behavioural Brain Sciences in Magdeburg, and was strongly committed to broad-based cooperation with Otto von Guericke University.
Thanks to his strategic initiatives, Magdeburg was home to magnetic resonance imaging equipment for neurobiological research at an early stage, and the commissioning of Europe's first 7 Tesla tomograph will forever be associated with his self-experiment in front of the cameras.
From 1995 to 2003, Henning Scheich held the position of Scientific Vice-President of the Leibniz Association. During this time, he successfully guided the scientific organisation through politically challenging periods, leaving a significant impact on the German research landscape.
He was fascinated by how signals from the environment — particularly acoustic information — are processed, filtered and interpreted in the brain, shaping an individual's behaviour. He sought to understand how motivation influences learning and memory, and how to create optimal learning conditions.
He frequently contributed to the social debate on education, vehemently defending neurobiologically based learning concepts. His credo: Learning is not only a task for research; it can also be viewed as a positive concept for society.
Henning Scheich died in May 2025 after a long illness. We miss his charismatic and knowledgeable lectures, his passion for scientific discourse, and his strategic brilliance. He was an inspiring mentor and advisor to generations of young researchers. We will honour his memory.
This obituary was written by Prof. Dr. Constanze Seidenbecher.